I think the reference to 'material' comes from growing up with a seamstress. I never heard my mother say that she was going shopping for 'fabric' for a dress--it was always material. But I did here her talk about 'curtain fabric'. Don't know what the difference was in her eyes.
Every time my DH says something about the amount of stash I have, I want to march him out to the woodshed (yes we have one and it is filled with oak and maple and walnut and goodness knows what other pieces that will someday become lovely furniture) and point out the amount of 'firewood' he is storing.