In search of the perfect T-shirt? The problem is there are a thousand different types to choose from (give or take). Between the dozens of major brands, hundreds of styles, a wide variety of fabric types, and new blends each year, it&#;s a lot to sort through.

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How did the humble T-shirt become so complicated? And how to find the best one? We&#;re here to help. This article covers the different shirt fabrics, including cotton vs polyester, different cotton and polyester blends, their attributes, pros and cons, and specific recommendations in each category.

First, a short answer to the burning question.

Which T-shirt fabric is best for custom T-shirts?

Like the answer to most questions in the custom apparel business, it depends on a combination of your particular requirements. Cotton is the go-to fabric for most people because it&#;s soft and non-irritant, polyester is the go-to for performance, and cotton and polyester blends give you the best of both worlds.

Here are the factors to consider when deciding on what T-shirt fabric to choose:

1. The qualities you&#;re looking for (softness, breathability, moisture-wicking, etc.)
2. The print method you want (direct-to-garment, screen printing, embroidery, etc.)
3. The price you&#;re willing to pay (maximum budget for the order or per item)
4. The purpose (family reunion, work uniform, sporting event, merchandise, etc.)
5. The person who will wear it (age range, style, expectation)

Here&#;s a simple breakdown of the pros and cons of each category of T-shirt fabric:

Which T-shirt material should you choose?

Go with 100% cotton if you want shirts that are soft, comfortable, breathable, gentle on the skin, non-clingy, and can be customized with any method. Cotton tees are popular with everyone, so it&#;s a safe bet.
Keep in mind: they may shrink a bit, can stain, wrinkle, and tend to absorb moisture and hold it, rather than allow it to evaporate quickly.

Go with 100% polyester if you want shirts that are lightweight, durable, silky smooth, and resistant to wrinkles, shrinking, or fading, plus allows moisture to evaporate quickly.
Keep in mind: When comparing polyester vs cotton, polyester is less breathable, clingy, irritates the skin, and is restricted as far as printing methods. The price can be higher than other garments, depending on the brand.

Go with a blend if you want the best of both worlds. The poly-cotton 50/50, or cotton and polyester blend, was the first major blend, but now we have the increasingly popular tri-blends, which add rayon for extra softness and drape, and are a big favorite among our customers. Then there&#;s CVC, a predominantly cotton blend.
Keep in mind: They tend to be priced higher, but are still affordable.

The four T-shirt fabric categories

Wait, there are only four? Granted, people have made T-shirts out of everything from alligator leather to human hair&#; but I&#;m guessing you&#;re not in the market for that. So here are the three main fabric categories you will need to know about to make an informed choice. Here&#;s a brief description of each and a few of our favorites.

100% Cotton

By far the most common and popular fabric for T-shirts, cotton is a fluffy, natural vegetable fiber obtained from the seedpod of the cotton plant. The fiber is most often spun into yarn or thread and used to make the soft, breathable fabric everyone knows and loves.

Most of your T-shirts are probably cotton or partially cotton. After all, it&#;s the fabric of our lives if you believe commercials. It also happens to be hypoallergenic, which is a huge plus for the itchy/rashy types. Cotton as a fabric dates back to prehistoric times. Concert tees from 500 B.C. must be worth a fortune now.

Here are a few of our favorite cotton T-shirts:

Premium: Bella+Canavs Fine Jersey (C) &#; Fitted, soft, well-constructed, smooth print surface. One of the most popular tees for retail and merch.
Standard: Hanes Perfect-T () &#; A classic, mid-range tee with solid construction by the famous Hanes brand. Most are tagless or tear-away tags.
Budget: Gildan Heavy Cotton (G500) &#; The best value for the price and one of our most popular T-shirts, especially for large bulk orders.

100% Polyester

Polyester is a durable, synthetic fabric with excellent resiliency. Low moisture absorbency allows the fabric to dry quickly, also known as &#;moisture-wicking&#;. It&#;s so scared of water they call it hydrophobic. This material always keeps its shape, so there&#;s almost zero shrinking or stretching, regardless of what kind of extreme wash and dry cycle you put it through.

As a performance fabric, it&#;s a favorite of athletes and adventurous outdoor types who subject themselves to extreme conditions. And although a trip to your local gym might tell you otherwise, polyester is also somewhat odor-resistant, because the stink departs with evaporating sweat. Plus it doesn&#;t stain as easily as other fabrics. There&#;s a lot to love with poly even when you compare polyester vs cotton.

