Geotextiles were developed as a response to geotechnical demands for more economic methods of soil stabilisation. Traditional approaches with natural materials were increasing in cost, not always readily available, and often difficult to install.

With the development of synthetic polymers, a low cost alternative to natural materials became available, easily placed, with the added advantage of factory controlled properties. As a result, research and development with field application of geotextiles for over two decades has evolved into new manufacturing techniques for these products together with improved performance. Rapid growth in the use of these new materials spread throughout the engineering field. The modern geotextiles are now readily accepted as the standard solution to geotechnical and hydraulic engineering problems.

Geotextile fabrics perform four basic functions:

Filtration
Geotextiles function to restrict the migration of fine soil particles from a soil mass while remaining permeable to water movement at least greater than, or equivalent to, permeability of the protected soil.

Drainage
Water is conveyed vertically or horizontally along the plane of the geotextile and thence to an outlet. . Drainage is related to the role of filtration, and is a function of the permeability of a geotextile and its pore opening size.

Separation
Prevents two distinct soils of different materials from intermixing. The key factors for a geotextile to satisfy this function are porosity, toughness and strength.

Reinforcement
This function involves stabilisation of a soil mass by provision of tensile strength of the soil-fabrication system.