3D textile composite reinforcements can generally be modelled as continuum media. It is shown that the classical continuum mechanics of Cauchy is insufficient to depict the mechanical behavior of textile materials. A Cauchy macroscopic model is not capable of exhibiting very low transverse shear stiffness, given the possibility of sliding between the fibers and simultaneously taking into account the individual stiffness of each fibre. A first solution is presented which consists in adding a bending stiffness to the tridimensional finite elements. Another solution is to supplement the potential of the hyperelastic model by second gradient terms. Another approach consists in implementing a shell approach specific to the fibrous medium. The developed Ahmad elements are based on the quasi-inextensibility of the fibers and the bending stiffness of each fiber.