The most common fabrics used to manufacture tee shirts are usually 100% cotton, 100% polyester or polyester mixed with cotton (poly-cotton). Within the same type of fabric, they are also different grade and quality available. Each type of fabric has their own unique properties and their combination will create new material properties. There are few primary types of fabric that are used commonly used in the polo shirt making industry.
1. Pure Cotton Pure cotton has good moisture wicking abilities, breathability and decent durability. However, cotton is prone to shrinkage and skewing. Cotton will also fade in color eventually, especially with darker colors. There are different types of cotton available. The cheaper cotton used short staple cotton that will cause pilling and faded colors after a few washes. The longer staple cotton is smoother and the color will last longer. Cotton is costlier compared to Polyester
3. Polyester
Cotton Blend
Polyester cotton blend are commonly used for corporate polo shirts or uniforms because the blended synthetics increase durability and stain resistance at a low price point. This blend combined the qualities of the cotton and polyester by adjusting the ratio of the mix. With a blend of cotton, they are more comfortable than an all polyester material shirt. Polyester cotton blend is also cheaper than pure cotton. Silk is light, comfortable and shiny. Silk winkle easily and loses its color when it gets hot and wet. Pure silk is expensive and not recommended for polo shirts. Cotton-silk or linen-silk blends are more suitable for polo shirts. | ![]() 2. Polyester Polyester is durable, do not wrinkle or shrink and are highly resistant to staining. Polyester offer limited breathability and thus non sweat absorbent. Polyester is also not as smooth and comfortable as cotton. Linen is made from the fiber of the flax plant. Linen is laborious to manufacture, but the fiber is very absorbent and garments made of linen are valued for their exceptional coolness and freshness in hot weather. Linen is rougher then cotton and so linen blends is usually used for polo shirt instead of pure linen. ![]() A microfibre is synthetic fibre that is made up of several different materials in various combination. The most common types of microfibers are made from polyesters, polyamides (e.g., nylon, Kevlar, Nomex, Trogamide), or a conjugation of Polyester, Polyamide, and Polypropylene (Prolen). Microfiber fabric is elastic, shiny, durable, stain resistant and highly versatile. Microfiber fabric is commonly used for athletic performance apparel and sportswear because the microfiber material wicks moisture (perspiration) away from the body, keeping the wearer cool and dry. Additional features like UV protection and odor reducer can also be added into the microfiber fabric. |