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Textile Fiber Properties Table: Density, Moisture Regain and Thermal Behaviour

Fiber content drives cost, weight, drying time, dye route and processing temperature. This table puts density, moisture regain and thermal behaviour for fifteen common fibers in one searchable place that exports to Excel.

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Fiber	Family	Density (g/cm3)	Standard moisture regain (%)	Thermal behaviour (typical)	Typical use
Cotton	Natural cellulosic	1.54	8.5	Does not melt, scorches above about 200 C	Shirting, denim, knit tees, towels
Linen (flax)	Natural cellulosic	1.5	12	Does not melt, chars at high heat	Summer apparel, home textiles
Jute	Natural cellulosic	1.46	13.75	Does not melt, degrades with heat	Sacking, carpet backing
Hemp	Natural cellulosic	1.48	12	Does not melt, degrades with heat	Canvas, rope, apparel blends
Wool	Natural protein	1.31	13.6	Does not melt, chars; yellows above about 100 C	Suiting, knitwear, carpets
Silk	Natural protein	1.33	11	Does not melt, decomposes above about 150 C	Scarves, lingerie, fine apparel
Viscose rayon	Regenerated cellulosic	1.52	13	Does not melt, loses strength when hot	Dresses, linings, nonwovens
Lyocell	Regenerated cellulosic	1.5	11.5	Does not melt, chars at high heat	Soft drapey apparel, denim blends
Cellulose acetate	Semi-synthetic	1.32	6.5	Softens near 200 C, melts about 260 C	Linings, satin, cigarette tow
Polyester (PET)	Synthetic	1.38	0.4	Melts about 255 to 260 C	Sportswear, workwear, filling, tire cord
Nylon 6	Synthetic	1.14	4.5	Melts about 215 to 220 C	Hosiery, activewear, carpet
Nylon 6,6	Synthetic	1.14	4.5	Melts about 255 to 265 C	Airbags, tire cord, technical fabrics
Acrylic	Synthetic	1.17	2	Softens above about 235 C, no sharp melt	Sweaters, blankets, faux fur
Polypropylene	Synthetic	0.91	0	Melts about 160 to 170 C	Nonwovens, carpet, rope, base layers
Elastane (spandex)	Synthetic	1.21	1.3	Degrades above about 150 to 180 C	Stretch denim, hosiery, activewear

Values are typical handbook figures for general reference. Standard regain is the equilibrium moisture at 65 percent RH and 20 C expressed on dry mass, and commercial regain allowances used in trade contracts can differ by market. Always confirm against the supplier test report for your lot.

Structured fiber content in your ERP

Optional: a short review of how fiber content and composition are stored in your item master and where it feeds labels and reports.

Optional. The tool and every export work without this. No spam.

How to use the table

Type a fiber or family in the search box to filter rows, then sort or export to Excel for your costing or specification file. Use density when you convert between fiber volume and mass, for example when comparing the weight of a polypropylene non-woven with a cotton one of the same thickness. Use regain when you convert between oven-dry mass and the weight you actually invoice or ship. Use the thermal column to set heat-set, ironing and drying limits.

Search by family to compare cellulosic against synthetic options
Use density to estimate cover and bulk
Use regain to reconcile dry and commercial weight
Use thermal behaviour to set pressing and heat-set limits

Moisture regain and commercial weight

Regain is the water a fiber holds at standard atmosphere, expressed as a percentage of its oven-dry mass. Commercial weight is dry mass multiplied by one plus regain over 100. A 1,000 kg dry lot of cotton at 8.5 percent regain is billed near 1,085 kg, while the same dry mass of polyester is billed near 1,004 kg. This is why blended yarn weights are computed from the blend ratio and each fiber's regain, and why wet storage can distort receiving weights.

Common mistakes and ERP notes

Mixing up regain and moisture content is the classic error, since moisture content is based on wet mass and regain on dry mass. Another is assuming synthetic melting points apply to blends: the lowest-melting component sets the limit. In ERP, store fiber content as a classification or characteristic on the item master so costing, labeling and compliance reports can read it, rather than burying it in a description string.

Regain uses dry mass, moisture content uses wet mass
The lowest-melting fiber in a blend sets the heat limit
Keep fiber content as a structured attribute in the item master

Frequently Asked Questions

What is moisture regain in textiles?

Moisture regain is the mass of water a fiber holds at equilibrium in a standard atmosphere, expressed as a percentage of its oven-dry mass. It differs by fiber, with cotton near 8.5 percent and polyester near 0.4 percent, and it is used to convert between dry and commercial weight.

Why does polyester dry faster than cotton?

Polyester absorbs very little moisture inside the fiber because its regain is only about 0.4 percent, so nearly all the water sits on the surface and between yarns. Cotton absorbs water into the fiber itself, so it holds more and takes longer to dry.

Which fiber has the lowest density?

Polypropylene is the lowest in this table at about 0.91 g/cm3, which is why it floats on water. That low density gives high cover per kilogram, a reason it is common in nonwovens and base layers.

Are these values exact for my fabric?

No. They are typical handbook figures. Fiber grade, finishing, additives and test conditions change the numbers a little, so use the supplier certificate or your own lab test for contracts, claims and compliance declarations.

If your item master, labels and compliance reports do not carry structured fiber content, we can show how to expose it from your ERP data without a custom report project.

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