What does weaving combine to make fabric?

Threads placed vertically and horizontally crossing over and under each other

Cloth made by spinning cotton and weaving it, associated with India's freedom struggle

What are natural fibres?

Cotton, silk, wool, linen, bamboo

Why is the male baya weaver bird's nest described as a marvel?

It is the largest nest in the world

The male baya weaver intricately weaves grass strands over and under, creating a strong pouch-shaped nest that hangs from trees

How does a tailorbird make its nest?

By sewing leaf edges together using plant fibres or spider silk through its beak like a needle

Why is weaving significant for India beyond just making clothes?

Weaving provides livelihoods to many families and keeps traditional skills and designs alive, making it important culturally and economically

Weaving is done only in factories now

What is the difference between natural fibres and synthetic fibres?

Natural fibres come from plants and animals (cotton, silk, wool); synthetic fibres are man-made (nylon, polyester)

Natural fibres are always white

How is silk thread obtained from a silkworm cocoon?

Cocoons are put in hot water and silk thread is gently pulled out

The worm sheds its thread naturally

The thread is machine-extracted

What did Gandhi ji's use of the charkha symbolise?

Self-sufficiency (atmanirbharta) and resistance to British cloth during the freedom struggle

Why is Kanjeevaram silk from Tamil Nadu significant?

It is one of India's unique handloom traditions with its own technique and pattern

What is the ecological significance of using materials like coconut fibre, bamboo, and jute for weaving?

These are natural, renewable materials that reduce dependence on synthetic, petroleum-based materials

Why does the chapter suggest giving away clothes that no longer fit instead of throwing them?

India has a tradition of reducing waste—clothes that don't fit can be used by others, and scraps can become quilts

What makes younger baya weaver birds' nests rougher than experts' nests?

Young birds are still learning the weaving technique; skill comes with practice

How does the example of the baya weaver bird connect to human textile traditions?

The baya weaver perfected weaving over-under patterns that humans also use to make fabrics—both use interlocking strands for strength and structure

Humans learnt from baya weavers directly

Why is traditional embroidery considered a form of storytelling?

Because written words are stitched

Each embroidery style (Phulkari, Kantha, Chikankari) tells a story of a place, people, and their traditions through its unique patterns and techniques

All embroideries tell the same stories

What is the relationship between spinning and weaving in cloth-making?

Spinning twists fibres into thread, and weaving interlaces threads to make fabric—both processes are essential and sequential in cloth-making

Why does the chapter mention making quilts from old cloth pieces?

Quilt-making is a traditional practice that repurposes waste fabric into a useful item, demonstrating zero-waste thinking and creativity

The chapter compares a tailorbird's beak to a needle. What does this comparison help us understand?

Birds are more intelligent than humans

Nature inspired human textile tools; the tailorbird's precision sewing technique mirrors what human tailors do with needles and thread

Needles are made of beak material

Birds and humans always use the same methods

How does the running stitch work?

The needle goes up and down through fabric in a straight line—up at A, down at B, up at C, down at D—creating a dotted line of stitches

It uses two needles simultaneously

Why is handloom weaving considered superior to mill weaving in cultural terms?

Handloom weaving preserves traditional skill, design, and cultural identity that machine production cannot replicate

Mill cloth is always better quality

How does the chapter connect India's freedom struggle to textile making?

Gandhi ji used the charkha and khadi to promote self-sufficiency, showing that making one's own cloth was a form of resistance against British economic control

Textile making was banned during freedom struggle

A student argues that machine-made cloth is better than handloom because it is cheaper and faster to produce. What is the most comprehensive counter-argument based on the chapter?

While machine cloth is cheaper, handloom preserves cultural identity, traditional skills, and provides livelihoods to artisan families; the cultural and economic value of handloom far exceeds its cost disadvantage

Handloom is only slightly better

Machine cloth is identical to handloom

The chapter traces cloth production from fibre to fabric. What does this process chain reveal about the value of cloth?

Every piece of cloth involves spinning fibres into thread and weaving threads into fabric—a multi-step, skilled process that justifies the cultural respect given to textiles like silk and khadi

Why is studying how animals (weaver birds, tailorbirds, spiders) build their homes relevant to human craft?

