Wool, linen, nylon and elastane: where each fiber comes from

Cotton, polyester and viscose make up most uniform fabric, but four more fibers do specialist jobs. Wool is a natural protein fiber, springy and warm, used in premium suiting and blazers. Linen comes from the stem of the flax plant and is crisp, cool and absorbent but creases easily, so it suits summer jackets and shirts. Nylon is a very strong synthetic with excellent abrasion resistance, used to reinforce workwear and outerwear. Elastane is a synthetic that can stretch far and snap back. A small share of it in a blend gives stretch trousers, shirts and scrubs their give. In uniform cloth these fibers usually work alongside the big three rather than alone.