Fabrics are made of fibers - strands that are much longer than they are wide and generally round on cross section. These fibers may be from natural or synthetic sources. Humans originally made cloth from natural sources, but have subsequently found the means to make their own fibers starting from basic chemicals. Each type has different properties of flexibility, ability to serve as insulation, ability to conduct moisture.

Popular Fabrics include cotton and leather, but even seaweed and gold have been used to make textiles. Understanding the differences found among different textile fabrics is critical in the design industry. Textile fabrics originate from a number of sources including animals, plants, and minerals, as well as manmade synthetic materials.

Long time ago, clothing was almost exclusively made from "natural" fabrics (cotton, linen, and wool) because of their ability to allow the body to breathe. However, performance of these fabrics in day to day life was questionable - linen would wrinkle too much, cotton would lose its shape, and wool (if not of the highest quality) would be too stiff and uncomfortable to wear. Recent years brought well known boom in technology. The textile industry in particular enjoys many benefits of that boom, constantly improving existing fabrics and inventing new ones.

In contemporary fabrics, the trend is to blend. Most ready to wear suits, even big designer brands and custom made suit houses are taking advantage of these "smart fabrics" today. Blending of different fibers is done to enhance the performance and improve the aesthetic qualities of the fabric. Fibers are selected and blended in certain proportions so the fabric will retain the best characteristics or each fiber. Blending can be done with either natural or manufactured fibers, in a variety of combinations and percentages.

Today, polyester is the most blended manufactured fiber because of its above mentioned characteristics. One of the most popular "smart fabrics" is the TR or Tetron (polyester), Rayon (viscose) blend. Rayon is a manufactured natural vegetable fiber composed of regenerated cellulose, derived from wood pulp, cotton linters, or other natural vegetable matter. It is a very versatile fiber and offers the same comfort properties as other natural fibers and can replicate the feel and texture of silk, wool, cotton and linen. Rayon fabrics are soft, smooth, cool, comfortable and highly absorbent, but do not insulate body heat making them ideal for use in hot and humid climates. TR was introduced to the world of fashion by famous, now late, Gianni Versace.

Another popular blend is polyester, Rayon and wool, which creates a fabric which retains the beautiful drape and feel of 100% pure wool, while the polyester and Rayon fibers add durability and resistance to wrinkles.