Asbestos Textiles Have Been Used in the Production of What? A Complete Industry Guide
Most facilities managers and property owners think of asbestos as something found in ceiling tiles or roof sheets. But ask a specialist where asbestos textiles have been used in the production of what, and the answer covers a far wider range of products than most people expect — rope seals, fire blankets, gaskets, woven curtains, protective clothing, braided packing, exhaust wraps and more. These flexible textile forms were built to last, and many are still present in older UK buildings today.
That matters because damaged or disturbed asbestos textiles can release respirable fibres. For dutyholders, landlords and maintenance teams, the real risk is not just knowing what these products were — it is knowing where they might still be hiding before routine works begin.
What Exactly Are Asbestos Textiles?
Asbestos textiles are products made by spinning, weaving, braiding or otherwise processing asbestos fibres into flexible forms. Unlike rigid asbestos-containing materials such as insulating board or cement sheets, textile forms could be shaped around pipes, packed into joints, stitched into garments or draped across openings.
That flexibility was the whole point. Engineers needed materials that could resist heat and flame while conforming to awkward shapes. Asbestos textiles delivered both, which is why they became standard items across so many industries for most of the twentieth century.
Common Products Made Using Asbestos Textiles
- Fire blankets and welding blankets
- Protective clothing — gloves, aprons, hoods, leggings and foundry suits
- Boiler and furnace rope seals
- Woven cloth and heat-resistant curtains
- Yarn, thread, cord and twine
- Braided packing for pumps and valves
- Gasket materials and flange seals
- Pipe wraps and exhaust wraps
- Thermal tapes and joint protection strips
- Heat-resistant mats and pads
If a product needed to bend, drape, wrap, pack or seal in a high-temperature environment, asbestos may well have been used in its manufacture. That is why these materials turn up not just in the building fabric itself, but in older service equipment, plant rooms and stored supplies.
Why Asbestos Was Chosen for Textile Production
Manufacturers did not choose asbestos arbitrarily. It solved multiple engineering problems at once and was widely available at relatively low cost during the peak years of industrial production.
The main properties that made asbestos attractive for textile use were:
- Heat resistance — suited to boilers, furnaces, ovens and steam systems
- Fire resistance — essential for blankets, clothing and barriers
- Flexibility — could be wrapped, packed and fitted around uneven shapes
- Tensile strength — when spun into yarn or woven into cloth
- Durability — withstood demanding industrial conditions over long periods
- Chemical resistance — useful in certain process environments
- Electrical insulation — relevant in specific engineering applications
For engineers specifying plant maintenance materials, asbestos rope, cloth and packing were practical, cost-effective catalogue items. The problem is that the same fibres responsible for these properties are hazardous when inhaled. Once textile products fray, age or are disturbed during maintenance, they can release fibres into the air.
How Asbestos Textiles Were Manufactured
Understanding how these products were made helps explain why asbestos textiles have been used in the production of what amounts to an enormous range of industrial goods — and why they remain in so many older premises today.
From Mineral to Spinnable Fibre
Asbestos was mined, crushed and mechanically opened to separate the individual fibres. The material was then graded by fibre length and quality. Longer fibres were generally better suited to spinning and weaving, while shorter grades were used in other applications.
Manufacturers often blended asbestos with other fibres such as cotton or rayon. This improved handling during production and helped create yarns and fabrics with the required strength and flexibility for specific uses.
Spinning, Weaving and Braiding
Once prepared, asbestos fibres could be converted into a range of textile forms:
- Spun into yarn for cloth, cord and tape
- Woven into fabric for blankets, curtains and garments
- Braided into rope for seals and packing
- Compressed with binders into gasket sheet materials
- Reinforced with wire for higher-temperature applications
Finished products were then cut, stitched, layered or wrapped depending on their intended use. In many cases, the textile component was only one part of a larger insulation or sealing system.
Why Production and Handling Were Dangerous
Manufacturing asbestos textiles created significant exposure risk. Opening fibres, spinning yarn, weaving cloth, cutting materials and cleaning machinery could all release airborne asbestos at high concentrations.
That risk did not end at the factory gate. Installers, maintenance engineers and removal contractors were also exposed when asbestos textiles were fitted, repaired or stripped out. Many of the health consequences from this exposure only became apparent decades later.
Where Asbestos Textiles Are Commonly Found in Buildings
Asbestos textile products were widely used in older premises precisely because they could fit around shapes that rigid materials could not. They are most often found in service areas rather than in the main occupied spaces of a building.
Boilers, Furnaces and Heating Plant
Boiler doors, access hatches and furnace openings frequently used asbestos rope seals. Gaskets, packing and woven insulation pads were also common around older heating systems. If you manage a plant room containing legacy equipment, treat suspect seals and wraps as potentially containing asbestos until a competent surveyor has confirmed otherwise.
