In commerce, fibers may be single cells or hundreds of cells. Fibers may vary from fractions of a mm to 2 meters in length. Most plant fibers are comprised of cellulose. They are more stable to heat than are animal fibers. Plant fibers also have different properties when dyed and usually require more complex treatments to cause adherence of the dyes.
Many fibers are too slick, short or brittle to be spun into threads.
Some fibers are used to make paper. Others, such as kapok, are too slick to spin into thread and are used to make stuffings or packing. Fibers are used for textiles, brushes, plaiting or coarse weaving, stuffing material, paper and specialty goods. Cotton, flax, ramie, and hemp are most often used for apparel or textile fibers. Kapok, cotton, Spanish moss, and jute are most often used for filling fibers.