A label is a beginning. Follow the rest of the story.
Five questions that take you beyond a fiber percentage.
Reviewed 2026-09-22. Open in the interactive atlas.
Start with composition
Read every component, including linings and any elastane. A fabric called a wool coat can include a blend, a synthetic lining and interfacing. Record the stated percentages before comparing products.
Separate origin from manufacture
The country where a garment was assembled may be different from the places where its fiber was grown, spun and woven. Ask for those stages separately. A mill name is useful only if you know what that mill actually did.
Ask for evidence that matches the claim
A farm-level claim, a chemical-testing claim and a recycled-content claim answer different questions. Ask whether the claim applies to the specific product, and whether a current certificate or transaction record supports it.
Look at the cloth in front of you
Handle, seams, weight, recovery and fit affect whether a garment will be worn for years. Fiber names can help frame questions; they cannot replace inspection of a finished piece.
Use the care label as a design clue
A material may sound easy to wash while its lining, dye or finish demands something different. The whole garment’s instructions should govern care.
Sources & further reading
- Textile Exchange: Material standards
Official entry point for scope, claims and current versions of material standards.
- Sustainable Fibre Alliance: Standards and resources
Cashmere sourcing, primary processing and chain-of-custody reference.