Pipework, Valves and Flanges
Asbestos cloth, tape and rope were often wrapped around pipework and fittings. Valve packing and flange gaskets are particularly common in older heating and steam installations. These can be easy to miss because they may resemble ordinary worn insulation or old sealing material rather than a recognisable asbestos product.
Plant Rooms and Service Risers
Commercial buildings often contain hidden asbestos in risers, basements, ceiling voids and service ducts. Textile products may appear as wraps, pads, tapes or packing around mechanical and electrical services. This is precisely why an management survey is so valuable — it identifies accessible asbestos-containing materials that could be disturbed during normal occupation or routine maintenance before anyone realises the risk.
Industrial Machinery
Machinery in bakeries, laundries, foundries, workshops and manufacturing plants often used heat-resistant gaskets, rope seals and insulating cloth. Older equipment may still contain these materials even if the surrounding building has been refurbished. Before servicing legacy plant, check the maintenance history and have suspect materials assessed by a competent surveyor.
Stored Protective Equipment
Some sites still have old stock tucked away in cupboards or stores. Fire blankets, welding blankets, gloves and aprons may have been purchased decades ago and forgotten. If an item is old and its composition is unclear, do not shake it out or put it back into use — have it assessed first.
Industries That Commonly Used Asbestos Textiles
When people ask asbestos textiles have been used in the production of what, they are often trying to trace where these materials may have been used historically. The answer sits within a broad pattern of use across many UK industries throughout most of the twentieth century.
Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering
Shipbuilding used asbestos heavily because of fire risk, confined spaces and extensive hot plant. Textile forms were used for seals, wraps, gaskets and fire-resistant barriers around engines, boilers and pipework. Marine environments demanded durable, heat-resistant materials, which made asbestos products attractive to designers and engineers of the time.
Former shipbuilding sites, dry docks and marine engineering workshops may still contain remnants of these materials in legacy equipment or stored supplies.
Power Generation
Power stations relied on boilers, turbines, valves, heat exchangers and high-pressure steam systems. Asbestos textiles were used in rope seals, packing, gaskets and insulation wraps across high-temperature plant. Older power infrastructure and associated maintenance buildings may still contain these materials in service areas and plant rooms.
Manufacturing and Heavy Industry
Foundries, steel works, glass works, chemical plants and engineering works all used asbestos textiles where heat and abrasion were part of daily operations. Curtains, mats, gloves, rope seals and woven insulation were treated as routine consumable items rather than specialist hazardous materials.
That attitude explains why records are often incomplete. Asbestos textiles were ordered from standard catalogues and fitted without the kind of documentation that might now alert a surveyor or facilities manager.
Construction and Building Services
Asbestos is often associated with roofing sheets or insulating board, but building services also used textile forms extensively. Older commercial and public buildings may contain asbestos rope, gaskets, wraps and tapes in heating systems, ducts and service plant. This is especially relevant in pre-2000 premises undergoing maintenance or refurbishment, where disturbing a service duct or replacing old plant can expose materials that have been undisturbed for decades.
Transport, Automotive and Rail
Vehicle manufacturing and maintenance used asbestos in friction materials, engine components and heat-resistant products. Textile forms appeared in wraps, gaskets and protective equipment used during repair and operation. Rail depots and transport workshops can still hold suspect legacy materials today, particularly in older parts of the estate or in stores holding vintage spare parts.
Public Sector Estates
Schools, hospitals, council buildings and universities often contain older service infrastructure. Even where the main building fabric looks modern, hidden plant and riser spaces may still contain asbestos textile products from earlier installations. Large estates need a clear asbestos management plan rather than assumptions based on visible finishes.
If you manage premises across multiple sites in major cities, professional surveys are available across the UK. Whether you need an asbestos survey London, an asbestos survey Manchester or an asbestos survey Birmingham, specialist surveyors can assess your estate and provide the documentation needed for legal compliance.
The History of Asbestos Textiles in Industry
Asbestos was known long before modern industry. Historical accounts describe mineral fibres valued for their resistance to burning, and there are references to heat-resistant cloths and lamp wicks made from naturally occurring fibrous minerals. For long periods these uses remained limited, because mining, processing and transport were not developed enough for mass production.
Industrial Expansion and Growing Demand
As industrial methods improved during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, demand grew sharply for better heat control, insulation and fire protection. Steam systems, factories, railways, shipbuilding and power generation all needed materials that could withstand high temperatures without becoming rigid or brittle. Asbestos textiles fitted that need well — they could be woven, braided and supplied in practical forms that engineers could install quickly on site.