Animals evolved efficient structural techniques that humans have independently developed too—studying them validates traditional craft wisdom and may inspire bio-inspired innovations

Animals are better than humans at craft

Schools should not study animals

If India stopped all handloom production and shifted entirely to machine-made textiles, what would be the cultural and economic consequences?

Traditional designs and techniques specific to regions (Kanjeevaram, Pashmina, Ikat) would be lost, artisan families would lose livelihoods, and India's rich textile heritage would fade irreversibly

How does the practice of making quilts from old cloth demonstrate principles of sustainability?

It is just a tradition with no modern relevance

Quilt-making reuses fabric that would otherwise be waste, reducing textile pollution; it exemplifies circular economy thinking—where nothing is discarded if it can be repurposed

Quilts are only made in villages

Which life processes in animals described in the chapter directly parallel human craft techniques?

Baya weaver weaving grass – like humans weaving fabric

Tailorbird sewing leaves – like tailors using needle and thread

Spider spinning webs – like spinning cotton into thread

Birds flying – like kite-making

Which statements about the significance of khadi are correct?

It symbolised self-sufficiency and resistance during India's freedom struggle

It was introduced by the British

It became a symbol of the path to atmanirbharta

Which types of craft are mentioned in the chapter that use natural materials?

Weaving with bamboo, coconut fibre, and jute

Using plastic sheets for weaving

NCERT Solutions Class 5 EVS Chapter 8 – Clothes—How Things are Made

Name: Clothes—How Things are Made – Class 5 EVS
Uploaded: 2026-07-23T03:31:02+00:00
Description: The chapter “Clothes—How Things Are Made” explains how threads, fabrics, and clothes are created through spinning, weaving, and stitching. It explores natural and synthetic fibres, India’s rich handloom and embroidery traditions, and encourages recycling old clothes and appreciating the artistry behind making fabric.

Class 5 EVS

Last Updated: 23 July 2026

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Chapter Introduction

The chapter “Clothes—How Things Are Made” explains how threads, fabrics, and clothes are created through spinning, weaving, and stitching. It explores natural and synthetic fibres, India’s rich handloom and embroidery traditions, and encourages recycling old clothes and appreciating the artistry behind making fabric.

हिंदी में (Hindi)

अध्याय “कपड़े—चीजें कैसे बनाई जाती हैं” यह समझाता है कि धागे, कपड़े और वस्त्र किस प्रकार कताई, बुनाई और सिलाई के माध्यम से बनाए जाते हैं। यह प्राकृतिक और कृत्रिम तंतुओं, भारत की समृद्ध हथकरघा और कढ़ाई की परंपराओं के बारे में बताता है और पुराने कपड़ों को पुन: उपयोग करने और कपड़ा बनाने की कला की सराहना करने के लिए प्रेरित करता है।

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Important Points

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Practice MCQ Questions (42 questions)

Q1. Which bird builds nests by weaving grass strands over and under each other?

Q2. What is the process of twisting cotton fibres together to make thread called?

Q3. What instrument is used to spin cotton into thread?

Q4. The cloth made on a loom by hand is called:

Q5. From which insect does silk come?

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Tough Words (Glossary)

Pattern

Meaning: A repeated decorative design.

अर्थ: नमूना / पैटर्न

"The cloth has a beautiful floral pattern."

Threads

Meaning: Thin strands of cotton, wool, or silk used for sewing or weaving.

अर्थ: धागे

"She bought colorful threads for embroidery."

Weave

Meaning: To make cloth by crossing threads over and under each other.

अर्थ: बुनना

"Women weave baskets from bamboo."

Stitch

Meaning: A loop of thread or yarn used to join cloth together.

अर्थ: सिलाई

"The tailor will stitch my new shirt."

Nest

Meaning: A structure built by birds to lay eggs and raise their young.

अर्थ: घोंसला

"The bird built a nest in the tree."

Cocoon

Meaning: A covering made by some insects to protect themselves during growth.

अर्थ: कोया

"The silkworm spins a cocoon around itself."

Caterpillar

Meaning: The young form of a butterfly or moth before it becomes an adult.

अर्थ: इल्ली

"The caterpillar eats leaves before turning into a butterfly."

Synthetic

Meaning: Made from chemicals rather than natural materials.

अर्थ: कृत्रिम

"Nylon is a synthetic fibre."

