Difference Between Textile and Fabric and Cloth

So, what exactly is the difference between fabric and textile? To understand the small differences between these three important words, let’s first look at their definitions.

"Textiles" are defined (by the Collins dictionary) as "types of cloth or fabric, especially ones that have been woven."

"Fabric" is defined (by the Collins dictionary) as "cloth or other material produced by weaving together cotton, nylon, wool, silk, or other threads. Fabrics are used for making things such as clothes, curtains, and sheets." (Please note that fabric can also be made by knitting or felting fibers.)

"Cloth" is defined (by the Collins dictionary) as "fabric which is made by weaving or knitting a substance such as cotton, wool, silk, or nylon. Cloth is used especially for making clothes."

As you can see, there is so much crossover between these three terms. To put it simply, all fabrics and cloth are a form of textile but all textiles are not always fabric or cloth.

Textile is a broader term and it can be used in all kinds of industries, not just in clothing or home decor production.
 

The word textile can refer to materials used in many fields and industries. These range from those used for clothing and apparel (like cottons and wools) to those for industrial purposes (made from specialized materials like nylon and fiberglass yarn).

Industrial textiles are utilized in almost every field imaginable, including architecture, medicine, and even the aerospace industry (pretty cool!).

Fabrics can be made either with one raw material or by blending two or more together. Examples of fabric include (but are not limited to): polyester, linen, wool, silk, velvet, denim, and satin. This is the most commonly used word to refer to the supply used to make clothing, apparel, and soft interior furnishings.

Lastly, the word cloth is typically associated with a material used to create clothing, though there are exceptions. Sometimes it can be used to refer to a piece of fabric that covers an inanimate object (like a cloth cover for a piano).

Cloth is pliable, meaning it can be bent easily without losing its shape or breaking. A common example of a type of cloth is “terry cloth.” This soft, loopy fabric is made from absorbent cotton fibers (or cotton-blend fibers) and is perfect for robes and bath towels.

Now we know the small differences between these three popular sewing terms!