The primary need of man in dressing has changed a lot as time passed. This is because the yarn, fabrics and finishing have completely changed with the improvement in technology. Whatever be the changes, the welfare and comfort is the two important properties for a successful dress.
Today, multi functional products are more and more being projected, where contrasting performances should coexist like water resistance and air permeability along with softness. It should have thermal properties as well as vapour-humidity or light-humidity transmission quality.
Different fabrics are used differently. They are specially made to fulfil certain purposes. Apparel fabric is very dressy with a comfort and durability where as industrial fabric should be strong and tough with grease resistant. Outdoor fabric should posses the quality to retain color over years while hosiery fabric is suppose to fit to the skin closely. In the same way curtain and drapery fabric has different dedicated utility than blanket or mattress fabric.