Embroidery

Meaning: Decorating cloth with needle and thread designs.

अर्थ: कढ़ाई

"Her dress has beautiful hand embroidery."

Tradition

Meaning: A belief or custom passed down in a community.

अर्थ: परंपरा

"We follow the tradition of making quilts at home."

Exhibition

Meaning: A public display of art, products, or skills.

अर्थ: प्रदर्शनी

"The school held an exhibition of crafts."

Self-sufficient

Meaning: Able to provide for oneself without outside help.

अर्थ: आत्मनिर्भर

"Gandhi ji encouraged people to be self-sufficient."

Khadi

Meaning: Hand-spun and handwoven cloth of India.

अर्थ: खादी

"He wore a white khadi kurta."

Fibre

Meaning: A thin thread-like structure used to make cloth.

अर्थ: रेशा

"Cotton is a natural fibre."

Charkha

Meaning: A spinning wheel used to make thread from cotton.

अर्थ: चरखा

"Gandhi ji used the charkha daily."

Loom

Meaning: A machine for weaving threads into cloth.

अर्थ: करघा

"The weaver used a loom to make fabric."

Textile

Meaning: A type of cloth or woven fabric.

अर्थ: वस्त्र

"India exports many types of textiles."

Decorate

Meaning: To make something look more attractive.

अर्थ: सजाना

"They decorate the cloth with embroidery."

Recycle

Meaning: To make new things from used materials.

अर्थ: पुनर्चक्रण करना

"We should recycle old clothes."

Quilt

Meaning: A warm bed covering made of stitched layers of cloth.

अर्थ: रज़ाई

"Grandmother made a quilt from old sarees."

Strands

Meaning: Long thin pieces of fibre or thread.

अर्थ: रेशे/बालियाँ

"She picked strands of wool from the basket."

Basket

Meaning: A container made of woven materials like bamboo.

अर्थ: टोकरी

"He carried mangoes in a basket."

Reeds

Meaning: Tall, thin grass-like plants used for weaving.

अर्थ: सरकंडा

"Mats are made from reeds."

Silkworm

Meaning: An insect that produces silk thread.

अर्थ: रेशम का कीड़ा

"The silkworm makes silk from its cocoon."

Moth

Meaning: An insect related to butterflies, active mostly at night.

अर्थ: कीट/पतंगा

"The moth flew towards the light."

Rayon

Meaning: A type of synthetic fibre made from cellulose.

अर्थ: रेयान

"The dress is made of rayon fabric."

Polyester

Meaning: A strong synthetic fibre often used in clothes.

अर्थ: पॉलिएस्टर

"He bought a polyester shirt."

Nylon

Meaning: A synthetic fibre used in ropes and clothes.

अर्थ: नायलॉन

"This bag is made of nylon."

Terylene

Meaning: A type of synthetic polyester fibre.

अर्थ: टेरीलीन

"The uniform is stitched from terylene."

Tailorbird

Meaning: A small bird that stitches leaves to make its nest.

अर्थ: दरज़ी चिड़िया

"The tailorbird sewed a leaf to make a nest."

Sleeve

Meaning: The part of clothing that covers the arm.

अर्थ: आस्तीन

"The shirt has long sleeves."

Embroideries

Meaning: Decorative designs sewn on fabric.

अर्थ: कढ़ाई के काम

"Indian embroideries are famous worldwide."

Phulkari

Meaning: A traditional embroidery of Punjab.

अर्थ: फुलकारी

"Her dupatta had phulkari work."

Kantha

Meaning: A traditional embroidery of Bengal.

अर्थ: कांथा

"The blanket had kantha stitches."

Gota

Meaning: A type of embroidery using golden ribbon.

अर्थ: गोटा

"The sari has gota work."

Toda

Meaning: Embroidery style from Tamil Nadu.

अर्थ: तोड़ा कढ़ाई

"Toda embroidery is very colourful."

Kashmiri

Meaning: Embroidery from Kashmir.

अर्थ: कश्मीरी कढ़ाई

"The shawl had Kashmiri embroidery."

Chikan

Meaning: Fine embroidery from Lucknow.

अर्थ: चिकन कढ़ाई

"Chikan embroidery looks delicate."

Banjara

Meaning: Embroidery style of nomadic Banjara tribe.

