tela

Tela is a term used in Spanish and Portuguese that means fabric, cloth, or textile. Its etymology traces to Latin tela, meaning woven fabric, net, or web.

As a material, tela includes any sheet produced by weaving, knitting, or nonwoven processes from natural fibers such as cotton, wool, and linen, and from synthetics such as polyester, nylon, and acrylic. It is used for clothing, upholstery, curtains, and industrial textiles.

Production methods include weaving on looms, knitting, and nonwoven technologies, with finishing steps such as dyeing, printing, and applying coatings to adjust color, texture, and performance.

The term also denotes a screen or mesh, such as a window screen or insect screen. In some dialects, tela may refer to a device display or screen.

Historically and economically, textiles remain a major sector in many societies, with regional varieties influencing local fashion, crafts, and industry.