Our culture-rich country has hundreds of types of colors, fabrics, and materials used to make garments. Also, every state and region has its style and tradition that they follow.  

All the heavy wedding garments and dresses are made using fabrics like Georgette, Velvet, Organza, and Chiffon. Apart from them, fabrics that we use in our everyday life are cotton, jute, linen, silk, and wool. 

Synthetics (mainly polyester)  is the artificial fabric and Cotton, linen, jute, silk, and wool are natural fabrics that are considered to be the most common fabric manufactured in India. Polyester is produced 65% out of total fabric manufactured followed by cotton with at 28% and wool.  

Cotton is used in producing shirting, trousers, dhoti, and dresses. Also cotton is the most commonly used fabric in India. Shirts, suits, bed linen, aprons, table cloths, men’s wear are made using Linen

While Wool is consumed in making sweaters, blankets, shawls, coats, and other winter clothing. Silk is used for shirts, ties, blouses, formal dresses, high fashion clothing, etc.

Have you ever wondered how these everyday used fabrics are manufactured? Take a look at the following guide to how the most common fabrics are manufactured.

Polyester:

Polyester is an artificial fabric and they are proved to be long-lasting and uses less water and energy for washing. Polyester is made from a kind of plastic and that is produced from petroleum. The manufacturing process of polyester differs depending on the use of polyester after manufacturing. 

PET plastic pellets are first melted to make long threads through tiny holes called spinnerets. They are later cooled down to form fiber and this process is called melt spinning. In this way, the most used material i.e polyester is made.

Cotton:

Cotton being very light, breathable, and comfortable, is very much used to make clothing in India. Cotton is the oldest form of fabric in India. 

Cotton is a natural fiber being a plant-based fabric. Cotton is manufactured from its plant. These plants are called Genus Gossypium and this plant needs a lot of sunlight and water. It is then purified and the process moves on further. Cotton is spun into yarn and this is then converted into a piece of fabric. 

Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, etc are the major states producing cotton while Gujarat is the largest manufacturer of cotton in India.   

Silk:

Silk is also a natural fiber. It is an animal-based fiber that is produced in Andra Pradesh, Assam, Jharkhand, West Bengal, etc and Andra Pradesh is the largest producer. 

Silk is a protein fiber and it is made from the saliva of silkworms. The best type of silk is obtained from the cocoon of the larvae of the mulberry silkworm. 

“Resham” is the word for silk in north India whereas south Indians call it “pattu” and the north-east Indians use “paat” for silk. 

Knowing how the fabric that we use in daily life is produced brings us closer to them and gives an idea about their relevant use.