Textile abbreviations

Common textile abbreviations when buying fabrics

Customers encounter some abbreviations particularly often. They help you understand material information quickly and identify fabrics more easily.

Linear metres and square metres in fabrics

Fabric weights may be given in grams per square metre (g/m²) or in grams per linear metre (g/linear metre). Always consider the fabric width when comparing fabrics.

For example, if a fabric is 150 cm wide and weighs 200 g/m², one linear metre weighs 300 g. A fabric can therefore appear heavier or lighter at first glance depending on the measurement used.

Plant, animal, man-made cellulosic and synthetic fibres

The origin or fibre group provides an initial guide. Natural fibres can come from plants or animals. Man-made fibres are manufactured; some are cellulose-based, while synthetic fibres are made from chemically produced polymers.

• Plant fibres: For example cotton, linen, hemp, jute or ramie.
• Animal fibres: For example wool, virgin wool, silk, alpaca, cashmere or mohair.
• Man-made cellulosic fibres: For example viscose, modal, lyocell or cupro.
• Synthetic fibres: For example polyester, polyamide, acrylic or elastane.

Table of textile abbreviations

The following table is a reference guide. Abbreviations that are particularly relevant or common at TuchundStoff are shown in bold.

Using textile abbreviations

Textile abbreviations are useful when reading fabric lists, labels, old material descriptions or manufacturer information. Customers should nevertheless always check the full material description on the particular product.

For natural fabrics and fibre blends in particular, it is worth looking closely: wool, virgin wool, linen, silk and blended fabrics can behave very differently depending on weight, weave, processing and care.

Further reading

If you see an unfamiliar abbreviation on a fabric page, check the full material description. You can also contact us directly with questions about a particular fabric.