100% Polyester always keeps its shape, so there&#;s almost zero shrinking or stretching, regardless of what kind of extreme wash and dry cycle you put it through.

Check out some of our popular 100% polyester T-shirts:

Premium: Nike Legend Tee () &#; High-quality construction, moisture-wicking, temperature regulating, ultra-tight knit for great printing.
Standard: Augusta Sportswear NexGen Wicking T-shirt (790) &#; Excellent moisture-wicking knit fabric, may run a bit small, so talk to a sales rep before ordering.
Budget: Team 365 Performance T-shirt (TT11) &#; Polyester interlock knit. Moisture-wicking and UV protection. The best value for the price and our most popular poly.

Blends

A blend&#; as you might guess&#; is a yarn or fabric that is made up of more than one type of fiber. Blends, particularly cotton and polyester blends, are huge right now, making up a massive percentage of the T-shirt market, and for good reason. Blended fabrics are the best of both worlds&#; or in the case of tri-blends, the best of three worlds.

In the category of blends, there are three types:

1. 50/50: Also known as cotton/poly, this material is half cotton, half polyester.
2. CVC: (Chief Value Cotton) is typically 60% cotton, 40% polyester.
3. Tri-Blend: Made from cotton, polyester, and rayon. The ratio is 50/25/25.

Cotton-poly blends

Cotton-poly blends, including 50/50s and CVCs, combine the softness and natural feel of cotton with polyester&#;s temperature-regulating and moisture-wicking properties. They also tend to shrink less, wrinkle less, and are more durable and stain-resistant than their cotton counterparts. It&#;s a win/win for blends.

Here are our favorite cotton/poly blends:

Premium: Bella+Canvas Heather CVC T-shirt (CVC) &#; Lightweight, fitted, 52/48 mix, airloom combed ringspun cotton, quality construction, side-seamed.
Standard: Next Level CVC Crew T-shirt (N) &#; Fitted, 60/40 mix, ringspun cotton for smooth printing, and side-seamed for a perfect fit.
Budget: Gildan DryBlend 50/50 T-shirt (G800) &#; 50/50 mix, moisture-wicking, best value for the price, and our most popular cotton-poly blend.

Tri-Blend: The best of all three worlds

Tri-blends are head and shoulders above other T-shirts when it comes to softness. The combination of polyester, cotton, and rayon form a powerful alliance that will make you want to wear it every day. The combination of breathability, durability, flexibility, and drape makes it a winner in all categories.

Believe it or not, this fabric type has only been on the market for around 20 years. In that short time, it&#;s become one of the most popular fabrics in the T-shirt business.

When people rave about their favorite T-shirt, it tends to be a tri-blend. There are very few downsides. But there are a few things to keep in mind:

• They tend to be more fitted than their counterparts, also known as fashion fit, slim fit, or retail fit. This should not affect which size to order&#; because of the rayon and polyester they have more give (or stretch).
• They are mostly all &#;heathered&#; with few exceptions, meaning they have a speckled pattern to the fabric (see image above). This is due to the mix of fabrics. Just something to be aware of.
• They may be irritant to some people&#;s skin. Only a small percentage of people are allergic to synthetic fabrics, but for others, it may be just the way the material feels on their skin that they don&#;t like.
• They are lightweight, so it&#;s best not to print too much ink on them or it will weigh down the fabric. Use direct-to-garment printing (DTG), water-based, or regular screen printing with no underbase to give it a soft hand.
• They are typically at a higher price point than their counterparts.

Here are some top picks among the tri-blends:

Premium: Threadfast Apparel Unisex Tri-Blend Short-Sleeve T-Shirt (102A) &#; Ultra-lightweight, fitted, high-quality construction that uses 50% cotton, 38% cotton and 12% rayon for a super-soft feel
Standard: Bella+Canvas TriBlend Crew T-shirt (C) &#; Ultra-lightweight, fitted, excellent fit, combed ringspun cotton, side-seamed, and retail-ready.

