Is it recycled? Is it recyclable? A shopper’s guide to synthetic fabrics

While natural fibres including wool and cotton are pretty easy to identify, synthetic fabrics such as polyester and viscose can be harder to decode. Photograph: Tom Werner/Getty Images

It can often feel like you need a PhD in material science just to understand the textiles that appear on garment care labels. While natural fibres including wool and cotton are pretty easy to identify, synthetics such as polyester and viscose can be harder to decode.

Generally speaking, human-made materials fall into one of two categories: those derived from fossil fuels and those derived from chemically processed cellulose (the building block of plants).