Fibrous and Fabric-Based Materials

Fibrous and fabric-based materials are natural, synthetic, regenerated, or engineered material systems constructed from fibers, yarns, fibrous assemblies, fabrics, nonwovens, and hierarchical fibrous architectures, designed to exhibit targeted mechanical, physical, chemical, functional, protective, esthetic, or smart properties. They encompass fibers, yarns, woven, knitted, and braided fabrics, nonwovens, fibrous membranes, fiber- and fabric-reinforced composites, and advanced fabric-based systems fabricated through spinning, textile manufacturing, coating, finishing, lamination, and additive manufacturing. Their performance—including strength, toughness, flexibility, durability, comfort, permeability, conductivity, thermal regulation, sensing, and sustainability—is governed by composition, processing, architecture, interfaces, and surface functionalization. Applications range from technical textiles and apparel to healthcare, protective equipment, transportation, construction, energy, environmental technologies, wearable electronics, smart textile systems, soft robotics, and emerging fibrous and fabric-based devices.

The Section “Fibrous and Fabric-Based Materials” aims to publish original peer-reviewed research articles in Materials covering all aspects of fibrous and fabric-based materials science and engineering, including design, processing, structure–property relationships, functionalization, composites, characterization, modeling, and applications.

The topics of interest include the following:

• Natural fiber-based materials (hemp, sisal, flax, jute, cotton, wool, silk).
• Synthetic polymer fibers.
• Regenerated and biopolymer fibers.
• Nanocellulose- and cellulose-based fibrous materials.
• Inorganic fibers (metallic, ceramic, glass, carbon, basalt).
• Yarn- and filament-based materials.
• Woven, knitted, and braided fabrics and fabric-based materials.
• Nonwovens, fibrous webs, and hierarchical fibrous networks.
• Fibrous membranes and separators.
• Fiber-reinforced polymer composites.
• Textile-reinforced concrete.
• Other fiber- and fabric-reinforced composites (ceramic, metal, carbon, hybrid).
• Fibrous materials for functional devices (sensors, actuators, energy).
• Conductive and electronic textile materials.
• Smart and wearable fibrous/fabric material systems.
• 3D printing with fiber or fabric reinforcements.
• Sustainable, recyclable, and circular fiber/fabric materials.