The Difference Between Textiles and Fabrics

A graduate of the Institute for Higher Education in Accounting and Finance in Tehran, Iran, David Raminfard has a history of success as a residential and commercial real estate developer. David Raminfard has served as president and chief executive officer of Kaslen Textiles since 2010 and New Point Fabric since 2011.

Although the general public tends to use the two terms interchangeably, there is actually a pronounced difference between textiles and fabrics. Technically, all fabrics are textiles, but not all textiles are fabrics.

Common to both the apparel and upholstery industries, textiles can be comprised of pure fiber, yarn, or fabric, as well as any combination of these substances. The label “textile” applies to both finished and unfinished products.

Fabrics, by contrast, are always sold as finished products with specific purposes (for example, cloth for shirting). There are essentially two types of fabric: non-woven fabric made from fiber and woven or knitted fabric made from yarn.