Cotton and polyester are the most commonly used clothing materials on the market, but do you know the difference between these two materials?

Cotton has always been the main material used in the textile and apparel industry. It was not until 1940 that synthetic fibers and polyester fibers appeared. Gradually replacing cotton’s dominant position. Polyester fiber is lighter and more durable than cotton and can be made into a variety of fiber thicknesses. These characteristics are very suitable for various sports and outdoor activities.

Cotton

Cotton is a naturally produced fiber. Its output accounts for 90% of natural fibers. Cotton fiber is hydrophilic. Compared with other fibers, cotton has many advantages, such as softness, high breathability, and comfort.

Advantages of cotton:

· Cotton is relatively strong, and its strength and toughness increase with moisture content, so wet cotton is actually 25% stronger than dry cotton. This also means that cotton clothes can withstand repeated washing and are relatively Will not be damaged by ironing.

·Cotton is often used to make close-fitting underwear due to its soft and breathable properties.

Disadvantages of cotton:

·Cotton’s Strength tends to decrease with temperature.

·Cotton has low elasticity and is easier to wrinkle, so in order to make cotton clothing more durable Durable, often blended with polyester.

·After absorbing a large amount of moisture, the drying speed will be very slow, so cotton clothing It is actually more dangerous in cold and windy environments. For example, when hiking, sweating and cold weather may cause the body temperature to drop beyond recovery. This is why it is not recommended to wear cotton clothing for mountaineering activities.

·Cotton is more susceptible to mold attack.

Polyester

Polyester fiber is a kind of man-made fiber. Its demand has grown rapidly since it appeared in the textile market. Its elasticity, strength, durability, abrasion resistance, wicking power and other advantages are widely used in the manufacture of outdoor clothing. Those characteristics are very Suitable for mountaineering, hiking, fitness, etc.

Advantages of polyester fiber:

·Polyester fiber is hydrophobic, so it is water-resistant and quick-drying.

·Polyester fiber is strong and durable, with high wear resistance.

·Polyester fiber has good heat resistance and chemical degradation resistance, and is UV resistant function.

·Easy to maintain and will not shrink after washing.

·Does not change its properties and remains relatively stable under wet or dry conditions. Hollow polyester fiber has high insulation properties and moisture wicking properties.

·Has good resistance to microorganisms and insects.

Disadvantages of polyester fiber:

· Hydrophobicity can easily cause static electricity.

·Polyester fiber easily retains and dissipates the odor produced by the body, usually to improve this situation , some manufacturers will perform antibacterial treatment on the material.

Blended fiber

Blending is the process of combining two or more fibers to form a fabric. It combines the advantages of multiple different materials to achieve better performance, so when choosing clothing, you can look at the proportion of materials.

Benefits of using blended fibers:

Mix polyester fiber with other fibers Blending brings out the best properties of fibers, including strength, durability, abrasion resistance, wrinkle and shrinkage resistance, elasticity, and more.

Improve wearing comfort.