ISO 2076:2013 lists the generic names used to designate the different categories of man-made fibres, based on a main polymer, currently manufactured on an industrial scale for textile and other purposes, together with the distinguishing attributes that characterize them. The term "man-made fibres", sometimes also called manufactured fibres, has been adopted for those fibres obtained by a manufacturing process, as distinct from materials which occur naturally in fibrous form.

ISO 2076:2013 presents recommendations of rules for the creation of the generic name.

It also includes the description of the fibre structures in case of fibre made of several components and the description of modified fibres.