T-Shirt Fabric: A Beginners Guide To Different Types of Shirt Fibres
There are various fabrics commonly used in making shirts.
As work environments become more casual, men and women both need T-shirts that can be worn in the work setting. T-shirts, of course, are the very definition of casual!
These give the most comfort and convenience to wear during casual occasions. In this guide, we will touch on the different fabrics for T-shirts.
Why does the choice of fabric matter?
Fabric Weight
The fabric weight is measured in Grams per Square Meter (GSM). It is an indication of how heavy or light fabric is. Fabric weight measurement is measuring the material thickness to tell lightweight, medium-weight, and heavy-weight fabrics apart.
For instance, organza, chiffon, etc., are examples of lightweight fabrics. Satin and cambric fall under the medium-weight category. Wool, denim, and twill are examples of heavyweights.
For cotton t-shirt fabrics, it’s something like this:
- Lightweight (120-150GSM)
- Medium-weight (160-180GSM)
- And heavy-weight (190GSM+)
Fabric Drape
The drape determines the fabric flow. Stiff fabrics have a less pronounced drape, and a fluid one has a smooth-flowing drape.
The drape is often used in the place of weight, but these are two different things entirely. Both these factors will affect how a garment looks.
If your shirt has more drape, it will float away from the body, unlike a fabric with a soft drape, which will make the shirt fold closer to the body.
If you want a structured t-shirt that sits well, opt for a piece of thick fabric. For a flowing t-shirt, go with a thin and well-draping fabric like rayon.
For instance,
- Chiffon, georgette, and rayon are lightweight and drapey.
- Organza, dupioni, and organdy are lightweight and stiff.
- Denim and brocade are stiff and heavy-weight.
- Wool crepe is drapey and heavy-weight, and linen can be light or heavy-weight and drapey.
Fabric Stretch
Stretch is how much and how far your fabric stretches. Fabrics come with different elasticity. Textile fibres can bounce back after a stretch.
The fabric stretch along with the pattern determines how the t-shirt fits the body and sits against it.
The right material for the right occasion
There is no way you would wear a wool T-shirt or a suit made of polyester. It makes sense to wear the right fabric for the right occasion.
Cotton is a versatile and popular choice for t-shirt fabric to wear during summer. But it is an environmentally intensive material to produce.
T-Shirt Fabrics:
Fabric is one of the most important aspects of a T-shirt. When assessing a fabric, you must know to tell a fine quality fabric from a low-quality one and how suitable it is for an occasion.
The first point is about the quality aspects: Telling apart one high-quality fabric from a low-quality one. The second is about wearing a t-shirt fabric appropriate for occasion, activity, weather, etc.
Even the best quality cashmere is not sited as a workout fabric. So choose wisely!
In the next section, we will dwell more on the different fabrics for T-shirts so you can confidently pick the best one for your needs.
Cotton
It is a no-brainer why cotton enjoys great popularity as a T-shirt material. It is soft, versatile, and affordable. High-quality cotton is durable too. They show colours off well and make for a fantastic choice for printing on.
The length of the individual fibre size determines the quality of the cotton. If a fabric is made with long cotton fibres, it is considered high-quality.
In Combed Cotton, the short strands are removed from longer strands, and then the fibres are straightened using fine brushes. It makes the fabric coarser and more robust. It is great to print on.
Organic cotton is produced from cotton grown with minimal fertilisers and pesticides. It is generally softer and more comfortable. But it comes at a price.
Pima cotton is the highest quality of cotton that is available. Made from extra-long fibres, it makes the t-shirt comfortably soft and long-lasting. This cotton will not pill, fade or stretch.
Slub cotton is a variety of cotton that features what appears to be slight lumps in the fabric. These lumps occur because before weaving the cotton, it is twisted and turned.
It creates irregular twists/lumps, which are apparent. Slub cotton is quite a unique fabric because it eliminates the need to iron it. Why? Because it looks naturally textured! It does not cling to the body, and t-shirts made from slub cotton are nice and airy.
On touching a cotton t-shirt, it should feel soft. Yes, even the sturdy and stiff ones. If the cotton doesn’t feel soft against the skin, in all probability, it was made with shorter fibres and may not last long.
Moreover, cotton does not easily peel. If you see some peeling, the quality is definitely not so good. So, you better move on!
When held against the light, the fabric should not be see-through. Even dense fabrics should not be transparent. Since cotton is spun, there should be no gaps between the threads. Also, all the individual threads should be of the same size. Examine the fabric closely and see if you can spot a regular pattern of smooth rows. If you do, the quality is good.
Linen
Linen is becoming a popular product we are looking into. It’s Lightweight, breathable, moisture-wicking, and quick-drying. Linen fabric is great to wear during summers because it has a cooling effect. It is made from flax plants and endowed with a textured weave.
The only downside to linens is that it wrinkles easily. As it is not very elastic, so you must iron it before wearing it. If you fold it regularly in the same spot, it may break. While slubs or random knots are alright as these are just added to keep the integrity of the fibre and give a a more eco effect.
Linen is more expensive because, unlike cotton, the threads tend to break during the weaving process.
While linen may not feel all that soft against the skin, it shouldn’t feel scratchy or rough against the skin either. If it does, low-quality fibres were probably used.
