A comprehensive guide to cotton polyester and blended fabrics

Cotton polyester blend and blended fabric are popular fabrics widely used in the fashion industry for manufacturing many clothing lines. The polyester blend with cotton fabrics results in the best fabric quality with advanced and improved features for manufacturing different clothing lines. If, on the one hand, the cotton fabrics and polyester blend are beneficial, then on the other hand, it also has its drawbacks.

Author John Cary
AUTHOR
February 7, 2024

If you are a clothing brand and manufacture your clothing line for yourself, then it's critical to understand the cotton and polyester blend and other blended fabrics. You'll be able to create a more functional clothing line as per your target audience's needs when you understand it is a cotton blend.


To clarify Everything about polyester material, what is polyester material like, and what is the blended fabric, we have written this blog that explains Everything you need to know about. So, let's get started and explore Everything about cotton, polyester and blended fabrics.


Summary Key Points from the Blog




• Fabrics are good-looking fabrics offering durability, comfort, softness, biodegradability and more.

• In terms of customization, the cotton fabric is good. You can easily print any design over the cotton material.

• When combined, polyester and cotton merge the qualities of both fabrics into one as cotton alone doesn't come with features like quick drying, but when combined with polyester, it results in sharp drying features. This increases the durability of the polyester-cotton blend fabric.

• When you think of creating a new clothing line, it's critical to understand the different types of fabrics that you can use. You'll need to understand the clothing line's sole purpose to determine what fabric quality you should have for your clothing line.


The Cotton Fabric



Cotton is the most common, popular and widely used apparel material in the fashion industry. It is soft, durable, natural, and cost-effective, making it one of the best for apparel manufacturing.


Cotton is a versatile fabric easily blended with other fabrics such as polyester, denim, flannel, jersey, etc. The highlighting features of cotton materials are that they are soft and durable, making them best for warm climates.


Another good thing about cotton fabric is that it is not clingy, and most people today love to wear durable and comfortable clothing throughout the year; cotton is best in that case. But make sure not to choose cotton fabrics for activewear as they're not suitable for activewear manufacturing.


Cotton fabric is a pretty versatile fabric that comes in different kinds, which includes:

• Ringspun cotton
• Pima cotton
• Pique cotton
• Organic cotton
• Slub cotton
• Combed cotton


Pros of cotton fabrics


  • Breathable fabric

  • Cotton has the best breathability, allowing air to circulate throughout the body.


  • Durable

  • It offers excellent durability that makes it through wear and tear situations.


  • All season wear

  • The cotton fabric is suitable to wear in all 04 seasons.


  • Easy to care

  • The cotton fabric is easy to care for and has no side effects in the washing machine.


  • Versatile

  • Cotton is versatile, making it fun to print screen print designs, DTG prints and even embroidery designs.


    Blending options with cotton fabric



    Here are some of the best fabrics to blend the cotton fabric.


  • Polyester


  • Spandex


  • Linen


  • Rayon


  • Wool


  • Cashmere



  • Polyester



    Polyester fabric belongs to the synthetic family of materials, which is manufactured. The polyester fabric comes with hydrophobic features, and it is derived from synthesized petroleum-based products. The polyester fabric is a new player in the industry compared to cotton. Despite being new in the fashion industry, polyester fabrics have gained much popularity, and many designers are using polyester fabric in different Apparel niches.


    The highlighting features of polyester fabrics include a soft feel, durable material, comfortable look, and stretchy structure. But you need to note that polyester fabric is not as breathable as cotton, which doesn't make pure polyester the best fabric for t-shirts. Here are more details on what polyester material is like.


    Polyester is not an ideal fabric to wear in warm weather; the fabric traps heat and moisture. Although the material is best for form-fitting, it can easily fit different body sizes and doesn't lose shape quickly.


    In terms of durability, the polyester fabric is more durable than cotton. Because of its long-lasting features, the polyester fabric is widely popular for children's clothing manufacturing.


    The polyester fabric is lightweight and has a silky texture, making it best for making sportswear or athletic wear. One thing you should note about polyester fabric is that it may irritate sensitive skin. Still, the good thing is that this drawback can be easily fixed when polyester fabric is blended with another material.


    The polyester can be a little tough to print over. Still, advanced printing methods and special dyes have made it easy to achieve high-quality prints with vibrant colors over the polyester fabric.


    Pros of polyester fabrics


    • Quick drying

    • The polyester fabric comes with quick-drying features, keeping your body cool.


    • Wrinkle and shrinkage-resistant

    • The polyester fabric doesn't lose its shape even after being wet and gets wrinkled quickly.


    • Durability

    • Polyester is a synthetic artificial material with the best durability features that can withstand wear and tear.


    • Color retention

    • The polyester fabric is pretty good at maintaining its color for longer times.


    • Versatile

    • The polyester fabric is versatile in mixing and matching other materials and printing methods.


      Blending options with polyester fabric


    • Cotton polyester blend


    • Polyester nylon blend


    • Polyester rayon blend


    • Polyester linen blend


    • Polyester stencil brand


    Polyester Cotton Blend



    The polyester cotton blend is one of the best blends used for manufacturing versatile clothing apparel. The polyester and cotton blends are formed to develop the specific features in the fabrics. They are designed to introduce a material with unique properties.


    Polyester and cotton are potent blends for manufacturing Everything from bed sheets to t-shirts. The cotton and polyester result in balancing the drawbacks of the cotton fabric. For example, the poly-cotton blend doesn't shrink after washing, and the materials become quite good in quick drying and breathability features.


    The poly-cotton blend is suitable for manufacturing baby and toddler clothing lines. In terms of designs, the polyester blend fabric becomes a more versatile canvas to hold the methods, be it screen print, DTG, sublimation or embroidery printing.


    Is cotton better than polyester?


    You might be confused about whether cotton is better than polyester. Both cotton and polyester blends are good in place, but the polyester-cotton blend is better than both. The usual ratio for the cotton and polyester blend is 65% cotton and 35% polyester, resulting in the best fabric for t-shirts, shirts, polo shirts, bed sheets, and more.


    This blend results in advantaging both of the fabrics. The blend complements the lack of polyester features by absorbing the qualities of the cotton fabric and vice versa.


    Cotton and polyester blend is best to use for


    Here are some apparel products for which cotton and polyester blends are widely used in the fashion industry.


    Casual Wear:


    • T-shirts


    • Polo shirts


    • Sweatshirts


    • Hoodies


    • Casual shorts and pants


    Athletic and Activewear:


    • Sportswear


    • Workout tops and bottoms


    • Athletic jerseys


    • Tracksuits


    Uniforms:


    • School uniforms


    • Work uniforms


    • Team uniforms


    Outdoor and Adventure Clothing:


    • Hiking pants


    • Outdoor jackets


    • Camping gear


    • Performance outerwear


    Everyday Essentials:


    • Basic tops and bottoms


    • Underwear


    • Socks


    Children's Clothing:


    • Kids' playwear


    • School uniforms


    • Casual children's clothing


    Wrapping up


    I hope this blog answers your question about "Is cotton better than polyester." The polyester and cotton blend is the new talk of the town, having qualities and features of both fabrics. The poly-cotton blend is less costly than the fabric's pure cotton or pure polyester version. However, it would help to consider several things when considering the polyester cotton blend for your clothing line, such as purpose, fiber, weight, design, and environmental sustainability.


Author John Cary

About the author:

John Cary is a keen fashion blogger who primarily provides detailed guides and advice about anything that comes under fashion. He has worked closely in the fashion industry, which enhances his experience and makes him more passionate about the fashion industry. When it comes to clothing and fashion John Cary makes absolute sense.