Description

Textile: Definition and Meaning
A textile is any material made of interlacing fibers. It can take a variety of forms and has many functions. No matter one’s environment or situation, textiles are probably part of it. Found in clothing, furniture, bedding, carpeting, and even some car parts, textiles are everywhere.

Nowadays, there are many answers to the question: What is a textile? In her best-selling book The Fabric of Civilization: How Textiles Made the World (2020), author Virginia I. Postrel not only chronicles the development of textiles from fiber to fabric and the many uses of textiles, but also celebrates their impact on everything from medical breakthroughs to industrial innovations to modern-day commerce. What we know and enjoy today as banking, currency, computer code, medications, etc., all bear some inspiration from the world of textiles.