A fabric made of a linen and cotton combination is a great option. (We use it for tea towels here) It gives you a T-shirt that is durable, cool, and soft. This mix is long-lasting and has a softer feel than pure linen, wrinkles less, and is not high maintenance.
Polyester
Polyester is yet another fabric used in manufacturing t-shirts. It has a lot of things going for it. It is a synthetic fabric generally used in sports apparel. Since it is not elastic, it will not stretch. Therefore, you don’t have to iron it like linen.
Quick trying and comfortable makes it not stretch so much. Even after multiple washes, you will find that it holds shape and does not shrink or stretch.
Adding just a small amount of synthetic fibres improves the fit of an otherwise natural fabric like cotton. Polyester (and even lycra or spandex) mixes amazingly well with cotton or even wool to add stretch and ensure that the garment holds shape even after washing.
Although not quite as comfortable as cotton, it is still preferred by manufacturers because of the transfer printing technique. In this material, the printing design is better attached to the garment. It is because the fabric is passed from a special kind of plastic or paper to the garment.
Lycra
Lycra, like polyester, is commonly found in athletic wear. This is because it allows for fluid motion and flexibility, which are needed during athletic performances.
Lycra is a brand name for the Spandex material. Spandex is an additive used in t-shirts to give them more give.
Rayon
Rayon is another favourite when it comes to synthetics, or maybe semi-synthetic is a more accurate term because it has a natural base. It’s a breathable cellulose fabric that is man-made or made from artificial fibre.
Created from trees, cotton, plants, or wood pulp, it is biodegradable and a wonderful alternative to silk because it costs much less. It is made to mimic the feel of silk, linen, or cotton.
Again, this is found in athletic t-shirts or sports T-shirts. This silky smooth fabric drapes easily, dyes well, and is super-absorbent. However, you cannot wear it for long periods as it wrinkles easily. However, it provides great air circulation.
Modal is universally considered the best type of rayon: It is made from beechwood plant fibres and is super smooth, soft, breathable, and shrink-resistant. You will often see it mixed with cotton. Tencel is yet another very soft rayon variety, requires effortless maintenance, and does not wrinkle.
Additionally, the modal is cool to the touch. Added to the fact that it dries quickly, it makes for great summer wear. It also is shrink-resistant and does not pill up, unlike regular rayon.
A combination of three fabrics – cotton, polyester, and rayon – a tri-blend offers the best of the three fabrics. For instance, the lightness of rayon, the softness of cotton, and the durability of polyester are blended to offer the right balance of style, comfort, and endurance.
Which one to use at your store?
So natural or synthetic? That is the question. There is nothing good or bad. It’s just what’s right for you.
Synthetics
Polyester comes with a bad reputation, but that does not mean it is deserving of it. It may not be suitable for people who are prone to sweat a lot. As it tends to feel hotter. On the other hand, it does offer more breathability than cotton. As it will dry faster with moisture wicking available on some fabric types.
Some manufacturers offer print-on-demand on polyester. We only offer this service with bulk orders of 25 or more. This is because they’re printed first then cut and sewn together. Not very economical for one-off production.
Natural
Natural fabrics are a popular choice for t-shirts. In these, the fibres are extracted from natural sources and then woven into a garment. Understanding how a t-shirt is made helps you determine its quality. A t-shirt with good material but poor construction will lack quality and may not last as long.
Determining the quality is as simple as touching the t-shirt. A mere touch will tell you how good it is. It should not be rough to the touch or be too thin. Soft and firm are good.
On wrinkling a t-shirt and letting it go, if the wrinkles remain, it means that the quality is not that good.
When it comes to the label, you may not know what the thread count (GSM) is, but you will know what material it is made of. Also, you will know whether or not it has been blended with another fabric or fibre.
All this information can be found on the label.
So, are synthetic fabrics as bad as they are made out to be? The short answer is an emphatic no!
They are a great alternative to natural fabric. There is no compromise on comfort and sustainability. Synthetic fabrics copy natural ones so well that you may not even be able to tell unless you check the label.
When it comes to elasticity and impermeability, synthetic fabrics tend to outperform natural fabrics.
Finally, some t-shirts are not made with just one of these four fabrics. Very often, they are a combination of two of these materials. When you combine different fabrics, you get the best qualities that each offers.
Some of the common blends are cotton-polyester and cotton-linen blends.
Compromise Required
With all that said, we still need to make some hard decisions when it comes to our online store.
The type of printing technology we use is going to play a leading role in deciding if a fabric is suitable or not. It is because natural fabrics absorb liquids more effectively while synthetic ones repel water.
This is why some compromise is required. Our print-on-demand technology uses water-based inks that only work really well on natural fabrics like cotton.
Conclusion: T-Shirt Fabric Guide
Cotton is an excellent option for t-shirts, but it is more expensive to produce, needs more water and land, and is prone to damage. So one day we need to find a better way.
Synthetics were created as a cost-cutting measure, in some cases the quality may not be the best. But synthetics do add to improved breathability and other functional aspects like stretchability, elasticity, lightness, and a fast-drying capability.
However, these fabrics are still very pollutive during manufacture and often use harsh chemicals in their process.
There is no “one fabric fits all.” You should select one for your t-shirt based on your taste, style, preference, and design. The only thing that matters is that your choice of fabric for your t-shirt should make you look great and feel comfortable.
