Cotton Polyester often spelled polycotton or poly-cotton — is a fabric made from a combination of natural cotton and synthetic polyester. Cotton fibres are combined with synthetic polyester fibres in this combination. Typically, the blend is composed of 65% cotton and 35% polyester. It is not limited to these ratios; we can encounter 50/50 mixtures on occasion.
Cotton Polyester blends are quite popular because they are tougher, more adaptable, and more versatile (dries faster) than 100 percent cotton. At the same time, unlike 100 percent polyester, it does not adhere to the skin organically.
What is the difference between cotton or polyester that is 100 percent cotton or polyester and a poly-cotton blend?
Which one are you going to choose?
We thoroughly dissect the Cotton Polyester benefits and drawbacks you should be aware of in 2018 to assist you in making an informed selection for your garment manufacturing that benefits your business. Businesses considering which fabric to use or simply seeking information on the best fibre composition for their product — this is your buyers’ guide to poly cotton, and this article will assist you in determining if poly cotton is good for you or not.
Polyester’s Advantages Include its low cost
Polyester production is less expensive than cotton or wool production.Polyester fibres are inexpensive to mass manufacture in large quantities. This translates in a lower cost to the consumer, which is polyester’s primary advantage.Certain individuals assert that there is a qualitative difference between printing on polyester and printing on cotton.
However, polyester can be printed on, allowing for the fabrication of items such as relatively inexpensive printed t-shirts. To make most fabrics waterproof, they require special lamination procedures. Polyester is naturally resistant to water. This eliminates the need for manufacturers to apply costly lamination treatments.
Durability
Polyester is a durable and sturdy fabric due to its lengthy, stable polymers. As a result, polyester maintains its shape effectively and does not easily stretch.
Despite its robustness, 100% polyester is a supple, lightweight fabric that works well with a wide variety of garment styles.
Elasticity
100% polyester snaps back into form after stretching due to its robust nature. However, the cloth has some natural give. This enables you to move freely when wearing polyester apparel. Polyester is frequently combined with another fabric, such as spandex or elastane, to create garments with a high degree of elasticity.
Versatility
Polyester’s ultimate versatility is in its ability to blend with various textiles. Blended fabrics combine the strengths of different fibre types into a single fabric. Polyester has penetrated virtually every facet of the clothing industry by blending with dozens of other popular fabrics!
Polycotton is one of the most well-known polyester blends, having absorbed a sizable portion of the t-shirt market.
A comfortable polyester-spandex combination is frequently found in yoga pants and fitness clothing. Polyester’s ability to retain its shape when heat-set into pleats and curves lends it further shape variety. This contributes to polyester’s attractiveness in the ready-to-wear garment industry. Finally, polyester fabric may be coloured inexpensively and simply throughout the manufacturing process. This means that polyester is also quite adaptable in terms of colour.
Moisture-Wicking
Polyester, like many synthetic materials, offers moisture-wicking properties. If you wear a polyester t-shirt on your morning jog, the fabric will absorb the moisture from your perspiration and wick it away from your skin. (However, as you will see later, temperature has a significant effect on this process.)
Resistant to Heat
Polyester fabric has a strong flame resistance, which implies that it takes a great deal to cause polyester to catch fire.
As a result, polyester is one of the most preferred materials for children’s sleepwear, as it meets stringent heat resistance regulations! However, as discussed in the drawbacks section, polyester does melt at elevated temperatures, posing a substantial risk.
Resistant to Mildew and Chemicals
Polyester’s synthetic fibres provide natural mildew and chemical resistance, enhancing its durability.
It takes a great deal to cause any type of harm to polyester cloth.
Resistant to the elements
Polyester’s inherent resistance to water enables water to bead on its surface rather than soak through. Polyester, on the other hand, is not waterproof. When sufficient water pressure is applied, the fabric will finally penetrate. The thread count of a polyester fabric is increased to boost its water resistance. Polyester is frequently used as a layer in jackets and coats due to its weather-resistant properties.
Resistant to UV/Light
Polyester fabric offers excellent UV protection. However, as with any cloth, if sunlight can get through it, it can reach you! Additionally, it is critical to take additional preventative measures, such as wearing sunscreen.
Simple Maintenance
Apart from its inexpensive cost, polyester’s best feature is its ease of upkeep. Polyester dries quickly, which means you can easily hang it up in your shower to drip-dry. It is machine washable and also available for dry cleaning. It is extremely wrinkle-resistant, allowing you to wear it throughout the day without looking scruffy by dinnertime. Finally, it is exceptionally stain-resistant due to its low susceptibility to liquid absorption.
