What are filtration fabrics?

The Filtration Dictionary and Glossary defines filter medium or fabric as "any permeable material used in filtration and upon which, or within which, the solids are deposited."

Sutherland and Purchas argue that this definition is not broad enough. The glossary in their handbook defines filter medium as “The porous material in a filter that does the actual filtering.” of their handbook they broaden the definition as follows:

“A filter medium is any material that, under the operating conditions of the filter, is permeable to one or more components of a mixture, solution, or suspension, and is impermeable to the remaining components.”