अर्थ: बंजारा कढ़ाई

"Banjara embroidery is bright and bold."

Ikat

Meaning: A dyeing technique used to pattern textiles.

अर्थ: इकत

"Ikat sarees are famous in Odisha."

Kanjeevaram

Meaning: A traditional silk from Tamil Nadu.

अर्थ: कांचीवरम

"She wore a Kanjeevaram silk saree."

Pashmina

Meaning: A fine wool from Kashmir.

अर्थ: पश्मीना

"The pashmina shawl is very soft."

Livelihood

Meaning: A means of earning a living.

अर्थ: जीविका

"Weaving provides livelihood to many families."

Coaster

Meaning: A small mat for keeping cups or glasses.

अर्थ: गिलास रखने की चटाई

"Place the glass on a coaster."

Magnifying glass

Meaning: A lens used to make things look bigger.

अर्थ: आवर्धक काँच

"He used a magnifying glass to see the cloth closely."

Strips

Meaning: Long, narrow pieces of material.

अर्थ: पट्टियाँ

"She cut strips of paper for weaving."

Overlap

Meaning: To lie over the edge of something.

अर्थ: ओवरलैप / ढकना

"The tiles overlap each other."

NCERT Solutions Class 5 EVS Chapter 8 – Clothes—How Things are Made

Chapter Introduction

Watch Video Lecture

Important Points

Practice MCQ Questions (42 questions)

Q1. Which bird builds nests by weaving grass strands over and under each other?

Q2. What is the process of twisting cotton fibres together to make thread called?

Q3. What instrument is used to spin cotton into thread?

Q4. The cloth made on a loom by hand is called:

Q5. From which insect does silk come?

Q6. Which bird sews leaves together using plant fibres to make its nest?

Q7. What does weaving combine to make fabric?

Q8. What is the basic stitch taught in the chapter?

Q9. Which traditional embroidery is from Kashmir?

Q10. Phulkari embroidery is associated with which region of India?

Q11. What is Khadi?

Q12. What are natural fibres?

Q13. Why is the male baya weaver bird's nest described as a marvel?

Q14. How does a tailorbird make its nest?

Q15. Why is weaving significant for India beyond just making clothes?

Q16. What is the difference between natural fibres and synthetic fibres?

Q17. How is silk thread obtained from a silkworm cocoon?

Q18. What did Gandhi ji's use of the charkha symbolise?

Q19. Why is Kanjeevaram silk from Tamil Nadu significant?

Q20. What is the ecological significance of using materials like coconut fibre, bamboo, and jute for weaving?

Q21. Why does the chapter suggest giving away clothes that no longer fit instead of throwing them?

Q22. What makes younger baya weaver birds' nests rougher than experts' nests?

Q23. How does the example of the baya weaver bird connect to human textile traditions?

Q24. Why is traditional embroidery considered a form of storytelling?

Q25. What is the relationship between spinning and weaving in cloth-making?

Q26. Why does the chapter mention making quilts from old cloth pieces?

Q27. The chapter compares a tailorbird's beak to a needle. What does this comparison help us understand?

Q28. How does the running stitch work?

Q29. Why is handloom weaving considered superior to mill weaving in cultural terms?

Q30. How does the chapter connect India's freedom struggle to textile making?

Q31. Which traditional embroideries are mentioned in the chapter?

Q32. Which are examples of natural fibres mentioned in the chapter?

Q33. Which of the following are mentioned as synthetic fibres in the chapter?

Q34. A student argues that machine-made cloth is better than handloom because it is cheaper and faster to produce. What is the most comprehensive counter-argument based on the chapter?

Q35. The chapter traces cloth production from fibre to fabric. What does this process chain reveal about the value of cloth?

Q36. Why is studying how animals (weaver birds, tailorbirds, spiders) build their homes relevant to human craft?

Q37. If India stopped all handloom production and shifted entirely to machine-made textiles, what would be the cultural and economic consequences?

Q38. How does the practice of making quilts from old cloth demonstrate principles of sustainability?

Q39. Which handloom traditions are mentioned in the chapter with their regions of origin?

Q40. Which life processes in animals described in the chapter directly parallel human craft techniques?

Q41. Which statements about the significance of khadi are correct?

Q42. Which types of craft are mentioned in the chapter that use natural materials?