Routine Commercial Use
Over time, asbestos cloth, rope and packing became standard catalogue items. Engineers and maintenance teams ordered them as ordinary supplies for plant upkeep, much as they might order lubricants or replacement gaskets. That history explains why asbestos textiles are still overlooked today. They were often fitted as part of equipment maintenance rather than recorded as a significant building material.
The widespread use of asbestos continued until health evidence accumulated and regulatory controls were introduced. The Control of Asbestos Regulations now govern how asbestos is managed, surveyed and removed in the UK, with HSE guidance including HSG264 providing the technical framework for survey work.
Other Asbestos-Containing Materials Often Found Alongside Textiles
When investigating where asbestos textiles have been used in the production of what, it is tempting to focus on one suspect item. On site, though, asbestos textiles rarely exist in isolation. Older premises may contain several different asbestos-containing materials in the same area.
Common products found alongside asbestos textiles include:
- Pipe lagging and thermal insulation
- Boiler insulation and calorifier lagging
- Sprayed fire protection coatings
- Asbestos insulating board in partitions, ducts and ceiling voids
- Ceiling tiles and fire doors
- Asbestos cement roofs, wall sheets, gutters and flues
- Vinyl floor tiles and bitumen adhesives
- Textured decorative coatings
- Brake linings and clutch facings
- Electrical flash guards and insulation panels
If one asbestos material is present, do not assume it is the only one. A wider review is often needed, especially in plant rooms, service areas and older mechanical installations where multiple materials may have been used together as part of the same system.
What Dutyholders Should Do Now
Understanding where asbestos textiles have been used in the production of what is only the first step. For dutyholders and property managers, the practical obligation is to manage the risk in line with the Control of Asbestos Regulations and HSE guidance.
Key steps to take include:
- Commission a management survey for any non-domestic premises built or refurbished before 2000. This will identify, locate and assess asbestos-containing materials including textile products in service areas.
- Review your asbestos register if one already exists. Check whether service plant, risers and mechanical spaces have been properly surveyed, not just the main building fabric.
- Brief maintenance teams before any work starts. Anyone working on older plant should know that rope seals, gaskets, packing and wraps may contain asbestos until confirmed otherwise.
- Do not disturb suspect materials without assessment. If you find old rope seals, worn packing or unidentified wraps on heating plant, stop and get them assessed before proceeding.
- Keep records of all survey findings, condition assessments and any remedial work. This is a legal requirement under the Control of Asbestos Regulations and protects both the dutyholder and the workforce.
For refurbishment or demolition work, a more intrusive refurbishment and demolition survey will be required in addition to any existing management survey. HSG264 sets out the requirements for both survey types in detail.
Frequently Asked Questions
Asbestos textiles have been used in the production of what specific products?
Asbestos textiles were used to make fire blankets, welding blankets, protective clothing such as gloves and aprons, boiler rope seals, braided packing for pumps and valves, gaskets, pipe wraps, thermal tapes, heat-resistant curtains and insulating mats. Any product that needed to resist heat or flame while remaining flexible was a candidate for asbestos textile production.
Are asbestos textiles still present in buildings today?
Yes. Many asbestos textile products were built into plant and equipment in buildings constructed or refurbished before 2000. Rope seals, gaskets, packing and wraps can still be found in boiler rooms, plant rooms, service risers and older mechanical installations. They are often overlooked because they do not look like obvious building materials.
How can I tell if an old rope seal or gasket contains asbestos?
You cannot tell by looking. Asbestos textiles can resemble ordinary fibrous materials, and many products were blended with cotton or other fibres that make visual identification impossible. The only reliable method is sampling and laboratory analysis by a competent surveyor. Do not handle, cut or disturb suspect materials before this is done.
What regulations govern asbestos textile management in the UK?
The Control of Asbestos Regulations place duties on those responsible for non-domestic premises to manage asbestos, including textile products. HSE guidance document HSG264 provides the technical standards for asbestos surveys. Dutyholders must identify asbestos-containing materials, assess their condition and manage the risk to prevent exposure.
Do I need a survey even if my building looks modern?
If the building was constructed or refurbished before 2000, a survey is advisable regardless of how the visible finishes appear. Asbestos textile products are often hidden in service areas, plant rooms and risers that are not visible during a general inspection. A professional management survey will assess these areas and give you the evidence needed to manage the risk properly.
Get Professional Asbestos Advice from Supernova
Supernova Asbestos Surveys has completed over 50,000 surveys across the UK, helping property managers, facilities teams and landlords identify and manage asbestos-containing materials — including textile products that are easily missed during routine inspections.
Whether you manage a single commercial premises or a large multi-site estate, our qualified surveyors will provide accurate, compliant survey reports that give you the information you need to protect your building, your workforce and your legal position.
Call us on 020 4586 0680 or visit asbestos-surveys.org.uk to book a survey or discuss your requirements with our team.