What types of materials are nylon, rayon and polyester?

The correct answer is All are synthetic fibers.

Key Points

• Fine filaments known as fibres can either be produced synthetically or naturally.
• Synthetic fibres, created by humans from chemical compounds, are used to create clothing and other useful items.
• These are created by the polymerization process. Semi-synthetic or fully synthetic fibres are both acceptable.
• Purely synthetic fibres like nylon, polyester, and acrylic are created of chemicals, whereas semi-synthetic fibres like rayon are made using natural polymers as the starting material.
• Synthetic fibres are of four types, namely: Rayon, Nylon, Polyester and Acrylic.

Important Points

• Rayon is a synthetic textile made of purified and renewed cellulose that comes from plant sources.
• The term "nylon" refers to a class of synthetic polymers made up of polyamides (repeating units linked by amide links).
• Every repeat unit of the main chain in the class of polymers known as polyester has an ester functional group. 

Additional Information

• Semi-synthetic fibres are those that start out as natural materials but then undergo further man-made synthesis.
• Natural fibres are fibres that are derived from the bodies of plants or animals or from geological processes.