Take a Look at the Fabric Used at IstiloPrints
Material matters!
The fabric used to make a garment of clothing is no doubt as important (or even more important) than the design or the style of the garment itself. I’m sure everyone can relate to the feeling of wearing an itchy t-shirt or sweatshirt and just wanting to get it off, no matter how stylish you are looking!
That’s why at IstiloPrints, we take pride in offering a diverse range of high-quality fabrics to cater to our customers' varied preferences.
The three primary fabric types we use - Cotton, Cotton/Poly, and Triblend - each have their own characteristics and properties which we’re going to explore in this blog post!
Cotton: The Classic Comfort
When it comes to timeless comfort and easy wear, nothing quite compares to classic cotton fabric.
Cotton is a natural fiber derived from the cotton plant’s seeds. The seeds are found inside of the seedpod which is known as the boll. These are the fluffy white balls you see on a cotton plant (pictured below). There are around seven to eight seeds in a boll and each seed can have as many as 20 000 cotton fibers attached to it.
The cotton bolls are harvested, cleaned, and then spun into yarn. This yarn is then woven into the fabric used to make our cotton clothing.
Cotton Characteristics:
- Cotton is known for its natural breathability. It allows air to circulate freely, keeping you cool and comfortable throughout the day even in hot weather.
- Cotton is soft to the touch and becomes even softer with each wash.
- Cotton is generally hypoallergenic, making it suitable for people with sensitive skin.
- Cotton is absorbent which means it wicks moisture away from your skin making it comfortable to wear in hot conditions. It can hold around 25x its own weight in water!
- The durability of cotton means you can machine-wash your cotton garments and not worry about them getting worn.
- Because cotton is a natural, biodegradable material, it has a lower environmental impact compared to synthetic fibers.
Cotton Disadvantages:
- Cotton is slow-drying. This means if you get wet in the rain you might be wet for a while!
- Cotton wrinkles easily. To make cotton wrinkle-free, it needs to be blended with another fiber.
FUN FACT: Cotton has been used for over 7000 years! Scientists found pieces of cotton cloth in caves in Mexico that are at least 7000 years old. 3000 years BC cotton was being grown, spun, and woven into cloth in the Indus River Valley in Pakistan. At about the same time, cotton clothing was also being worn in Egypt.
The fact that cotton has been an essential for so many years speaks to its quality and versatility.
Cotton/Poly Blend: Durability and Versatility
Cotton polyester blends combine natural cotton fibers with synthetic polyester fibers. It’s the best of both worlds. Polyester is a synthetic fiber known for its strength and wrinkle resistance.
Polyester adds durability, contributes to the fabric’s wrinkle-resistant properties, and helps the fabric retain color for a longer period of time. It also requires less maintenance and is often easier to care for than pure cotton.
Cotton/Poly Blend Characteristics:
- Cotton/poly blend fabrics are known for their strength and durability. They can withstand wear and tear better than most fabrics.
- Polyester has wrinkle-resistant qualities. By combining cotton with polyester fabric, you are getting a fabric that is less likely to wrinkle than pure cotton fabric.
- Cotton/poly blends are moisture-wicking. This means that they draw moisture away from your body and make it easier to evaporate.
- Cotton/poly blends are easy to care for. They can be machine-washed and often dry quicker than pure cotton. Garments also maintain their shape and size well after washing.
- While not as breathable as pure cotton, cotton/poly blends still offer reasonable breathability. It is comfortable to wear in warm weather and can be worn for various activities. The blend allows for some airflow, making it comfortable for various activities without compromising on the fabric's durability.
Cotton/Poly Blend Disadvantages:
- Although Cotton/poly blend fabrics are still soft, they are not as soft as pure cotton.
FUN FACT: Because cotton/poly blend fabrics are so durable, they are one of the most preferred fabrics used for wholesale clothing manufacturing.
Triblend: The Ultimate Fusion
Triblend fabric is a combination of three distinct materials: cotton, polyester, and rayon. Each of these fibers contributes specific qualities to the fabric, resulting in a unique combination of comfort, durability, and drape.
We’ve already covered cotton and polyester, but what is rayon? Rayon is a semi-synthetic fiber that is produced from natural cellulose fibers, typically derived from wood pulp. It is known for its drapability and its soft and silky texture.
So what are the main characteristics that each of these three materials provides triblend fabric with?
- Cotton provides softness and breathability.
- Polyester contributes to durability, shape retention, and resistance to wrinkles.
- Rayon enhances the drape and gives a silky texture to the fabric.
Triblend Characteristics:
- The combination of cotton and rayon in triblend fabrics results in a soft and comfortable material
- The addition of rayon gives triblend fabric an excellent drape. This allows it to hang well on the wearer.
- Triblend fabric is breathable and suitable for a number of different weather conditions.
- The polyester component of triblend fabric enhances its durability, making it more resistant to wear and tear.
- The polyester component also contributes to wrinkle resistance, keeping the fabric looking neater and requiring less ironing than some natural fibers.
- While not as absorbent as pure cotton, triblend fabric can still absorb moisture to some extent.
FUN FACT: Triblend fabrics are often associated with a vintage or retro aesthetic. The blend of fibers gives garments a heathered look, providing a touch of nostalgia and a lived-in feel, even when brand new.
At IstiloPrints, we take pride in offering you only the best selection of materials for our t-shirts and sweatshirts, that not only look good but feel good too. Understanding the advantages and disadvantages of each fabric empowers you to make decisions aligned with your preferences and lifestyle.
References:
- National Cotton Council America
https://www.cotton.org/pubs/cottoncounts/story/
- Science Direct
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/cotton-fibre
- Cariki
https://cariki.co.uk/blogs/the-green-road/what-is-cotton-characteristics-and-properties
- Ice Fabrics
https://icefabrics.com/blogs/news/what-is-polycotton-fabric
- Real Thread
https://www.realthread.com/blog/what-exactly-is-a-triblend
- Sell Merch
