Polyester or Cotton Hoodies: which one is for you?
aungcrown
Aung Crown
2020-10-16 22:36:04
Usually, I can tell what the clothes are made from just by looking or touching, but it’s always good to check -- there are many tricks and treatments that can make synthetics look like natural fibers in brand-new clothes, but that stuff wears out quickly with use.
No matter how much I might like the style, if it's not made from natural fiber I won't buy it. It's a tough road to follow since more and more clothing is being made from synthetics, and 100% natural fibers are getting harder and harder to find, but it's a choice worth making.
These days most sweatshirts are made out of Polyester, or at best a Cotton/Polyester blend. It is easy to understand why -- polyester hoodies is so much cheaper than cotton, both in the price of the material itself, and the production process for the clothes.
But 'cheaper' doesn't often equate to 'better', and this is certainly the case with cotton vs. polyester when it comes to hoodies.
So now I’d like to talk about what I think is so special about cotton, and why I am so adamant that it’s a better fiber for hoodies.
What exactly is Polyester?
Here is the technical definition:
'Polyester is a synthetic polymer made of purified terephthalic acid (PTA) or its dimethyl ester dimethyl terephthalate (DMT) and monoethylene glycol (MEG). Polyester is made using a chemical reaction involving coal, petroleum, air, and water. A petroleum by-product, alcohol, and carboxyl acid are mixed to form a compound known as monomer or “ester.” This reaction is known as polymerization. The polymer material created during polymerization is extruded while hot into long fibers that are stretched until they are about five times their original length. The extruded fibers are made into fabric.'
No matter how much I might like the style, if it's not made from natural fiber I won't buy it. It's a tough road to follow since more and more clothing is being made from synthetics, and 100% natural fibers are getting harder and harder to find, but it's a choice worth making.
These days most sweatshirts are made out of Polyester, or at best a Cotton/Polyester blend. It is easy to understand why -- polyester hoodies is so much cheaper than cotton, both in the price of the material itself, and the production process for the clothes.
But 'cheaper' doesn't often equate to 'better', and this is certainly the case with cotton vs. polyester when it comes to hoodies.
So now I’d like to talk about what I think is so special about cotton, and why I am so adamant that it’s a better fiber for hoodies.
What exactly is Polyester?
Here is the technical definition:
'Polyester is a synthetic polymer made of purified terephthalic acid (PTA) or its dimethyl ester dimethyl terephthalate (DMT) and monoethylene glycol (MEG). Polyester is made using a chemical reaction involving coal, petroleum, air, and water. A petroleum by-product, alcohol, and carboxyl acid are mixed to form a compound known as monomer or “ester.” This reaction is known as polymerization. The polymer material created during polymerization is extruded while hot into long fibers that are stretched until they are about five times their original length. The extruded fibers are made into fabric.'
Where does Cotton come from?
Cotton fibers come from cotton plants. Specifically, they grow from the seed coat -- cotton is a soft, fluffy fiber that grows in a boll, or protective case, around the seeds of the cotton plants.
These cotton fluff balls are picked from the plant and packed into huge bales, which are then shipped to the fabric mills. There the cotton is carded and combed, which removes the impurities and aligns the fibers in one direction, to produce roving. Next comes the spinning: the roving is drawn and twisted into yarn and wound onto bobbins. The yarn is then made into fabric. That’s really all there is to say about cotton production -- no complex chemical formulas or reactions, just fluffy plant seeds spun and woven into fabric.
FABRIC PROPERTIES: THE FEEL
Cotton is soft and breathable, it’s the softest fabric out there. That’s why baby clothes are made with 100% cotton, it’s the softest thing you can have next to your skin. It’s breathable because the cotton fibers themselves are fluffy and breathable, you got air coming and going through the fibers themselves, not just in the space between the threads. This is also why cotton has excellent temperature regulating and moisture wicking properties, it will keep you comfortable and dry.
Polyester and other synthetics, on the other hand, are not breathable because the threads are basically plastic. Polyester that is made into a fine thin fabric can feel soft and malleable, but it’s the softness of a plastic bag. This non-permeable quality makes Polyester an excellent choice for umbrellas, raincoats, and windbreakers, but it’s not something you want to have next to your skin.
