Traditional materials

Traditional materials in the textile industry are primarily of natural origin, with the most important being cotton, wool, flax, and silk. Their history dates back to prehistoric times, when animal hides and plant fibres—such as sun-dried grass, bast fibres, and leaves—were used to make clothing and textiles. Later, specialised textile crops were cultivated, including flax in ancient Egypt, cotton in India, silk in China, and wool in Mesopotamia. The processing of traditional materials involves harvesting or obtaining the raw material (such as shearing, reaping, or peeling), followed by drying and primary treatments including carding, retting, or combing. The fibres are then spun into yarns and further processed by weaving, knitting, or felting. Raw fibres may also undergo washing, bleaching, dyeing, or fulling, depending on the requirements of the final product. Natural materials have extremely versatile applications in the textile industry. They are used to produce fabrics for clothing—such as plain weave, twill, satin, and muslin—as well as home textiles including tablecloths and curtains, traditional folk costumes, embroidery, artistic textiles, and technical textiles such as cords, ropes, and insulating layers. Traditional materials are highly valued for their sustainability, renewability, health safety, natural aesthetic qualities, and long service life compared with many synthetic alternatives.