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Cotton Vs Polyester: An Easy Guide To Choose The Best Fabric For You

Cotton vs polyester. Which is better for sewing projects and just in general?

When I first started sewing, I had NO IDEA which fabric was what, and I felt stupid. I write these articles about fabric so you don’t have to feel like that.

So if you’re like me, you may have been wondering what the difference is between cotton and polyester.

I researched until I could fully understand what cotton and polyester are, and why they are different (and similar) so I could choose the best one for my sewing projects.

I hope this post can help demystify these fabrics for you.

Affiliate Link Disclosure: The links on this page may be affiliate links, from which I earn a small commission if you click on them, at no extra cost to you. I hope you find the information here useful. Thanks!

Cotton Vs Polyester: Understanding The Main Differences

Feature	Cotton	Polyester
Source	Natural from cotton plants.	Synthetic, made from oil products.
Making It	Picked, cleaned, spun into yarn, then woven.	Chemical process turns oil into fibers, then woven.
Feel & Comfort	Soft and breathable. Feels good on the skin.	Can be soft but is less breathable. May feel hot in warm weather.
Toughness	Durable but not as much as polyester.	Very tough, resists shrinking and wrinkling.
Care Tips	Might shrink and wrinkle. Needs gentle wash.	Easier to wash, dries fast. Be careful when ironing.
Water Handling	Soaks up moisture, can feel heavy when wet.	Wicks away moisture, dries super quick.
Warmth	Cozy and warm, but can get chilly if wet.	Less cozy but stays warm even when damp.
Cost	Usually affordable, but organic types cost more.	Often cheaper because it’s less expensive to make.
Best For	Everyday and summer clothes, bedsheets, towels.	Sportswear, outdoor gear, durable home items.
Seasons	Great in summer for its coolness.	Good in winter or for sports due to moisture management.
Skin Care	Hypoallergenic, suits sensitive skin.	Might irritate sensitive skin. Choose carefully.
Eco-Friendly	Needs water and care to grow but is biodegradable.	Made from oil, not great for the planet but can be recycled.
Eco Choices	Look for organic cotton.	Look for recycled polyester.

Cotton Vs Polyester: Origin and Production

What Is Cotton?

Cotton is a soft and fluffy natural fiber and is the most popular natural material made in the world.

It comes from cotton plants. When we talk about cotton, we’re talking about the fluffy part of the cotton plant that grows in a special case called a boll (like a shell that keeps the cotton safe).

Cotton fiber is mostly made of cellulose. It can also have a little bit of wax, fat, pectin and water.

The cotton plant is a type of plant called Gossypium, which belongs to the mallow family, Malvaceae.

It’s it grows in warm parts of the world like the Americas, Africa, Egypt, and India.

People have been using cotton for a long time (over 7000 years in India and Peru).

It’s really important for making clothes and other things. like; shirts, bed sheets, towels etc.

How Is Cotton Made?

Step 1: Collect cotton with machines.

Step 2: Take cotton to the gin (big machine that removes the seeds).

Step 3: Dry the cotton.

Step 4: Clean the cotton.

Step 5: Separate the fibers and seeds.

Step 6: Clean the fibers again.

Step 7: Make bales of cotton.

Step 8: Send bales to mills.

Step 9: Make yarn.

Step 10: Weave or knit fabric.

Modern “cotton ginning” is MUCH more efficient than in the past.  According to ABC Reporter Megan Hughes, it used to take one person a whole day to separate half a kilo of lint from seeds but now, a cotton gin can process 79,500 kilograms of lint in a 12-hour shift. 

What Is Polyester?

Polyester is made from a type of plastic that comes from petroleum. It’s called Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) – which is also used to make plastic soda bottles.

It’s synthetic (manmade), not natural like cotton. It’s also one of the most popular man-made fibers used today.

Scientists invented polyester in a laboratory in the 20th century. Whereas cotton comes from a plant and has been used by humans for thousands of years.

Polyester is used for everything from clothing to home furnishings, to the insides of cars and safety belts.

Its durability and easy-care properties make it popular in the fashion industry.

How Is Polyester Made?

 

Polyester can be made from recycled or virgin PET.  The way they are made is different. 

Read on for a step-by-step guide to how both are made:

Non-Recycled (Virgin) Polyester

Step 1: Collect petroleum-based chemicals.

Step 2: Create a starter chemical.

Step 3: Transform into a polyester polymer.

Step 4: Melt and form filaments.

