Wire cloth can be manufactured from any metal or alloy than can be drawn into wire that is suitable for weaving.
Industrial requirements to meet specific applications has resulted in the development of a broad spectrum of wire cloth materials. Each type of material has its own distinct properties that affect its performance in the particular application.
The selection of the material is dependent on the intended usage and consideration of various factors including:

(A) The final application of the wire cloth pertaining to requirements of strength, abrasion resistance, chemical resistance, corrosion resistance, heat resistance or the suitability for use in food production etc.

(B) Secondary processing such as suitability for forming, welding, heat treating, or the application of coatings.
The most commonly utilized materials in wire cloth weaving are listed here for reference purposes.

STEEL

Low Carbon

Low Carbon steel (C1008) is frequently used in the manufacture of industrial wire cloth (wire mesh) screens due to its tensile strength and impact resistance. Low resistance to abrasion, chemical attack and corrosion may limit its usage although several types of special coatings such as galvanizing (before or after weaving) can be applied to increase its suitability in a given application.

High Carbon

High Carbon hard drawn steel is used when resistance to abrasion and impact is required. This material is commonly utilized in agriculture, coal, gravel, mining, sand and stone separating, sizing and sorting applications.

Oil Tempered

Oil Tempered wire is specially tempered high carbon steel wire to provide greater strength and abrasion resistance, although its resistance to impact is somewhat lower than regular high carbon steel.

STAINLESS STEEL

With the addition of 11% or more chromium to steel, the alloy becomes non-staining under most conditions that corrode plain steel, thus the term stainless is applied.

Non-Magnetic Alloys

Alloys containing chromium and nickel are not magnetic in the annealed condition although they become slightly magnetic when cold worked.

Type 304

Often referred to as "18-8" (18% chromium, 8% nickel) T-304 is the basic stainless alloy most commonly utilized for wire cloth weaving. It withstands outdoor exposure without rusting and resists oxidation at an elevated temperature up to 1400 Degrees Fahrenheit.

Typical applications include use with chemicals, food products, pharmaceuticals and exposure to moisture.

Type 304 L

Type 304 L is very similar to T-304, the difference being the reduced carbon content for better weaving and secondary welding characteristics.

Type 309

A heat resistant alloy (23% chromium, 12% nickel) which is useful in temperatures up to 1700 Degrees Fahrenheit.

Type 316

Stabilized by the addition of 2% molydbenum, T-316 is an "18-8" alloy.

Type 316 has better resistance to pitting corrosion than the other chromium-nickel stainless steels where brines, sulphur-bearing water or halogen salts, such as chlorides are present. A valuable property of T-316 is high creep strength at elevated temperatures. Other mechanical properties and fabricating characteristics are similar to T-304.

Wire cloth woven of T-316 has extensive use in chemical processing when better corrosion resistance is required than the regular chromium-nickel types.

Type 316 L

Type 316 L is very similar to T-316, the difference being the reduced carbon content for better weaving and secondary welding characteristics.

Type 317

Similar to the basic alloy (18% chromium) but with a higher nickel (14%) and molydbenum (3%) content for increased corrosion resistance.

Type 330

Similar to Incoloy, T-330 is a nickel-chromium alloy (35% nickel, 15% chromium) used for heat treating baskets suitable for temperatures up to 1650 ° Fahrenheit.

Wire cloth woven of Type 347 is used when secondary welding procedures are required, in applications subject to corrosive environments.