Why is fabric choice important for clothing brands?
The fabric you choose will enhance the look, feel, and printing quality of the garment. It will also impact the product’s durability.
Choosing a suitable fabric for print on demand apparel business is crucial because it will impact the print quality and overall product appeal. A well-chosen fabric will ensure vibrant print quality, longevity, and a positive customer experience.
In this blog guide, we share the pros and cons of top-quality cotton polyester fabric and the uses of cotton, polyester, and blend fabrics.
Cotton Fabric
Cotton fabric is a type of natural cloth widely used because of its versatility. It is the most popular choice because of its softness, breathability, and durability. Cotton fabric can be easily dyed and printed to achieve various textures and finishes.
The Wearability of Cotton Fabric
Cotton is the most commonly used fabric and has excellent wearability.
It is best for wearing in the summer seasons because it’s a natural fibre that allows air to circulate through the fabric and keeps our skin cool.
The natural fibre of cotton is gentle on the skin, and it’s best to choose for a sustainable print on demand business.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Cotton Fabric
| Advantage | Disadvantage |
|---|---|
| Perfect for all seasons and hypoallergenic | Shrinks in hot water |
| It absorbs moisture | Wrinkles easily |
| It’s easily stretchable | Colors fade over time |
| Heat resistance | High-quality cotton is more expensive |
Best Use Cases for Cotton in Print On Demand
DTG, DTF, and Vinyl are the best options for printing on cotton garments. In cotton fabrics, DTG printing achieves very high resolutions and details. It easily handles multiple colours without complex adjustments.
Popular Print On Demand Cotton Products
With Qikink, we offer various premium products in cotton fabrics.
- Unisex Classic T-shirt,
- Supima T-shirts
- Hoodies,
- Oversized t-shirt
- Polo T-shirts
- Boys T-Shirts
- Totebags
- Unisex Cotton Drawstring Bag
Recommended Guide
Polyester Fabric
Polyester is a synthetic fiber made from petroleum-based chemicals. It is one of the most famous textiles used in the apparel industry. Polyester is more durable than cotton.
Also, they don’t shrink quickly.
The Wearability of Polyester Fabric
Polyester fabrics are durable and lightweight, and they are best for daily wear.
They keep you cool by exchanging heat from outside. Polyester is suitable for sports clothes, Jackets, and coats, and it retains shape well.
Also, 100% of polyester fabrics are not stretchable; however, when combined with elastane, Lycra, or spandex, they can be stretchable.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Polyester Fabric
| Advantage | Disadvantage |
|---|---|
| Highly durable and wrinkle-resistant | Not breathable |
| Polyester has heat resistance | Not water-absorbent |
| Polyester absorbs dye well | Can cause skin irritation |
| It’s more affordable | Not environmentally friendly |
Best Use Cases for Polyester in Print On Demand
Sublimation printing is best for printing on polyester garments. Here are some of the best use cases
- Best for sports clothes and online custom clothing.
- All over printed products like Bomber Jacket, Sports bra, Leggings, Crop tops, Gym vest
- Home and Decor products like cushion covers, pillows, and more
- Accessories like Gaming pads and phone cases.
Cotton vs. Polyester
| Aspects | Cotton | Polyester |
|---|---|---|
| Durability | Soft and durable | Very durable and silky |
| Color Fastness | Fades over time | Keeps color longer |
| Suitable | Good for all skin types | Not great for sensitive skin |
| Breathability | Breathable | Not breathable |
| Weight | Heavier | Lightweight |
| Dryness | Dries slowly | Dries quickly |
| Maintenance | Needs more care | Low maintenance |
| Color Vibrancy | Excellent | Excellent |
| Best Printing Methods | DTG, DTF, Vinyl, Embroidery | Sublimation Printing |
| Shrinking | Can shrink | Doesn’t shrink |
This comparison table will give you ideas about which fabric suits your type of t-shirts. We also share more details about fabric blends here.
What is Blended Fabric?
Blended fabric is a mixture of different types of fibres combined to make a new type of fabric. Fabric blends have become increasingly popular in recent years.
Here, we share the reasons why fibres are blended.