Step 5: Stretch and add texture.

Step 6: Cut into short fibers if needed.

Step 7: Spin into yarn.

Step 8: Weave or knit into fabric.

Step 9: Dye and finish the fabric.

Recycled Polyester (From Plastic Soda Bottles)

Step 1: Collect Plastic Bottles

Step 2: Cut the bottles into small pieces.

Step 3: Clean and Sort by color.

Step 4: Dry the Pieces thoroughly

Step 5: Melt and Make Strings

Step 6: Stretch and Strengthen strings

Step 7: Chop and Pack for shipment to clothing manufacturers.

Step 8: Spin into Yarn

Step 9: Weave or knit into fabric

Step 10: Apply final touches

Cotton Vs Polyester: Properties

Properties of Cotton

• Soft
• Strong
• Absorbs Water
• Holds Dye Well (but fades over time)
• Breathable: Air can pass through it easily
• No Static: Cotton doesn’t stick to you
• wrinkles easily

Properties of Polyester

• Really Strong
• Good at Keeping You Dry
• Doesn’t React Much with Chemicals
• Doesn’t Wrinkle Much
• Stays New-Looking
• Water-Resistant

The Pros and Cons of Polyester and Cotton

Read on to learn about the advantages and disadvantages of polyester fabric and cotton.

Cotton Benefits

• Natural fabric (not man-made)
• Breathable
• Keeps you cooler in hot weather
• Soft & comfortable
• Good for sensitive skin and hypoallergenic.
• Good moisture absorption (but stays wet longer than polyester).
• Lots of uses
• Strong even when wet
• Biodegradable
• Non-allergenic and vegan-friendly.
• Burns rather than melts, safer in fire situations.
• Easy to wash

Cotton Disadvantages

• Non-organic cotton uses a lot of pesticides and insecticides to make
• Holds on to moisture and water when you wear it, so you won’t dry quickly
• Gets wrinkled easily.
• Color can fade or run in the wash.
• Might shrink if you wash it in hot water.
• Takes a while to dry.
• Conventional cotton may contain pesticides.
• Needs a lot of water to grow.
• More expensive than polyester fabric
• Might not last as long as polyester.

Advantages of Polyester

• Really tough and lasts a long time
• Doesn’t wrinkle
• Dries fast
• Not heavy
• Can handle heat well
• Very strong and stretches without breaking
• Mold and bugs don’t damage it
• Doesn’t get worn out quickly
• Doesn’t fade in the light
• Good value for the price and can be used for many things
• Can be mixed with other fabrics easily
• Can be recycled or reused

Polyester Disadvantages

• Manmade (synthetic material)
• Not biodegradable
• Comes from petroleum (oil product)
• Not eco-friendly
• Let microplastics into our seas and rivers
• Can give you skin rashes
• Can make you sweat more
• Can make you hotter
• Can start to smell (especially the underarms)
• Can make factory workers sick
• Can melt and stick to skin (or iron) when exposed to high heat.
• Can be clingy
• Not breathable
• Can pill after prolonged use
• Sticks to your skin when you’re sweaty 

Environmental Impact: Is Cotton or Polyester More Sustainable?

Polyester (PET) is more sustainable than cotton according to a study by Dr. M. van der Velden in the International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment.

Isn’t that amazing!?!  I wouldn’t have believed that until I read this study!

The study compared polyester (PET), cotton and a few other textiles from the moment they started growing/being made to the moment they were thrown away.

It found that it’s not just what a fabric is made out of that’s important but also how thick the yarn is.

The study also found that the “use phase” (when the cotton or polyester is being used by someone) has a smaller impact than people used to think. Which means it’s actually HOW it’s produced that causes more damage to the environment.

Having said all that, polyester has an environmental impact for a few different reasons…:

Polyester’s Environmental Impact

• Not Biodegradable: Takes about 1000 years to decompose.
• Resource Use: Made from oil-based polyethylene terephthalate (PET), a non-renewable resource.
• Pollution: Production causes environmental pollution.
• Microplastics Problem:
  • Released into oceans and rivers through washing and drying.
  • Hurts a lot of animal species.
  • A lot of unused polyester clothing ends up as trash in landfills.
• Industry Consumption: Makes up over 50% of fibers in the textile industry (about 55.1 million tons annually).
• Usage Decline: Although we own a lot of polyester, we use it less than ever before.

