Some natural fibers such as cotton and linen are derived from plants.
Cotton
Cotton is a popular plant based fiber that is used extensively.
- There are different grades of cotton. Premium grades, which have long staple, can be almost as expensive as silk and just as lustrous. Lesser grades, with a shorter fiber length, can be fuzzy and dull.
- Cotton takes finishes and dyes really well.
- Cotton is strong and versatile, but not very resistant to wrinkling and stretching.
- It soils easily and consequently needs fabric protection to deter stains. Cotton blended with other fibers is easier to use than plain cotton.
Linen
Linen is another plant derived fiber, and shares many similarities with cotton.
- Linen is available in a variety of grades, with the finer grades looking smooth and almost silk like.
- Like cotton, linen is not very resilient and wrinkles easily, and needs to be blended with other fibers.
- Linen ages well, as it doesn’t fade from light and is resistant to insects. However, it is prone to mold and mildew and will not tolerate very high humidity. Because of its high maintenance, it is more often used in drapery and wall coverings instead of upholstery.
- Linen can cleaned easily as it can be washed and ironed or dry cleaned.
