Cotton or polyester? These two popular fibers each have their pros and cons. If you're not sure which is better for your up-and-coming upholstery project, we go over the differences between cotton and polyester fabrics below. After learning about both, you can make an informed choice about which to use.
This soft, natural fabric comes from the cotton plant, a fiber that grows into a boll, otherwise known as the rounded, protective seed case. During the harvest, the cotton is removed from the bolls, cleaned, spun, and woven into yarn. That yarn becomes cotton fabric.
Cotton is an age-old crop that's been around since 6000 BCE; perhaps longer! The oldest evidence of cotton cloth was discovered in what's now Peru. It was brought to Europe in 800 CE by Arab merchants and to America in the late 1400s. Humans have used cotton as a common textile for attire and upholstery throughout history.
Aside from its characteristic warmth and softness, cotton has plenty of other perks.
Cotton is incredibly soft and warm to the touch. It's breathable, which is a big reason for its popularity.
If you own pets or live an active lifestyle, you may have had a few unpleasant encounters with odors in your upholstery. By absorbing moisture and the foul-smelling compounds produced by bacteria, cotton confines odors deep within its fibers, where they can't waft up to the nose.
Cotton is easy to wash. You can use a rubber glove or vacuum attachment to pick up pet hair and crumbs. For stubborn stains, use a light-colored washcloth. Douse your cloth in warm, soapy water and dab at the dirty areas until the stains fade away.
Cotton is an all-natural textile, and the modern methods for growing and farming the crop have become increasingly sustainable. Organic and recycled fibers are increasingly available, and even conventionally grown cotton is increasingly grown using best practices for sustainable agriculture and resource conservation. If protecting the planet is a big deal to you, you can use this textile in your home with a good conscience.
Cotton has a high tensile strength, meaning it won't rip or tear easily. This fabric is also unlikely to cling or pill. One interesting fact about cotton is it becomes 30 times stronger when wet, so you can wash it frequently without damage.
If you have sensitivities or experience allergies, you may be limited in the kinds of fabrics you can use in your home. Fortunately, cotton is a hypoallergenic textile that's unlikely to make you break out, wheeze, or sneeze.
Polyester is a polymer produced by combining ethylene glycol and terephthalic acid. In general terms, it's a common plastic derived from petroleum you can weave into synthetic yarn.
Compared to ancient fabrics like linen and cotton, polyester is a relatively recent invention. The savvy inventor John Wesley Hyatt made the first polymer in 1869 as an alternative to ivory for billiards. It wasn’t until the late 1930s that scientist Wallace Hume Carothers invented polyester in a DuPont lab. He initially set it aside because he preferred to focus on developing nylon. However, when microfibers rose to prominence later in the century, so too did polyester fabric.
While many view plastic as hard and cold, polyester fabric is anything but! Here are a few benefits of this interesting, new-age textile:
Polyester is made of long, sturdy polymer chains that don't break easily. As a result, it takes a lot of force to stretch or tear polyester.
Because it's so resilient, polyester isn't particularly stretchy and will snap back into shape if you tug on it. That's not to say polyester is totally inflexible, though; it has a small amount of give that allows you to stretch it over furniture, making it great for upholstery projects.
You can blend polyester with a range of other fabrics; in fact, polyester is commonly blended with cotton to make polycotton. Blended materials give you the best of both worlds and let you reap the benefits of two fabrics in one.
Polyester is resistant to various things, including moisture, heat, UV rays, and mildew. This fabric wicks moisture, which not only keeps your furniture dry but also prevents mildew from growing. It can withstand high heat and is remarkably colorfast, which is why UV-treated polyester is a popular choice for outdoor furniture.
Like cotton, polyester is easy to care for. Clean it with a dry brush, vacuum, or damp sponge to eliminate stains.
Have you decided whether cotton or polyester is better for your upholstery project? There's no easy answer to this question. Ultimately, it comes down to what you're upholstering and your needs. If you want a fabric that's warm and ultra-soft, cotton can't be beaten! On the other hand, if durability matters to you more than comfort, polyester may be the better option. Look at the pros of both fabrics listed above and consider which one will suit your unique project best.
If you need cotton for your next upholstery job, look no further! At the Fabric Outlet, we have a fun, diverse, and reasonably priced selection of printed cotton upholstery fabric. With a wide variety of colors and patterns to choose from, you're bound to find a fabric that matches your style and personality!
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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