Fabrics and textile materials in interior design

Interior fabrics and textiles come in all types, shapes, and sizes, and although products such as pillows, curtains, and tapestries are often considered the finishing touches in interior design,

However, it pays to think about your fabric and textile choices throughout the design process.

In fact, making thoughtful choices can help improve the life and performance of your soft furnishings—and making those choices early in the design process can help you budget for high-end options, too!

But which fabrics and textiles are best suited for certain spaces, pieces, and lifestyles?

Should you choose natural or synthetic materials? What are the price points? We answer these questions and more below.

natural materials

cotton

Cotton yarn is harvested from cotton plants. Cotton is lightweight, breathable, soft, strong, resilient, durable, and holds dyes well.

But it is also subject to shrinking, staining, tearing, and fading, and cotton can be used in combination with other natural or synthetic materials to produce velvet, cloth, and flannel.

Also, cotton, cotton blends and its derivatives are readily available and affordable, so they are widely used in interior design.

Some common applications include linens, curtains, and upholstery.

bamboo

Fabric marketed as bamboo may be rayon or viscose made from its cellulose rather than directly extracted bamboo fibre. Check fibre labelling, textile tests and care. The plant’s antibacterial properties do not automatically carry over to the fabric.

linen

Linen fiber is derived from the flax plant, and although linen tends to be coarser than cotton, it is similarly lightweight and durable, and will soften over time.

It is also prone to staining and wrinkling, and is usually more expensive than cotton. Linen may be used in combination with other natural or synthetic materials to produce velvet and cloth.

Some common interior design applications for linen blends include bedding, upholstery, and window treatments.

skins

wool

hemp

Hemp is a sustainable, renewable plant fiber that has a canvas-like texture and is similarly thick, strong and durable.

Although hemp will start to harden, the fibers will soften with further use.

Hemp is also prone to curling and wrinkling, and some interior design applications of hemp and hemp blends include linens, blankets, pillows, rugs, and upholstery.

silk

Made from the cocoons of silkworm moths, silk is soft, lustrous, and luxurious, but also delicate and expensive.

Because of its high price and fragility, silk is used sparingly and in low-traffic areas of interior design.

For example, some people choose to use silk for interior curtain cutouts or decorative upholstery.

Another common application for silk is bedding, such as pillow covers and bedspreads. Silk can be used in combination with other natural or synthetic materials to produce velvet.

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Editorial review and correction — 19 October 2026: Errors in the earlier version were corrected, including correcting the earlier explanation: Fabric marketed as bamboo may be rayon or viscose made from its cellulose rather than directly extracted bamboo fibre. Reviewed by Archive Data Agent.