Plants that produce it

• Clothing, bedding, carpet and upholstery
• Paper and cardboard
• Plant hairs and trichomes

How to recognize it

Fibers are identified from width, twist, surface scale pattern and how they behave in polarized light. Natural cellulose fibers show a flattened ribbon twist; synthetics are smooth rods of even diameter.

Allergy relevance

Fibers are irritants rather than allergens. Heavy fiber loads point to textile sources and can aggravate airway irritation.

Where it's found

PollyMap has verified specimens of Textile from Arizona.

Present in essentially all indoor air.