Solutions and Recommendations

• When you buy:
  
  • Choose secondhand or recycled polyester.
  • Buy the best quality items you can afford and use them for longer.
  • Be responsible about how you get rid of polyester clothes you don’t use anymore – i.e. donate.
• Environmental Considerations:
  • Remember that recycled polyester still has an environmental footprint.
• Eco-Friendly Laundry Practices:
  • Use less water and energy.
  • Wash clothes at lower temperatures.
  • Choose eco-friendly detergents.

Cotton’s Environmental Impact 

A study on the environmental impacts of cotton,  published in the Nature Review Journal found that the problems with cotton, which makes up 25% of all fiber used to make textiles include:

• Water use: Cotton needs a lot of water to grow
• Toxicity: The amount of insecticides and pesticide used when the cotton plants are growing
• Eutrophication: When too many nutrients are sent into rivers and the sea, it causes a lot of plants and algae to grow, which then creates dead zones, bad algal blooms and kills fish :(.
• Greenhouse gas emissions:
  • These come from the factories that process the cotton and make it into fabric and clothes
  • We also cause them when we buy, use, wash, dry and iron our cotton clothes, especially if we live in a country that burns coal for electricity! 

When it comes to cotton, did you know that YOU can help to make cotton’s environmental impact smaller by choosing organic cotton instead of non-organic cotton and line drying instead of tumble drying? That’s according to a study by FATMA ŞENER FİDAN, PhD on the the impact of organic cotton use in making jeans.

Another study assessing how cotton is made and used, by Fangli Chen, also recommends using organic cotton, buying second-hand clothes and washing clothes in cooler water temperatures.

The study on the environmental impacts of cotton that I talked about earlier, suggests just not using cotton at all! This is because disadvantages of organic cotton exist too, like using a lot of water to make.

It recommends using textiles that don’t need so much water, like flax (linen) and jute (i.e. canvas), instead of cotton.

Cotton Vs Polyester For Health And Comfort: Which Is Better?

Sensitive Skin

• Cotton:
  • Usually better for sensitive skin.
  • Can sometimes irritate sensitive skin because of the way it’s made and the dye used.
  • Recommendation: try using clothes made from different fabrics if cotton irritates your skin.

• Polyester:
  • Some people are allergic to polyester
  • Can cause irritation, redness, dryness, itching, swelling, and blistering.
  • Can cause chest tightness and breathing issues in some people.
  • Recommendation: try fabrics like cotton, linen and silk instead.

Which is More Comfortable to Wear Every Day?

• Cotton:
  • More comfortable for everyday wear, especially in hot climates.
  • Breathable, reducing heat and sweat discomfort.

• Polyester:
  • Suitable for sports and activewear, even in hot weather.
  • Offers moisture-wicking properties, feels lighter, and dries faster than cotton.
  • Note: Choose modern activewear polyester, as vintage polyester won’t work here (as it’s not breathable).

Is Cotton Toxic?

Cotton is toxic because of these reasons:

• Insecticide and Pesticide Use: Regular cotton farming uses insecticides and pesticides.
• Environmental and Health Impact:
  • Farmer and worker poisonings.
  • Water contamination.
  • Harm to birds and fish
  • Potential skin problems from chemicals staying in clothing.

• Recommendations:
  • Wash your clothes before you wear them the first time to remove any remaining chemicals.
  • Buy and use organic Cotton: Certified organic cotton (e.g., GOTS certified) is safer as it doesn’t use these chemicals. But, it still has a big impact on the environment because of how much water is used.

Is Polyester Toxic?

Yes, polyester is toxic, according to Associate Professor Dr Zorawar Singh in his study titled Toxicity of Synthetic Fibres & Health. Here are the study’s main reasons that polyester is toxic:

• Harmful Ingredients in Polyester: Polyester is made with chemicals that can cause cancer. These include terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol.
• Chemicals Staying in Fabric: When polyester is made, not all the bad chemicals are taken out. They can stick to the fabric.
• Chemicals Getting on Skin: These leftover chemicals might get onto our skin if we wear polyester clothes.
• Polyester and Health Risks: Polyester releases certain substances that can mess with our body’s hormones and might cause cancer.
• Polyester and Skin Comfort: Since polyester doesn’t let heat and sweat pass through easily, it can lead to skin irritation.

Another reason why polyester is toxic, according to a study by Weiran Qian, is because of the VOCs (Volatile organic compounds) that are released into the air when polyester is being made, which impacts our health.

