Textile FanatiKK: Textiles 101

A few days ago one of my readers asked me a few basic questions regarding textiles. He had me thinking that perhaps there are other folks out there who also need some clarification. So here goes.

What are textiles?
Textiles are all woven materials made from interlacing fibers or yarn. Textiles are created via weaving, knitting, crocheting, knotting, felting, pounding, or lace-making either by hand or machine. The term originates from the Latin texere, meaning to weave.

How do we use textiles?
Textiles are used to make clothing, bags, hats, towels, carpets, rugs, quilts, bedspreads, curtains, tablecloths, blankets, pillows, kites, flags, balloons, parachutes, bullet proof vests, biomedical materials, crop protection, and fiberglass, to name but a few.

What are textiles made from?
Textiles are made from 4 main sources: animal, plant, mineral, and synthetic materials. A few examples. . .wool is sheep or goat hair and silk is fiber from the silkworm cocoon; cotton and flax are plant crops; asbestos and glass fiber are mineral products; and polyester, nylon, and spandex are synthetic textiles.

Textile examples:
Photo 1: Knitting from Shetland Island