Contact us
contrado logo
  1. Home
  2. Fabrics
  3. Fabrics by Properties
  4. Natural Fabric

Natural Fabrics

Derived from animal and plant natural fibres, natural fabrics are a popular choice when it comes to clothing and furnishing fabric. Find out more about these textiles here.

bamboo natural fibres

Bamboo

Bamboo-rayon blend. Crisp, silky surface. Taut, tightly woven. Matt, dusky finish. Breathable. 120gsm. Use for bedding, jackets.

View more >

Dobby Canvas

Dobby Canvas

100% cotton, 310gsm. Heavy canvas, taut weave. Crisp, starched feel. Raised surface texture. Outdoor seating pads, upholstery.

View more >

Bull Denim natural fabric

Bull Denim

100% cotton. 400gsm. Heavy & dense but soft & warm on the skin. Strong, hardwearing, diagonal drill weave structure.

View more >

cotton natural linen fabric

Cotton Linen

All natural fabric. 95% cotton/5% linen. Cool and smooth on the skin, with some stretch. Slightly stiff finish. 228gsm.

View more >

Natural Fabric printing

100% Silk Satin

100% real silk. Smooth, shiny, flowing drape. Super light, 85gsm. Natural sheen to face, luxury handle. Clothing, scarves etc.

View more >

Pima Lawn Cotton

Pima Lawn 100% Cotton

100% cotton. Light, airy and smooth on the skin. Super light, 75gsm. Nice drape, flows beautifully. Use for clothes, furnishings.

View more >

Organic Cotton Poplin

Organic Cotton Poplin

100% organic cotton poplin weave 110gsm. Authentic slubbing effect. Crisp, white base with no stretch. Ideal for making shirts.

View more >

Organic Half-Panama Cotton

Organic Halfpanama Cotton

100% organic half-panama cotton. Heavy 300gsm. Authentic flecks of cotton seeds. Visible basket weave. Off-white base. Breathable.

View more >

cotton satin

Cotton Satin

100% natural cotton satin weave. 172gsm. Smooth face with matt finish. Reflects & absorbs the light. Crisp and cool to touch.

View more >

Cotton Twill

Cotton Twill

100% natural cotton. 200gsm. Smooth and soft face with a matt reverse. Easy to handle. Very tight twill weave, locks in heat.

View more >

Natural Bounce Cotton Jersey Fabric

Bounce Cotton Jersey

95% cotton, 5% elastane. Soft, stretchy and breathable knitted Cotton Jersey, ideal for bodycon dresses, t-shirts. 180gsm.

View more >

Lima Cotton Twill

Lima Cotton Twill

85% cotton, 15% poly. Smooth and soft face with a matt reverse. Easy to handle. Very tight twill weave locks in heat. 200gsm.

View more >

Lima Cotton Lawn

Lima Cotton Lawn

70% cotton, 30% poly coating. Hardwearing, breathable. Slight brushed surface, ivory base tone. Lighter than poplin. 105gsm.

View more >

Lima Cotton Poplin

Lima Cotton Poplin

81% cotton 19% poly. Semi opaque poplin weave fabric. 160gsm. Intense colours, bright lustrous face. Very fine brushed surface.

View more >

leather

Leather

Real Italian leather, natural visible grain, durable, full colour print, available in 3 size options, custom printed leather

View more >

silk twill

Silk Twill

100% real silk. Beautiful twill weave. Lightweight, durable, strong colour and print detail. Soft with a lovely drape. 54gsm.

View more >

cotton drill

Cotton Drill

100% cotton. Durable and taut. Soft to the touch, hard wearing and heavyweight. Diagonal drill weave. Upholstery, clothing, uniforms.

View more >

bamboo soft

Bamboo Soft

Washed for an extra soft handle. Wash fast inks and strong colours. Great for bedding, garments and much more.

View more >

custom silk satin printing

100% Silk Satin 65gsm

100% real silk. Smooth, shiny, flowing drape. Super light, 65gsm. Natural sheen to face, luxury handle. Clothing, scarves etc.

