The best uses for Cotton Poly Fabrics

The origin of cotton polyester

Cotton-polyester blended fabric is a kind of fabric developed in the early 1960s. It is a mixture of cotton and polyester. The fiber has the characteristics of crisp, smooth, quick drying and durable. The content of cotton is generally more than 60%, the content of polyester is less than 40%, and the contrary is polyester cotton.

Advantages of cotton polyester fabrics

Compared with pure cotton fabric, cotton polyester fabric has stronger wrinkle resistance, better color firmness, and is relatively less prone to shrinkage and fading problems; compared with polyester fabric, cotton polyester fabric has higher comfort, better air permeability, and is not easy to generate static electricity and dust adsorption.

Therefore, cotton-polyester clothing integrates the skin-friendly and breathable characteristics of cotton and the wrinkle-resistant, smooth and three-dimensional characteristics of polyester, with both comfort and texture.

Similarities between cotton-polyester fabric and poly-cotton fabric

The main components of the two fabrics are the same: both cotton/polyester and polyester are made by blending cotton and polyester fibers. Therefore, both cotton/polyester and polyester have the same advantages as cotton and fiber, which are soft, breathable and comfortable.

The two fabrics have the same application range: cotton-polyester fabric and poly-cotton fabric have the same application range, both of which are mainly used in the production of clothing, especially for the production of shirts.

The difference between cotton-polyester fabric and poly-cotton fabric

The two fabrics contain different proportions of components: cotton/polyester and polyester fabrics are both made from a blend of cotton and polyester fibers, but the content of cotton/polyester is 60% cotton and only 40% polyester. In contrast, polyester and cotton fabrics are 60 percent polyester and 40 percent cotton.

The advantages and disadvantages of the two fabrics are different: although cotton-polyester fabric and poly-cotton fabric share the common characteristics of polyester fiber and cotton fiber, the difference in composition ratio inevitably leads to the difference in advantages and disadvantages. The cotton content of cotton-polyester fabric is more than that of polyester fabric, so it feels more comfortable and soft. The polyester fiber content of polyester fabric is high, so the heat resistance and light resistance of polyester fabric are better, and the stability of polyester fabric is better.

Common Poly Cotton Fabric Uses

Cotton and polyester blends are widely used in the consumer clothing industry and are found in abundance at retail outlets.    

Lightweight poly cotton blends are used for shirts and blouses, while heavier ones are reserved for skirts, pants, and fall wear, all in a variety of ratios. Commercial clothing such as corporate uniforms and athletic team uniforms also use blends; a 50/50 ratio is most popular in this industry because of its’ balance between breathability and durability. Other common uses for poly cotton include using the fiber to make pillows, bed sheets, tablecloths and exhibition canvas. As we discussed, the major difference is that poly cotton is generally a 65% cotton and 35% polyester blend, but can also come in 50/50 blends — which can sometimes rival the popular 65/35 blend, such as in the athletic apparel industry.

What can cotton poly fabric be used for?

Polyester and cotton combine to make a hybrid fabric that is tough, durable, breathable, soft and affordable. These properties make the material a popular option for a wide range of clothes, work overalls, undergarments, bed sheets, pillow cases, tablecloths and napkins.