The Abbreviation of Common Textile Fabric and The Characteristics of Common Fibers

Abbreviation	Name of Textile Fabric
AC	acetate
BM	bamboo
CO	cotton
LI	linen, flax
RA	polyamide
N	Nylon
PC	acrylic
PES, PE	polyester
PU	polyurethane
EL	elastane fiber, spandex
SE	silk
MS	mulberry silk
TS	tussah silk
RY	rayon
VI	viscose rayon
W, WO	wool
WS	cashmere
WA	angora
WK	camel
WL	lamb wool
WM	mohair
WP	alpaca
AL	albumen
CU	cuprammonium rayon
HM	hemp
JU	jute
MD	polynosic
ME	metallic
SB	soybean
TS	Tencel
LY	Lycra
MC	Modal
LC	Lyocell
el.	elastane fiber
op.	Opelon
p/c	polyester/cotton
t/c	terylene/cotton
t/r	polyester/rayon

The Characteristics of Common Fibers

1.Natural Fiber
Cotton: Sweat absorption. Soft

Line: Crumple easily. After being finished, it is stiff and breathable. More expensive.

Ramie: A kind of hemp. Thick yarns. Usually it is used for curtain cloths or sofa fabric. And it is blended with line to use for clothes.

Wool: Wool yarn is fine and not easy to pill.

Lambswool: Yarn is thicker. It is usually blended with acrylic to make clothes resistant to deformation.

Mohair: Excellent fluffiness. Thermal.

Cashmere: Finer fiber. Light and soft. Comfortable hand feeling.

Angola: Yarn is fine and fluffy. Soft, smooth and elastic handle. More expensive.

Silk: Soft. Has beautiful luster. High moisture absorption.

2.Chemical Fiber

Rayon: Very light and soft. It is mostly used for shirts.

Polyester: Similar to Rayon. Not easy to crumple after ironing. It is cheap.
Spandex: Inherently elastic. If it is blended with cotton, the content can be 5~10% only, the fabric has high elasticity, which makes clothes resistant to deformation. It is not easy to fade. Price is high.
Viscose: Plain weaving viscose has a shiny effect. Knitting viscose has very soft hand feeling and it is heavier, which is more expensive.
Nylon: Completely airfast. Harder handle. Suitable for wind coat. If blended with wool, the clothes is more stiff.