The study said the worst part of the whole process for people and the “biggest source of VOCs” is when the polyester is dyed and “finished” (when manufacturers prepare fabricto sell it – i.e. getting rid of loose fibers, bleaching, washing etc). The study said this was because of how high the heat was that was used.

According to the late Keith Slater, PhD, Professor Emeritus at University of Guelph, in his chapter of the book Polyester and Polyamide, polyester can also be bad for the health of workers in factories where it’s made.

Cotton Vs Polyester: FAQ

Is Cotton More Comfortable Than Polyester?

Cotton is more comfortable than polyester because it’s lightweight and breathable. It’s perfect for hot weather and everyday wear. 

Polyester is more comfortable than cotton for activewear and outdoor wear (even though it’s heavier and denser) because it dries much faster than cotton and it gets sweat away from the body (known as moisture-wicking).

Is Cotton Or Polyester Easier To Look After?

Polyester is easier to look after than cotton. Because it doesn’t wrinkle unlike cotton (less ironing – yey!). It also dries a lot quicker than cotton. Polyester is easier to wash than cotton but it still needs care so it doesn’t shrink.

What Is Polyester Used For?

Polyester is used for clothing, especially sports and outdoor wear like jackets, shirts and trousers. At home, it’s used for upholstery, blankets and bedsheets.  It’s also used for things like disposable plastic bottles, film, bottles, tarpaulins, package cushions and safety belts!

Is Cotton Or Polyester Warmer?

Polyester is warmer than cotton. It is less breathable than cotton so the air doesn’t flow as easily.  This is why it’s best to not to use polyester in hot weather unless it’s specialized activewear.

If you want to stay cool, choose cotton over polyester.

Is Polyester Breathable?

No, polyester is not as breathable as cotton because it’s a synthetic fabric made from plastic fibers. After repeated wear, it will retain orders (think armpit BO).

Although it’s not breathable it is moisture-wicking (gets sweat away from your body) and dries quickly, which is why it’s used for activewear and outdoor activities.

Is Polyester Soft?

Polyester can feel smooth and slightly slick to the touch, depending on the garment – think Lululemon leggings. Some polyester garments can feel more coarse than cotton, especially vintage ones from the 70s and 80s.

Sublimation On Cotton Vs Polyester: Which Is Better?

Polyester is better for sublimation printing. For cotton, it’s best to use a poly-cotton blend of 65% polyester and 35% cotton.

If you want to use 100% cotton then use a sublimation spray coating or heat transfer vinyl.

Is Polyester Safe?

Polyester is usually safe but could have leftover chemicals from production so it can irritate sensitive skin. Polyester is less breathable than cotton so it might feel less comfortable and make you hotter than cotton. To be extra safe, choose polyester with an OEKO-TEX or GOTS certificate and wash it before you use it.

Is Polyester Vegan?

Yes, polyester is vegan. It’s a type of plastic also known as PET.  But if part of the garment made of polyester also uses textiles like wool, leather or fur, then it’s no longer vegan-friendly.

Is Polyester Plastic?

Yes, polyester is plastic.   It’s a manufactured synthetic fiber that comes from petroleum. It’s also known as PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate) which is what’s used to make plastic soda bottles.

Cotton Vs Polyester: Final Assessment

Whether you choose cotton or polyester depends on what you’ll use it for and how you feel about the environmental impacts.

It’s impossible to avoid any enrivonmental impacts whether you choose cotton or polyester unless you buy secondhand. If you’re able, you’ll have less impact if you choose organic cotton and recycled polyester.

If you’re looking for light, breathable summer clothes, go for cotton, but if you want tough workout gear that will keep the sweat away, then polyester is for you.

Polyester is a bit easier to look after than cotton as you don’t need to iron it (no wrinkles yey!) but both can shrink when you wash and dry then, although polyester does shrink less.

If you have sensitive skin, then go for cotton and avoid polyester but if you need to save money and don’t need to worry about your skin, then polyester is the way to go.

Whatever choice you make, each one has its trade-offs, so make sure you choose the one that you will keep the longest.

Leave a comment to let you know which you prefer and why?  Did I miss anything? Let me know below!

Cotton Vs Polyester: Related Posts

• Does Polyester Shrink? Yes! Here’s How To Either Avoid It Or Shrink It On Purpose
• Wool Felt Vs Polyester Felt: Which Is Better?
• Wool Felt Vs Fur Felt: What’s The Difference?
• Types Of Linen (25 of them!)