Comfort
Naturally, if you intend to wear polyester, comfort is critical! Polyester falls midway between cotton and cashmere in terms of fabric softness. It feels lightweight and velvety next to the skin.
Disadvantages of Poly Cotton
These are the following Poly cotton :
Poly Cotton Does Not Thrive in Extreme Heat
Technically, both cotton and polyester are breathable when measured by fabric weight, but this is not a practical method to evaluate things. While 150 gsm cotton is always more breathable than 150 gsm polyester, cotton will always be more expensive at the same fabric weight. If you’re shopping for work clothes, whether you choose 100 percent cotton or polyester is a matter of personal preference.
However, if you go for the poly cotton blend, each brand will have a minor but obvious disadvantage.
Poly cotton is less breathable and less resistant to fire than 100% cotton. Cotton tends to burn in a fire, whereas poly cotton dissolves away. At the end of the day, one could argue that natural or 100 percent cotton is as popular as any other fibre; according to Livestrong, cotton is farmed in over 85 nations and consumes 2.5 percent of the world’s arable land.
Not as Popular in Haute Couture
Polyester blends had a reputation in the world of high fashion for being inexpensive and not particularly popular; yet, polyester is arguably more popular than cotton in fast fashion and has surpassed cotton as the most popular textile fabric. Why is it not as popular in the haute couture world? To begin, we must determine how poly cotton feels. Poly cotton has a slippery texture – the more polyester in the fabric, the more slippery it feels. Polyester will also increase your body temperature and is poor at absorbing moisture. As a result, polyester will rise to the top, appearing as small hard bobbles on the fabric’s surface, making it seem shabby and feel uncomfortable.
Cheaper than 100% cotton but more expensive than pure polyester
Due to the increased cost of cotton when blended into the product, poly cotton is more expensive than pure polyester. Cotton 150 gsm will always be more expensive than polyester 150 gsm. Indeed, the most affordable option will always be 100 percent polyester, since the blend will increase the price slightly due to the cotton fabric. Polyester is more affordable and durable, and when combined with cotton, a durable product with some of the best characteristics of cotton, such as breathability and lightweight, is created.
Breath ability of cotton
When a fabric is 100 percent cotton or 100 percent polyester, you get the best of both – assuming you overlook their respective shortcomings. You get the best of both worlds, such as the breathability of cotton and the durability of polyester, but you also get the worst of each fabric. By combining polyester with cotton, you can mitigate some of the downsides of polyester. Polyester, for example, is less breathable than cotton on its own and adheres to the skin once perspiration begins.
In comparison to 100 percent cotton, combining the two fibres yields the worst of each cloth. Because polyester fibres do not breathe as well as cotton fibres, fungus can develop when polyester is worn near to the body for extended periods of time. This results in an unpleasant experience, which ultimately costs consumers money.
The Facts About Poly Cotton’s Disadvantages
We’ve now examined the top five pros and downsides of poly cotton. The primary negative is that it is not as breathable as 100 percent cotton, making it unsuitable for extremely hot conditions. Not suitable for professional attire and more suited to casual and sporting attire. Concerns have been expressed about adoption by the high-fashion industry.
Final Thoughts on the Advantages and Disadvantages of Poly Cotton
We have concluded our examination of the top five poly cotton advantages and disadvantages; five benefits and five drawbacks for each cotton and polyester combination. Here’s a quick reminder of what we discovered so you can make an informed decision about your fabric selection:
Cotton-polyester mixes (poly cotton) can be robust, wrinkle- and tear-resistant, and have a low shrinkage rate.
With the prices of these fibres falling, the advantages of poly cotton are beginning to outweigh the negatives.
Which fabric is the most durable – cotton, polyester, or poly cotton? The answer varies according on the type of garments you’re manufacturing, but you’re getting the best of all worlds with poly cotton, as the fabric is cost-effective without sacrificing quality. Which do you prefer? Let us know in the comments section.
If you do decide to go with the poly cotton blend for your business, here are some helpful hints. The most important thing to remember is that you will not require much ironing – if you must, use a low heat setting. To ensure a long shelf life, it is recommended that poly cotton items be washed in warm water and dried on a low to medium heat setting. Oil stains are more difficult to remove than water soluble stains. When determining which material is ideal for you and your clothing items, you’ll have all the information you need to make an informed choice now that you’ve read this article’s top five poly cotton advantages and disadvantages.
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