For every piece of clothing you own, you have to decide what fabric it’s made out of. You might choose cotton because it’s soft and breathable, or polyester because it’s sturdy and holds its shape well. While each fabric has unique benefits, they also each have their drawbacks, so choosing the right one can be tricky. Read on to find out more about the similarities and differences between cotton and polyester fabrics, as well as which one comes out on top in terms of quality and cost-effectiveness.
Why does Clothing Matter?
Clothing is a major part of our lives that we may not always notice. Depending on who you are, you might spend most of your day in work clothes, gym clothes, casual clothes, or even formal wear. But why do you feel more comfortable in some outfits than others? And is it possible to find clothing that’s good for your health? As it turns out, there’s a lot more to clothing than just being comfortable what we wear has a real impact on our lives.
Basic Differences between Polyester and Cotton
As two of the most popular fabrics around, polyester and cotton present a wide variety of positive and negative characteristics. For instance, both are easy to maintain but also tend to wrinkle. However, polyester is more resistant to stains, while cotton tends to look dull over time. When it comes down to it, though, each fabric presents its own set of pros and cons. Read on for a detailed breakdown of polyester vs cotton differences.
Compared to cotton, polyester can seem like an inferior option since it doesn’t breathe as well. The common myth is that fabric breathes through pores on its surface, which allow air in and out of these micro-openings. Because polyester has fewer pores than cotton, less air circulates through a piece of clothing made from it. This can make you feel hotter because your body doesn’t receive as much cool air as it would with natural fibers like wool or linen.
Which One to Choose -Polyester or Cotton?
Whether you’re looking for your next suit, dress shirt, blouse, pants, socks, or bed sheets, it’s important to know what kind of fabric is right for you. Both cotton and polyester are man-made fibers made from long chains called polymers. Many fabrics are blends that contain both cotton and polyester. Here we break down each option so you can decide which one will be best suited to your style preferences, budget, and lifestyle needs. Keep in mind that cotton fabrics have some additional properties over polyester—but not all products are created equal. It all depends on how they’re manufactured, where they come from, and who makes them.
Which One is Healthier – Polyester or Cotton?
With all that in mind, let’s take a look at two popular clothing materials: polyester and cotton. While they are both natural products, each has its advantages and disadvantages. In most cases, it’s better to choose one over another depending on your needs, but if you want an accurate answer as to which one is healthier overall, then you will have to consider more than just personal comfort. Here’s what you need to know. Polyester vs Cotton – Which One Is Healthier? A lot of people think that polyester is worse for you than cotton because it’s synthetic, but there are plenty of reasons why that isn’t necessarily true. First off, both fabrics are made from plants – cotton comes from a plant called Gossypium barbadense (or cotton plant), while polyester can be made from either petroleum or plant-based sources.
Ease-of-Care, Breathability, Wrinkle Resistance, And Colorfastness In Different Fabrics
Breathability, Wrinkle Resistance, And Colorfastness: Natural fibers are best at all three because they absorb very little water—the clothes dry quickly. Synthetic fabrics breathe, but not as well. As you’d expect, cotton is more breathable than wool, which is more breathable than polyester. Additionally, synthetic fabrics have a longer life cycle when it comes to colorfastness than natural ones do.
How Are They Made? What To Look For When Buying And How Much Should You Spend On Them
Polyester is more durable than cotton, making it a better choice if you’re often on the go. It’s also waterproof, stain-resistant, breathable, wrinkle-resistant, and flame retardant; however, since polyester isn’t organic, it should not be worn in direct sunlight. Although polyester is hypoallergenic, many people find that polyester irritates their skin.
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Polyester is a synthetic material — which means the material isn’t made from naturally occurring fibres like cotton, silk or wool.
Polyester is short for polyethylene terephthalate — often shortened to PET. It’s made from a chemical reaction between petroleum, air, and water.
First produced in 1951 and is now one of the world’s most popular textiles. It took off in the clothing industry because it was durable and cheap to produce.
Polyester is a synthetic material which means it is manufactured — not something that occurs naturally.
The most common form of polyester — polyethylene terephthalate (PET), is a plastic derived from petroleum. The same type of plastic that water bottles are made from.
Polyester has many desirable qualities that make it a popular choice for clothing.
It’s strong and lightweight. And it can be further strengthened when blended with materials like cotton. It resists wrinkles and is easy to look after at home.
Though, despite the positive qualities polyester is not a sustainable material. It has irreversible, negative effects on the environment.
Making polyester is bad for the planet because coal and petroleum are used in the manufacturing process. Coal and petrol are fossil fuels — non-renewable sources that are highly limited in supply. Once it’s gone, it’s gone.
When fossil fuels are burned carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere. AKA greenhouse gases — they trap heat in the atmosphere causing global warming.
Polyester isn’t biodegradable. So you’re left with a material that doesn’t decompose at the end of its life. At best, it’ll stick around for another 20 years. At worst, hundreds of years.
Each time you wash synthetic materials like polyester — small fibres are released. And because polyester is a type of plastic — a lot of these fibres are too.
These fibres are called microplastics — which categorises any piece of plastic less than 5mm in size. Microplastics pollute waterways across the world and cause huge problems.
It’s estimated that over a third of all the plastic in our waters come from washing synthetic clothing.
A great way to minimise the microplastics released is to wash your synthetic clothes in a Guppyfriend wash bag. Designed specifically to stop microplastics from entering our rivers and oceans.
The main difference between cotton and polyester is that cotton is a natural fibre while polyester is synthetic. Natural fibres have their own set of strengths and qualities. Polyester is less breathable than cotton. Which can make you feel humid, sweaty or uncomfortable.
If you have sensitive skin you may get reactions to wearing synthetic materials. But generally, it’s not too common.
Polyester is faster drying than cotton — and for that reason, it’s often used for workout gear and sports clothing.
A quick summary — cotton is natural, breathable, absorbent, and can be sustainable. Polyester is synthetic, not breathable, repels water, and isn’t sustainable.
Polyester is one of the cheapest materials on the market. That is why it dominates the fast fashion space. Polyester was first introduced to drive the cost of products down.
That being said — like all materials, there are different levels of quality. You will still see polyester used by higher-end brands. Some of the better quality polyesters can have a completely different feel to the polyester you’re familiar with. It feels more like silk than polyester.
The general quality of polyester has increased over the years. Brands have found better ways to work with polyester. And machinery improvements have made it easier to get the most out of polyester.
There are many sustainable alternatives to polyester. Ditch virgin polyester and look for natural or recycled alternatives. Natural materials like cotton, hemp or linen are good options. And it’s always best to go organic which uses less water and energy and completely free from toxic chemicals.
Related material guides: Is hemp the ultimate sustainable material?, guide to organic cotton, and all about linen.