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The related words "fabric"[3] and "cloth"[4] and "material" are often used in textile assembly trades (such as tailoring and dressmaking) as synonyms for textile. However, there are subtle differences in these terms in specialized usage. A textile is any material made of the interlacing fibres, including carpeting and geotextiles, which may not necessarily be used in the production of further goods, such as clothing and upholstery. A fabric is a material made through weaving, knitting, spreading, felting, stitching, crocheting or bonding that may be used in the production of further products, such as clothing and upholstery, thus requiring a further step of the production. Cloth may also be used synonymously with fabric, but often specifically refers to a piece of fabric that has been processed or cut.
Textiles made from Alpaca wool at the Otavalo Artisan Market in the Andes Mountains, Ecuador
Contents
1 Etymology
2 History
3 Uses
4 Fibre sources and types
4.1 Animal
4.2 Plant
4.3 Mineral
4.4 Synthetic
4.5 Blends (Blended textiles)
5 Production methods