To make matters worse, Polyester does not only make you sweat, but it also traps odors and can get very smelly indeed.
THE LOOK
High-quality cotton has a rich, matte look, with a depth of color. It ages well, gets softer with use and repeated washing, the matte patina, and the slight color variations get even better the longer you own your clothing. Cotton ages like fine wine or hand-carved wood, becomes vintage.
Polyester fabric can look when nice it’s brand-new, even though it has the tell-tale slight shine to it, the slight oily sheen. But it doesn’t age well -- because it’s basically plastic, it ages like plastic, becomes drab and frayed, pills, and loses its structure without gaining any character.
Cotton fibers come from cotton plants. Specifically, they grow from the seed coat -- cotton is a soft, fluffy fiber that grows in a boll, or protective case, around the seeds of the cotton plants.
These cotton fluff balls are picked from the plant and packed into huge bales, which are then shipped to the fabric mills. There the cotton is carded and combed, which removes the impurities and aligns the fibers in one direction, to produce roving. Next comes the spinning: the roving is drawn and twisted into yarn and wound onto bobbins. The yarn is then made into fabric. That’s really all there is to say about cotton production -- no complex chemical formulas or reactions, just fluffy plant seeds spun and woven into fabric.
FABRIC PROPERTIES: THE FEEL
Cotton is soft and breathable, it’s the softest fabric out there. That’s why baby clothes are made with 100% cotton, it’s the softest thing you can have next to your skin. It’s breathable because the cotton fibers themselves are fluffy and breathable, you got air coming and going through the fibers themselves, not just in the space between the threads. This is also why cotton has excellent temperature regulating and moisture wicking properties, it will keep you comfortable and dry.
Polyester and other synthetics, on the other hand, are not breathable because the threads are basically plastic. Polyester that is made into a fine thin fabric can feel soft and malleable, but it’s the softness of a plastic bag. This non-permeable quality makes Polyester an excellent choice for umbrellas, raincoats, and windbreakers, but it’s not something you want to have next to your skin.
To make matters worse, Polyester does not only make you sweat, but it also traps odors and can get very smelly indeed.
THE LOOK
High-quality cotton has a rich, matte look, with a depth of color. It ages well, gets softer with use and repeated washing, the matte patina, and the slight color variations get even better the longer you own your clothing. Cotton ages like fine wine or hand-carved wood, becomes vintage.
Polyester fabric can look when nice it’s brand-new, even though it has the tell-tale slight shine to it, the slight oily sheen. But it doesn’t age well -- because it’s basically plastic, it ages like plastic, becomes drab and frayed, pills, and loses its structure without gaining any character.
So what shall we choose, cotton hoodies or polyester?
Pure cotton hoodies are hard to find these days, and when I started working on creating my own hoodies I understood why.
Cotton fabric is 2-3 times more expensive than comparable polyester. And it’s not just the cost of fabric, but the way it is handled and processed. We all know that cotton shrinks, so extra care needs to be taken, which adds multiple steps to the process, time, expense and complexity. I can fully understand the reasons most manufacturers choose to avoid these extra costs and complexity and make their hoodies out of polyester or polyester blends.
But AungCrown is all about making the best hoodie possible. And as we have seen, Cotton feels better, looks better and is safer for the environment than Polyester. And that means that our hoodies are 100% cotton, soft, comfy, breathable and lovely. Better for you, better for the environment.
Pure cotton hoodies are hard to find these days, and when I started working on creating my own hoodies I understood why.
Cotton fabric is 2-3 times more expensive than comparable polyester. And it’s not just the cost of fabric, but the way it is handled and processed. We all know that cotton shrinks, so extra care needs to be taken, which adds multiple steps to the process, time, expense and complexity. I can fully understand the reasons most manufacturers choose to avoid these extra costs and complexity and make their hoodies out of polyester or polyester blends.
But AungCrown is all about making the best hoodie possible. And as we have seen, Cotton feels better, looks better and is safer for the environment than Polyester. And that means that our hoodies are 100% cotton, soft, comfy, breathable and lovely. Better for you, better for the environment.