Expert Witness Journal Issue 66 April 2026 - Flipbook - Page 98
The Examination of Damage to
Textiles in Forensic Investigations
by Forensic Access.
Textiles are part of almost every aspect of daily
life, and as such they often become silent witnesses
to violent events. Yet textile damage analysis is
sometimes underestimated in comparison to higher
pro昀椀le evidence types such as DNA.
exhibit to be submitted for this type of examination,
any textile can be examined. This includes bedding,
curtains, upholstery, vehicle interiors or any object
where woven, knitted or felted materials form all or
part of its structure.
From a seam torn during a struggle to a stab cut
in a hoodie or heat damage generated during an
act of arson, damaged fabrics can hold crucial
information about the actions which have taken
place, the implements used and the sequence in
which events unfolded. Fabrics record events in a
way that can be highly revealing when examined
with care, experience and an understanding of how
materials behave.
In any textile damage examination, the 昀椀rst
question which needs to be addressed is usually
straightforward: ‘Is there damage present and, if so,
is it relevant to the case?’ Once relevant damage has
been identi昀椀ed, the work falls into three main areas:
1. Determining the mechanism and recency
of damage
A central aim is to understand what caused the
damage. For example, was the fabric cut by a knife,
torn by force, abraded by friction or punctured by
an implement? Many cases depend on whether the
damage is compatible with the account given by an
individual. For example, is a garment torn in a way
that 昀椀ts with a struggle, or does it display features
strongly suggestive of cutting with a sharp blade?
The aim of this article is to give an overview of how
textile damage examinations are conducted and
why they remain a powerful tool in reconstructing
events across a wide range of criminal cases.
What does a textile damage
examination involve?
Another important concept is ‘recency’. In the
context of examining textile damage the term
‘recent’ does not refer to a precise time window but
indicates that the garment has not been washed or
The applications of textile damage analysis are far
broader than simply inspecting clothing for cuts,
tears or holes. Although clothing is the most common
EXPERT WITNESS JOURNAL
96
APRIL 2026
