Fiber(AmericanEnglish)orfibre(InternationalEnglish)iselongatedstringynatural,man-madeormanufacturedmaterial.Inthecaseofnaturalfibers,theyoftentietogetherthepartsofnaturalcreatures.Naturalvegetablefibers,generallyconsistofcellulose,examplesincludecotton,linen,andhemp.Cellulosefibersareusedinthemanufactureofpaperandcloth.Naturalanimalfibersincludespidersilk,sinew,hair,andwool.Therearenaturallyoccurringmineralfiberssuchasasbestos.
Man-madefibresarethosethataremadeartificially,butfromfromnaturalrawmaterials(oftencellulosic).Examplesincludefiberglass,rayon,acetate,cuproandthemorerecentlydevelopedLyocell.
Syntheticfibersincludenylon,acrylic,polyesterandgraphitefiber.
Syntheticfibersandman-madefibersaretheresultofanextensivesearchbyscientiststoincreaseandimproveuponthesupplyofthenaturallyoccurringanimalandplantfiber.