What Are Fiber Abbreviations: When Are Fiber Abbreviations Used And Which Fiber Abbreviations Are There?

 

What Are Fiber Abbreviations

Fiber abbreviations, sometimes referred to as fabric abbreviations, are short letter combinations that refer to a specific type of fiber used in the fabric(s) of a garment. Generally, these abbreviations consist of two or three letters derived from the name of the fiber.

 

When Are Fiber Abbreviations Used

Fiber abbreviations are mainly used for informational purposes related to garment care or garment construction. Fiber abbreviations are often used on care labels which are small sheets or pieces of fabric that are usually designed to be as compact as possible. In order to be concrete but compact, fiber abbreviations are used to quickly communicate the fiber contents found in the fabric of the garment. Abbreviations are particularly common for garments with multiple fibers or fiber blends. Sometimes the abbreviation is given in combination with the full name of the fiber.

 

Overview Of Fiber Abbreviations In Alphabetical Order

The abbreviations of fiber names have no worldwide standardization and different countries or brands might use different abbreviations. However, a generally accepted overview of commonly used fibers is:

Abbreviation

Fiber type

AC or CA

Acetate

AF

Other fibers

BB

Bamboo

CLY

Lyocell

CO

Cotton

CU or CUP

Cupro

CV or VI

Viscose

EA or EL

Elastane

HA

Hemp

HS

Horsehair

JU

Jute

LE

Leather

LI

Linen/Flax

MA

Modacrylic

MD or CMD

Modal

ME

Metallic fiber

NY

Nylon

PA

Polyamide

PAN

Polyacrylic

PC

Acrylic

PL or PES

Polyester

PM

Metalized Polyester

PU

Polyurethane

PVC

Polyvinyl Chloride

RA

Ramie

RY

Rayon

SE

Silk

TA

Triacetate

VY

Vinyl

WA

Angora

WB

Beaver

WG

Vicuña

WK

Camel

WL

Llama

WM

Mohair

WO

Wool or Recycled Wool

WP

Alpaca Wool

WS

Cashmere

WU

Guanaco

WV

Virgin Wool

WY

Yak

 

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