Cotton Vs. Polyester

When deciding on buying a t-shirt, there are many things to consider. 

“What brand makes the best quality t-shirt?” 

“What design should I get?” 

“COTTON OR POLYESTER??!!!” 

........ 

Seriously? 

“Yeah, it’s a big issue. Trust me on this one.” 

Ok then, do you wanna take over from here? 

“Heck yeah!” 

Hi, I’m an incredibly nit picky t-shirt enthusiast and I’ll be walking you through the differences between cotton and polyester so that you can make an educated decision on the material for your t-shirt. 

Cotton- The Pros: 

1.Cotton Is Super Soft: 

It’s a very comfortable material that feels great on your skin. Those of you with sensitive skin will easily be able to tell the difference between polyester and cotton, so if you wanna feel like you’re being hugged by a sheep, perhaps cotton is for you. 

“Sheep are covered in wool, not cotton.” 

Moving on! 

2. Cotton Is Breathable: 

On hot days, cotton is a godsend. It’s super light and won’t stick to your body when the heat is up. It’s also super absorbent, which helps your body maintain its proper temperature. Pretty cool, right?....Did you get it? 

*slaps forehead* 

3. Easy to Dye: 

The fibers in cotton easily absorb due, making the process of adding color much easier. You also a more even coat when applying dye to cotton and the colors are much deeper than colors on polyester. Cotton is my go to material when I’m feeling creative. I love tie-dye. 

“Of course you do....” 

Cotton- The Cons: 

1. Fading: 

Remember what I said about cotton being great for dying? It might be worth mentioning that colors on cotton also fade easily. Nothing is perfect, I guess. 

2. It Shrinks: 

Yeah....After its first run through the dryer, it will be smaller than it was when you bought it. 

3. Biodegradable: 

That’s just a fancy way of saying that cotton will break down overtime. Overexposure to sunlight and moisture will speed up this process. 

“Looks like your cotton idea is falling apart. Yeah, I can make bad jokes too.” 

Polyester- The Pros: 

1. Built To Last: 

Polyester is a man made product and will carry on a lot longer than cotton will and it can withstand tons of wear and tear. It’s comparable to plastic, which makes sense when you consider that plastic is recycled to make polyester. 


“I’m not sure how I feel about wearing plastic.” 

2. Dries Quickly: 

Honestly, you can probably save a lot of money on electricity if you swear by polyester. It dries easily and with haste, so the dryer might not be necessary. Polyester seems to be solid investment for penny pinchers. 

3. Less Wrinkles: 

Hate to iron? Pick polyester and forget about wrinkles...for the most part. This is just another reason why polyester is simply more efficient than cotton. 

4. Maintaining Its Size: 

Remember how cotton shrinks? You can run polyester through several loads and it won’t shrink at all. It’s almost as if polyester was tailored to suit humanity. 

“It was!” 

Polyester- The Cons 

1. “Is it Hot in Here?” 

Yep, and unfortunately, polyester won’t help you with that. When you get outside on hot summer day, polyester seems to love you just a little bit more. That is to say, it clings to you tightly and doesn’t breathe at all. You’ll be a hot sticky mess, but at least the dye won’t fade. 

See? Didn’t I tell you this discussion was important? 

“I guess you were right. You’ve given me and the audience a lot to think about.” 

Does that mean you’re going to think about your t-shirt material next time you’re out shopping? 

“....Nope, but either way, “Shirts In Bulk” will be my online shopping destination.”