Beyond aesthetics, textiles vary in strength and durability. These materials, made of interlacing fibres, include wool, silk, cotton, flax, jute, asbestos, glass fibre, nylon, polyester, and acrylic. Leather is inherently durable, created via the tanning of animal skin.
Leather offers textural appeal as well as excellent modulation of heat and cold. Most leathers are made of tanned and dried cowhide, but other options include sheep, goat, snake, and alligator. Leather is widely known for its natural look, but it may also be dyed to any color. Made by covering a natural or synthetic base fabric with a polyurethane or PVC coating, faux leather aims to duplicate leather’s look and feel.
Made from interwoven strands of yarn or thread, textiles are soft and flexible finished products used in a variety of applications including window coverings, privacy curtains, blankets, decorative panels, and upholstery. Sources for the yarn include animal (wool and silk);plant (cotton, hemp, and rayon);mineral (glass and metal fiber);and synthetic (polyester, acrylic, and nylon).
