Types of Fabric: What to Sew With and What to Wear

Today, I want to gently step into the world of fabrics.

Even if you do not sew, you already live surrounded by materials. What we wear matters just as much as what we eat or put on our skin. Fabric is what keeps us comfortable, warm, protected, and at ease, almost like a second skin. The wrong fabric, on the other hand, can leave us feeling overheated, restricted, or impatient for the day to end.

In this post, I want to introduce the most essential fabric types and how they are used, without overwhelming you with technical language. Think of it as a way to understand fabric more intuitively, rather than memorising rules.

How I Think About Fabrics

There are many ways to classify materials. This is simply the system that feels the most logical to me. Fabric terminology can quickly become confusing, with overlapping names and categories, so here I focus only on the most commonly used types, explained simply.

When deciding whether a fabric will work for a project, three elements matter most:

how the fibres are interwoven
what the fabric is made of
how heavy it is

Together, these give a surprisingly accurate picture of how a fabric will behave.

1. How Are the Fibres Interwoven?

The most basic distinction is between woven and knitted fabrics.

Woven fabrics are created by interlacing two sets of threads at right angles. One runs vertically, the other horizontally. This structure gives woven fabrics very little stretch, which helps them hold their shape. That is why they are often used for trousers, coats, and tailored garments with clean lines.

Knitted fabrics are formed from loops of a single thread. This looping structure allows the fabric to stretch and move with the body. Knits are generally softer, more forgiving, and often more comfortable to wear.

Within these two categories, there is endless variation. Woven fabrics include satin, twill, and linen weaves. Knitted fabrics range from fine jersey used in t shirts to heavier sweater knits. Even sweatshirts and t shirts share a similar knit structure, only made with different yarn thicknesses.

2. Fabric Composition

Fabrics are usually made from three types of fibres: natural, synthetic, and man made.

Natural fibres come from plants or animals. Cotton and flax come from plants, while wool, silk, cashmere, alpaca, and merino come from animals. These fibres are generally breathable and pleasant to wear.

Synthetic fibres are fully chemical, such as polyester, polyamide, and elastane. They often lack breathability, but they have important advantages. Without synthetics, many types of workwear and performance clothing would not exist.

Man made fibres, sometimes called semi synthetic, are produced from natural cellulose. Viscose is the most common example in sewing. It is breathable, cool to the touch, and drapes beautifully.

3. Grammage, or Fabric Weight

Now imagine two fabrics that look almost identical. Same colour, same weave, same composition. One weighs 150 grams per square metre, the other 400.

This difference in weight matters. The lighter fabric will be more flexible and sometimes slightly transparent. The heavier fabric will be thicker, denser, and more structured. This is what grammage tells us.

When you see descriptions like “cotton satin 250 g per square metre” or “viscose knit with elastane 300 g”, you are already being told how that fabric will behave and what kind of garment it might suit.

Sometimes, all of this information is replaced by a familiar name. Denim, tweed, chiffon, crepe, bouclé. These words usually imply a certain structure and weight. And yes, they still surprise me too.

Learning Fabric Through Touch

If this feels like a lot, take a breath.

Fabric is best understood through touch. Stretch it gently. Feel its weight. Watch how it folds and falls. Try guessing what it is made of just by handling it. Nothing replaces feeling a fabric in your hands.

Choosing Fabric for Garments

Tops and blouses
Cotton and viscose knits work beautifully for comfortable styles. More structured blouses often use woven shirt fabrics. Mixing materials can create subtle contrasts.

Shirts
Usually made from woven cotton, but silk, viscose, linen, or blends work well too. A small amount of synthetic fibre can improve durability, though natural fibres are often best for hot weather.

Skirts
Skirts offer the most freedom. Structured fabrics suit flared shapes, while knits work for fitted styles. With skirts, the cut almost always determines the fabric.