View more >

Printed Cotton Drill Fabric

Organic Cotton Drill

100% natural, organic cotton drill with characteristic diagonal drill weave. Unbleached sandstone base tone.

View more >

custom silk georgette

Silk Georgette

Made from 100% natural silk, Georgette is printed using eco-friendly inks. Lightweight, sheer, and fluid. 50gsm.

View more >

What are natural fabrics?

Natural fabrics are textiles made from all natural fibres and substances. These can come from animals or plants and have been used for thousands of years to produce clothing, interiors, furnishings and more.

Some of the most popular natural fibre options available include:

Animal fibres
  • Silk – Developed in ancient China from silk worms, known as “the queen of fabrics”
  • Cashmere – very soft and luxurious, from the neck hair of Cashmere and other goats
  • Wool – rich and insulating fibre from sheep
  • Mohair – fine and silky and very soft, from the Angora goat
  • Angora wool – fine, luxurious, and soft from the Angora rabbit
  • Alpaca wool – A luxurious wool used to make high-end items

Plant fibres
  • Cotton – the world’s most used natural fibre from the cotton plant
  • Bamboo – soft and moisture wicking fibre growing in popularity 
  • Flax – a very strong vegetable fibre and one of the oldest
  • Jute – very strong and used to make sackcloth 
  • Hemp – the fibre from the cannabis plant
  • Coir – coarse and short fibre from coconuts

How are they manufactured?

Each type of natural fabric is manufactured slightly differently. Natural fibres can be spun to make thread, filaments and rope. When these are woven, knitted, bonded or matted, they become the natural materials we all know. Textiles, such as natural linen fabrics, are one of the oldest materials known and the only thing that has changed slightly is the manufacturing process.

It starts with the fibre and how that is extracted as well as treated to become a thread or yarn. As some natural fibres are plant derived and others animal, the extraction and process methods are different. Wool including Angora and Cashmere, for example, is either sheared or combed, whereas silk comes from the cocoon of the Mulberry silkworm.

Plant fibres come from harvesting the specific plant or crop and following exact methods to obtain the correct form of the fibre.

Fibre is the base of all textiles, which are made in 3 stages:
  1. Spinning – fibres are first spun to make yarns (which are used to create the fabric)
  2. Weaving/Knitting – this is when the yarns are made into textiles
  3. Finishing – textiles are finished to make them more useful for their intended purpose

Purposes

Natural materials have been used for centuries from all corners of the world. They are utilised predominantly in the fashion and clothing industry, but they are also used in furnishings, interiors, insulators and technology.

Thanks to their myriad of properties and the fact that they are produced sustainably, natural fabrics have continued to grow in popularity.

Properties of natural fabrics

Natural fabrics are made from fibres, which come from plants or animals. A lot of people prefer them due to their plethora of benefits and properties. Some of these can include:
  • Strength
  • Durability
  • Sustainable
  • Insulating
  • Anti-bacterial
  • Bio-degradable 
  • Hypo-allergenic 
  • Versatile
  • Moisture-wicking 
  • Breathable 
  • Absorbent 

Advantages of natural fabrics

You can find natural fabrics online easily, with a wealth of options available. Many people opt for natural over synthetic thanks to the fabric’s soft and breathable natures and their impact on the environment. These fabrics are largely sustainable, biodegradable and carbon neutral which is a huge advantage.

Natural fabrics can also be blended together with other fibres, both natural and synthetic, to bring even more uses to the table. They are versatile as well as strong and when mixed together, their qualities can be multiplied, to include easy to care for, easy to wash, colour durability and lots more.
View all Fabrics View all Fabrics

Your design on Fabric

  • No Minimum Orders
  • Express delivery available
  • 1-2 Day Production Turnaround
  • Handmade
Upload your design
View all fabrics
Fabric Sample Printing

Fabric Sample Printing

next
Fabric Swatch Pack

Fabric Swatch Pack

next



About Contrado

Help

Artists

Secure Payment:

Credit card secure payment

Copyright © 2003 - 2019 Contrado Imaging Ltd - Unit 7, Space Business Park, Abbey Road, Park Royal, London, NW10 7SU