- It improves durability
- Improves comfort
- Reduces wrinkles
- Adds versatility
- Reduces cost
- Retains fabric shapes.
Different Types of Blends
Blending aims to combine the best qualities of each fibre to achieve a specific set of characteristics in the final fabric. Here are some popular blending types.
1. Cotton Blend Fabric
Cotton blends contain a high amount of cotton and a small amount of other fibres, such as polyester, modal, viscose, rayon, linen, and more. They’re used in T-shirts, casual wear, and uniforms.
Example: Cotton polyester fabric blend; C60% P40%, C90% P10%, C58% P42%, C50% P50%
2. Wool Blend Fabric
Wool fabric blends are combined with fibres like polyester, nylon, silk, or any synthetic fibre. They are commonly used in Suits and coats. Cashmere wool is the most luxurious fabric in India.
Example: Wool polyester blend; Wool 70%, Polyester 30%
3. Silk Blends
Silk blend combines fibres such as natural silk, cotton, linen, wool, rayon, and polyester. It’s ideal for dresses, ties, and high-end clothes.
Example: Silk cotton blends; Silk 70%, Cotton 30%
4. Rayon Blend Fabric
Rayon is a synthetic fabric made from plant cellulose. It’s smoother and silkier than cotton, lightweight, and breathable. Rayon is used in Shirts, leggings, and women’s tops.
Example: Rayon cotton blend; 60% Rayon, 40% Cotton
5. Polyester Blend Fabrics
Polyester is a synthetic fabric blended with fibres such as cotton, rayon, wool, viscose, modal, and more. It’s ideal for T-shirts, Activewear, Bags, wallets and more.
Example: Polyester cotton blend; Polyester 65%, Cotton 35%
Cotton vs Polyester vs Blended Fabrics
| Cotton | Polyester | Blended Fabrics |
|---|---|---|
| Very comfortable and breathable | Less breathable | Cotton blended fabrics are breathable |
| Shrinking and wrinkling | Resistant to wrinkles and shrinking | It reduces wrinkles and shrinking |
| Higher cost | It’s affordable | More affordable than polyester |
Cotton is for comfort and natural qualities, polyester is valued for durability and low maintenance, and blended fabrics aim to combine desirable attributes from multiple fibres to suit specific needs and applications.
How to Choose the Right Fabric for Print On Demand Store?
If you are starting a clothing brand or selling print on demand t-shirts, you must consider a few things when choosing fabric for your store.
- The Purpose of the Fabric: If you are starting a clothing brand, you need to find durable and comfortable fabrics. Choose fabric based on what kind of product you are going to sell.
- The Weight of the Fabric: When deciding on the best weight for buying fabrics, consider GSM (grams per square meter).
- The Fiber Content: The fiber content will impact on durability, care requirements, and moisture-wicking material. So choose fabrics that are durable, easy to maintain, and machine washable.
- The price of the fabric: The cost of the fabric will vary depending on its quality. If you are on a budget but need the same quality, you can go for blended fabric.
Conclusion
Choose your fabric type based on your clothing requirements. If you are confused about selecting fabric, you can choose fabric blends that offer both cotton polyester fabric benefits.
Qikink is India’s number one Print-on-demand store with an extensive product catalogue. We provide high-quality cotton and cotton blend products for clothing brands. With Qikink, you don’t have to handle inventory or fulfill orders.
We handle everything under your brand name, from Manufacturing high-quality fabrics to making products, Printing, packing, and shipping to your customers’ addresses.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the Cotton Polyester Fabric for?
Cotton polyester fabrics are combined to give benefits to the fabric, such as durability, Softness, Wrinkle resistance, and affordability, because cotton polyester fabric blends are more affordable than pure cotton.
2. Is Cotton Polyester Good Quality?
Yes, the right blended cotton polyester fabrics are good quality. For example, blends like Cotton 80% Polyester 20% and cotton 52% polyester 48% are more breathable and durable.
3. Is Cotton Polyester Good for Summer?
Yes, it is suitable for summer. Cotton’s natural fibres give it a cool feeling and protect it from UV rays. The cotton-polyester fabric blend gives it more durability and colour vibrance.
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