Are you confused about choosing between cotton and polyester? Do you want to know what are the major differences between these two fabrics? Let’s quickly dive into the article to know more about the unique properties of these fabrics
Cotton is a natural material that has been in use for ages, whereas polyester is a man-made fabric which has gained popularity in recent years. Both of these fabrics are widely used in today’s world. Some prefer working with cotton as it is easy to sew the material, while others prefer polyester for its long-lasting quality.
Let us first take a look at each of these fabrics to understand their unique characteristics
Cotton is a 100% natural fabric that is obtained from plants. Cotton plants majorly grow in subtropical countries with warm temperatures. It is the finest form of cellulose that is available in nature. Cotton is admired by the apparel industry due to its natural availability and soft nature. The material is breathable and the fabric can absorb sweat to keep skin rashes away. Cotton is widely used to manufacture t-shirts, jeans, dresses, and sweatshirts.
There are four major types of cotton: Egyptian cotton, Asian cotton, Central American, and South American cotton.
Polyester is a man-made fibre which rose to prominence in the 1940’s. It is yet another popularly used fabric in the clothing industry. The artificial fabric is made of chemical substances and oil products such as purified terephthalic acid (PTA) and monotheluene glycol (MEG). It is known for its durability, wrinkle resistance, ability to stretch, and resistance to fading. Polyester is mostly used to manufacture sportswear and activewear.
Polyester is available in three common varieties: Ethylene Polyester, Plant-based Polyester, and PCDT Polyester. While the first two types are more popular in the market, the plant-based one is biodegradable in nature.
Now, let’s take a look at their individual differences
As we can see from the table, both the materials have their pros and cons, right? Yet, both are unique and different in their own ways.
Polyester was made with the purpose of saving time as it is easy to use and handle whereas cotton requires constant ironing being more prone to shrinking and wrinkling. Polyester is stronger and more durable; it can last for a longer period, but cotton has a short life span. Also, polyester is much cheaper than cotton. Cotton, on the other hand, is environmentally friendly but polyester is not.
Cotton is the most widely used fabric and owing to its global demand, most of the textile factories devote significant attention to cotton. Cotton is the fabric that can be the present and future of the textile industry. Comparing all the elements of both the fabrics, we feel cotton scores more since it is environment friendly and feels better against the skin.
It’s important to us that garment decorators know the advantages and disadvantages of cotton and polyester fabrics, and of course the cotton/polyester blended fabrics.
There are pros and cons to both types. Knowing those facts will help you narrow down which fabric type is best for your clients.
Cotton is the most widely used natural fabric for apparel manufacturing across the world. Being a natural fiber, cotton is a renewable resource and is biodegradable.
Natural fibers, as opposed to synthetic like polyester, tend to be more expensive and isn’t the best option when trying to keep costs down for promotional items.
The greatest advantages of cotton is it’s breathability. In hot weather, it’s a great option for keeping your body cool. Even though it may hold moisture longer than polyester, in hot weather, this actually becomes a way to keep your body cool.
When choosing this fabric for your next order, keep in mind the end use of the apparel.
Are you decorating for athletes who need a breathable, flexible fabric? Or are you decorating for electricians or welders who need a fabric that will not melt to their skin if it comes in contact with sparks? You will find that cotton is the best option for these professions.
As we mentioned, cotton can hold it’s fair share of moisture, which can be a problem for heat-applied transfers. The reason is because moisture is released as steam as the heat press raises it to a high temperature.
Not removing enough of the moisture will cause the adhesive to not attach to the fabric fibers properly. Your solution is to pre-press your fabric a little longer than normal to ensure all moisture is removed from the fabric before applying your transfer.
Our best-selling transfer type for cotton is Goof Proof.
Polyester, being a synthetic fiber, is a less expensive option and has many benefits that cotton does not. It has strong fibers that do not wear down as quickly, while being flexible and resistant to wrinkles and shrinking. Unlike cotton, polyester dries quickly which makes it perfect for colder weather and sports where you don’t want moist fabric against your skin.
Polyester is very popular among athletes for it’s moisture-wicking properties, strong fibers, and light weight feel. For heat printers, taking precaution when decorating polyester is a must.
It is usually temperature sensitive, so low temperature heat transfers like Elasti Prints are needed to reduce or prevent scorching.
Polyester also has a tendency to cause dye migration between the fabric dye and the decoration.
So what is the answer? Cotton or poly?
Cotton/Polyester blends are the best of both worlds. Take the breathability and natural feel of cotton and mix it with the strong, flexible and more cost effective properties of polyester.
No wonder a 50/50 shirt is the most popular choice among garment decorators. A nice 50/50 cotton/poly shirt like Port & Company Core Blend Tee PC55 or Gildan DryBlend 50/50 t-shirt 8000 will offer you a great quality t-shirt with the benefits of both cotton and polyester fabrics.
Browse all blank t-shirts now.
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