Whether you're shopping for a new sweater in Bogotá, describing a piece of furniture in Mexico City, or just trying to understand laundry labels, knowing how to talk about materials is a fundamental skill. This vocabulary list covers the most common materials and fabrics you'll encounter in everyday Latin American Spanish, from natural fibers like cotton and wool to man-made materials like plastic. Learning these words will make your shopping experiences much smoother and allow you to describe the world around you with more precision. You'll notice many cognates, like 'material', 'plástico', and 'poliéster', which makes them easier to remember. We'll also cover essential adjectives to describe the texture and weight of these materials, such as 'suave' (soft) and 'pesado' (heavy). While most of these terms are standard across the Spanish-speaking world, this list defaults to common Latin American usage. Pay close attention to the gender of each noun, as it will affect the adjectives you use with it (e.g., 'la tela suave', 'el cuero duro').
material
¿De qué material es esta mesa? Es de madera. — What material is this table made of? It's made of wood.
fabric, cloth
Necesito comprar tela para hacer unas cortinas. — I need to buy fabric to make some curtains.
made of...
Mi camisa es de algodón y mis zapatos son de cuero. — My shirt is made of cotton and my shoes are made of leather.
cotton
Prefiero las camisetas de algodón porque son muy cómodas. — I prefer cotton t-shirts because they are very comfortable.
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wool
Este suéter de lana es perfecto para el frío. — This wool sweater is perfect for the cold.
silk
Esa blusa de seda se ve muy elegante y suave. — That silk blouse looks very elegant and soft.
linen
Los pantalones de lino son ideales para el clima caliente. — Linen pants are ideal for hot weather.
leather
Compré una chaqueta de cuero en Argentina. — I bought a leather jacket in Argentina.
plastic
Trata de usar menos bolsas de plástico para ayudar al medio ambiente. — Try to use fewer plastic bags to help the environment.
polyester
La etiqueta dice que la camisa es 50% algodón y 50% poliéster. — The tag says the shirt is 50% cotton and 50% polyester.
nylon
Mi mochila es de nailon porque es un material muy resistente. — My backpack is made of nylon because it's a very durable material.
synthetic fabric
La ropa deportiva usualmente está hecha de telas sintéticas. — Sportswear is usually made of synthetic fabrics.
wood
Los muebles de esta casa son de madera oscura. — The furniture in this house is made of dark wood.
glass
Ten cuidado, se rompió un vaso y hay vidrio en el piso. — Be careful, a glass broke and there is glass on the floor.
crystal, high-quality glass
Las copas para el vino son de cristal fino. — The wine glasses are made of fine crystal.
paper
Necesito una hoja de papel para escribir una nota. — I need a sheet of paper to write a note.
cardboard
Guardé mis libros viejos en una caja de cartón. — I stored my old books in a cardboard box.
stone
El camino a la casa es de piedra. — The path to the house is made of stone.
ceramic, pottery
Compré una taza de cerámica hecha a mano en el mercado. — I bought a handmade ceramic mug at the market.
metal
La silla tiene patas de metal y un asiento de madera. — The chair has metal legs and a wooden seat.
gold
Mi anillo de bodas es de oro. — My wedding ring is made of gold.
silver
En México venden muchas joyas de plata muy bonitas. — In Mexico, they sell a lot of beautiful silver jewelry.
steel
Los cuchillos de cocina son de acero inoxidable. — The kitchen knives are made of stainless steel.
aluminum
Las latas de refresco son de aluminio y se pueden reciclar. — Soda cans are made of aluminum and can be recycled.
soft
Esta manta de lana es muy suave y caliente. — This wool blanket is very soft and warm.
hard, tough
El piso es de piedra dura. — The floor is made of hard stone.
smooth
La superficie de la mesa es completamente lisa. — The surface of the table is completely smooth.
rough
La tela de este pantalón es un poco áspera. — The fabric of these pants is a little rough.
light (weight)
Busco una maleta más ligera para no pagar extra en el aeropuerto. — I'm looking for a lighter suitcase to avoid paying extra at the airport.
heavy
La caja de cartón está muy pesada, ¿qué tiene adentro? — The cardboard box is very heavy, what does it have inside?
thick
Necesitas un abrigo grueso para el invierno en la montaña. — You need a thick coat for the winter in the mountains.
thin
Es una chaqueta delgada, solo para el otoño. — It's a thin jacket, just for the fall.