My name is Olia, and I’m the creator of Kiss The Rain and a real Natural Fibre Snob. I adore all of them, including wool, silk, cotton, and linen.

I adore their distinct differences that result from being created by nature rather than humans, as well as how they feel alive, breathe, and move.

If you are anything like me, you pay close attention to the fibre content label on the clothing styles you enjoy.

You know, the tag that is typically tucked away inside the clothing and that you hope would read something like “60% Cotton, 40% Linen,” but which more often than not reads “100% Rayon” or “80% Polyester, 20% Cotton.”

Where does Cotton come from

Cotton plants are the source of cotton fibres. In particular, they emerge from the cotton seed coat, a soft, fluffy fibre that develops in a boll, or protective shell, surrounding the cotton plant seeds.

Picked off the plant, these cotton puffballs are then placed into enormous bales and transported to the textile factories.

To create roving, the cotton is carded and combed there, removing impurities and aligning the fibres in one direction. The roving is dragged, twisted, and wrapped onto bobbins throughout the spinning process. Fabric is then created using the yarn. Really, that’s all there is to know about the manufacture of cotton: no tricky chemical processes or formulae, simply fluffy plant seeds spun and sewn into cloth.

Usually, I can determine the fabric of the garments just by looking at them or touching them, but it’s always wonderful to know.

FABRIC PROPERTIES: THE FEEL

The softest fabric available is cotton since it is supple and breathable. Because cotton is the softest material you can put next to your skin, baby garments are constructed entirely of cotton for this reason. It is permeable because air can move through the cotton fibres themselves, not simply in the space between the threads, which makes them fluffy and permeable. This is also the reason cotton has great temperature-regulating and moisture-wicking qualities, keeping you dry and comfortable.

Conversely, because the threads in polyester and other synthetic fabrics are essentially plastic, they are not breathable. Although polyester can seem soft and flexible when produced into a fine, thin fabric, this softness is more akin to that of a plastic bag. Polyester is an impenetrable material, making it a

THE LOOK

High-quality cotton has a deep colour and a rich, matte appearance. The longer you own the clothes, the better it ages, grows softer with usage and many washings, develops a matte patina, and exhibits subtle colour changes. Like great wine or hand-carved wood, cotton matures and becomes vintage.

Even if polyester fabric has the recognisable faint shine and little greasy sheen, it can nevertheless appear to be as lovely as brand-new.

But because it is essentially made of plastic, it doesn’t age well; it wears out quickly, becomes dingy and frayed, pills, and loses its shape without developing any personality.

Look at the picture below. A hoodie with a 60% Cotton 40% Polyester blend is on the left. It was one of those really unusual times when essential knit hoodie

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

High-quality cotton has a rich, matte look and a deep hue. The clothing ages better the longer you possess it; it becomes softer with use and many washings; it acquires a matte patina; and it displays subtle colour variations. Cotton ages and develops a vintage quality just like fine wine or well carved wood.

Even if polyester fabric has the recognised little shine and slight greasy sheen, it can nevertheless look to be just as beautiful as when it was first made. However, as it is primarily comprised of plastic, it does not age well; it degrades rapidly, looks dingy and frayed, pills, and loses its form without acquiring any individuality.

Take a look at the image below. On the left is a hoodie that is 60% Cotton and 40% Polyester. It was an extremely unique occurrence.

So what shall we choose, cotton hoodies or polyester

Nowadays, it’s difficult to get pure cotton hoodies, and when I started working on making my own hoodies, I realised why. essentials hathttps

Cotton cloth costs two to three times as much as polyester does. It’s not only the price of the cloth though; it’s also how it is handled and treated. Cotton shrinks, as we all know, therefore additional care must be given, increasing the process’s stages, time, cost, and complexity. I completely understand why the majority of manufacturers decide to produce their hoodies using polyester or polyester mixes in order to avoid these additional expenses and complexity.

But at Kiss The Rain, we strive to provide the greatest sweatshirt we can. And as we’ve seen, Cotton seems and feels better.