Man-made materials as a group, especially cloth — nylon, polyester, acrylic, spandex and their relatives, all made by chemical processes rather than grown or taken from an animal. It is a plural noun and takes a plural verb: 'synthetics are cheaper', 'synthetics don't breathe well'.

Man-made materials as a group人造材質的統稱， especially cloth尤其是布料 — nylon, polyester, acrylic, spandex and their relatives尼龍、聚酯纖維、壓克力纖維、彈性纖維和它們的親戚， all made by chemical processes都是靠化學程序做出來的 rather than grown or taken from an animal而不是種出來或從動物身上取得的。It is a plural noun它是複數名詞 and takes a plural verb配複數動詞： 'synthetics are cheaper'『synthetics are cheaper』， 'synthetics don't breathe well'『synthetics don't breathe well』。

You meet it in the clothing trade, in care labels, in writing about sport gear and about the environment, and it is a handy word precisely because it saves you listing five fabrics. The word carries a mild everyday judgement in the world of clothes: 'I try to avoid synthetics' usually means 'I prefer cotton, wool and linen because they breathe' — a fair thing to say in a Taiwanese summer.

You meet it你會遇到它 in the clothing trade在成衣業裡， in care labels在洗滌標籤上， in writing about sport gear and about the environment在運動裝備和環保相關的文章裡， and it is a handy word它是個方便的字 precisely because it saves you listing five fabrics正因為它省得你一一列出五種布料。The word carries a mild everyday judgement這個字帶著淡淡的日常評價 in the world of clothes在衣物的世界裡： 'I try to avoid synthetics'『I try to avoid synthetics』 usually means通常代表 'I prefer cotton, wool and linen because they breathe'『我比較喜歡棉、羊毛和麻，因為它們透氣』 — a fair thing to say in a Taiwanese summer在台灣的夏天這麼說很合理。

But the trade itself is not so simple, since modern synthetics can beat natural fibres for warmth, weight and drying speed, which is why serious hiking clothes are almost entirely synthetic.

But the trade itself is not so simple但事情本身沒那麼單純， since modern synthetics因為現代的人造纖維 can beat natural fibres可能勝過天然纖維 for warmth, weight and drying speed在保暖、重量和乾得快上， which is why這也是為什麼 serious hiking clothes正經的登山服裝 are almost entirely synthetic幾乎全是人造纖維。

Outside cloth, you will sometimes see the word for man-made substances generally, like synthetic rubber or synthetic oils, but fabric is the main home of it. Note that 'synthetic' by itself is the adjective; 'synthetics' is a noun meaning the things themselves.

Outside cloth在布料以外， you will sometimes see the word你有時會看到這個字 for man-made substances generally泛指一般的人造物質， like synthetic rubber or synthetic oils像合成橡膠或合成油， but fabric is the main home of it但布料還是它主要的家。Note that要注意 'synthetic' by itself『synthetic』本身 is the adjective是形容詞； 'synthetics'『synthetics』 is a noun meaning the things themselves是名詞，指這些東西本身。