Mass nouns

Blends of synthetics with linen, cotton, or wool now dominate the clothing industry and will probably be the most popular textiles in the coming decade.

They wore clothes made from Ventile, a wonder cotton originally developed during World War II to protect pilots who crashed into icy water.

Manchester's machine-made cottons killed the trade in hand-woven cloth.

Suddenly this man swept down the aisle wearing a full-length black opera cloak lined in red silk.

These tones are picked up in cushions covered with a striped silk.

What makes it all work together is the upholstery: brilliant-coloured silks and velvets covered with scrolly gold script.