Textile Merit Badge
Six requirements. Start by getting five fabric swatches (two natural, two synthetic, one cellulosic), because requirement 2(b) asks about each fiber you obtained. Requirement 3 is two of seven projects: a visit, weaving on a loom you made, examining fabrics under a magnifying glass, felt, natural dyes, waterproofing, or identifying fibers. The rest explain terms, fiber types and ecological concerns, and careers.
Elective Merit Badges Arts Hobbies Merit Badges Requirements
The plan behind this
Get the swatches first
Requirement 2(a) asks for swatches of:
| kind | how many | which |
|---|---|---|
| natural fiber fabrics | two | 100 percent cotton, linen, wool or silk; no blends |
| synthetic fiber fabrics | two | nylon, polyester, acrylic, olefin or spandex |
| cellulosic fabric | one | rayon, acetate or lyocell |
Requirement 2(b) then asks for the origin, major characteristics and general content of each type of fiber you obtained, so the swatches come first.
Requirement 3: do TWO of seven
| route | what it asks |
|---|---|
| 3(a) | visit a textile plant, textile products manufacturer, or textile school or college, and report on what you saw and learned |
| 3(b) | weave a belt, headband, placemat or wall hanging on a simple loom that you have made yourself |
| 3(c) | with a magnifying glass, examine a woven, a nonwoven and a knitted fabric; sketch what you see and explain how the three constructions differ |
| 3(d) | make a piece of felt |
| 3(e) | make two natural dyes and use them to dye a garment or a piece of fabric |
| 3(f) | waterproof a fabric |
| 3(g) | demonstrate how to identify fibers, using microscope identification or the breaking test |
The explanations
The importance of textiles and the terms fiber, fabric and textile (1); the steps from raw fiber to yarn and yarn to fabric, and the fiber you would choose for a new garment, with your reasons (2(c), 2(d)); 10 of 20 listed terms (4); the advantages and disadvantages of four kinds of fiber, and at least four ecological concerns (5); and five careers, two of them in depth, explained verbally or in a written report (6).
What this page is
The Textile merit badge, drawn so the swatches come first and the questions about them are drawn as depending on them, with the two projects of requirement 3 drawn as a question. It is not a copy of the requirements: each step is a short label with a link to the official requirements, which are what actually governs and which change from year to year. The free official pamphlet is the fuller guide.
Sources for this page
- Textile Merit Badge Requirements, Merit Badge Hub, last modified 2025-09-19 · The requirements themselves, and the free official pamphlet linked from them.
- Guide to Advancement, 2025, Section 7.0.0.3 · The process every merit badge is earned through, which this page does not repeat.
- Guide to Advancement, 2025, Section 7.0.4.3 · Which version of a changed requirement applies to a Scout who has already started.
- Guide to Advancement, 2025, Section 4.0.0.1 · Why the requirements are not in the Guide to Advancement and are expected to change annually.
Last checked against its sources on .