Watch: The T-shirt Test

Still not sure which kind to get? Still deciding which is your favorite when comparing cotton vs polyester? We put four T-shirts to the test&#; one from each category of fabric type. We feel them, wear them, stretch them, wet them, wrinkle them, print on them, mess them, wash them, and damage them&#; all to see what happens. There&#;s even some axe throwing for some reason - anything to better compare polyester vs cotton right? Enjoy!

If you want to learn more, please visit our website cvc cotton fabric.

T-Shirt Fabric Guide 101

By ShirtSpace | Aug 23,  |  Updated May 14,

With so many types of fabrics out there, how do you choose? The best way is to compare the pros and cons of each type of fabric and select the one that you think is right for you. If you think that sounds time-consuming, don&#;t worry, we have saved you some valuable time and put together a t-shirt fabric guide for you. 

T-Shirt Fabric Options

There are a few things to consider when determining what t-shirt fabric is best for you or the people you are purchasing for. Ask yourself what you will be doing in the shirt. For athletic activities and those working in heat, consider a polyester t-shirt or a cotton/polyester blend that wicks moisture away from the body. For those looking for the softest t-shirt they can find, combed and ringspun cotton and triblends are super soft-to-the-touch. 

You may be wondering, &#;how do I find the best t-shirt fabric?&#;  Ask yourself these important  questions to find the right match:

• What is the climate/season?

• What is your budget?

• Is sweat prevention critical?

• Is breathability important?

• Is flexibility of the fabric necessary for movement? 

• Are you planning on decorating? If so, which method are you using?

Cotton

One of the most popular t-shirt fabric choices today is cotton, and there is no doubt why. Cotton is a natural fiber that comes with a lot of benefits. For instance, cotton breathes better than synthetic fabrics and is less likely to retain odors. It&#;s stronger when wet than when dry, and cotton is extremely low maintenance when it comes to washing besides the possibility of shrinkage, which means you won&#;t have many tricky instructions to follow. Many cotton shirts come preshrunk, so you do not have to worry about drastic size changes when washing and drying. Because cotton tees are soft and comfortable, they are a  favorite among screen printers, tie-dyers  and non-decorators alike. 

Cotton can be one of the softest t-shirt fabrics, but not all cotton is created equal! There are a handful of  factors that determine the quality of  a cotton tshirt, including the growing process, how the raw material is treated while being turned to thread, the dyeing process, and more. When seeking comfort above all else, combed and ringpsun cotton and  sueded cotton are top contenders for the softest feeling types of cotton.  The term &#;combed cotton&#; refers to For those looking to buy garments that will lower their chemical exposure,  organic cotton fabric is a smart solution  in terms of eco-friendliness and being grown pesticide-free. 

Like anything, cotton doesn&#;t come without cons. Cotton is a natural fiber, so  its crops are water-intensive and rely heavily on chemicals  when not grown organically. Organic cotton comes with a higher price tag. Furthermore, cotton is at risk for developing mildew if not washed and dried properly. Cotton shirts are also known for their pilling due to the short fibers in the fabric. 

Polyester

One of the top choices for man-made t-shirt fabric is polyester. One reason for polyester&#;s popularity is its resilience to wear and tear, making it one of the most durable fabrics on the market. More polyester pros include that it dries quickly, is less likely to wrinkle, doesn&#;t shrink and is stain resistant.  It&#;s also moisture-wicking, so your garments will not soak up sweat. Instead, the moisture will be pulled away from the body to help prevent bacteria and odor. 

Nonetheless, polyester doesn&#;t come without some flaws. Polyester is a less breathable t-shirt fabric. It does not absorb moisture, causing it to uncomfortably stick to sweating skin. Also, due to polyester&#;s makeup, it is temperature-sensitive. So, if you are using a heat printer or dryer, you need to use caution. 

Cotton & Polyester Blends 

Photo source: Bella+Canvas
 

Can&#;t decide between cotton or polyester t-shirt fabric? You can have both! Cotton and polyester blends combine some of the best positive traits of cotton and polyester t-shirts. With cotton/poly blends, you get a stronger garment  than your standard cotton t-shirt with  good color retention. They are also more wrinkle and crease resistant than a 100% cotton shirt. Apparel decorators love cotton/poly blends because they truly do provide the &#;best of both worlds&#; for a smooth printing surface. 

While cotton and polyester blends are great, some are not known for being as comfortable as a 100% cotton t-shirt and may be prone to fabric pills. Synthetic polyester fibers will not take on dye that is used for tie-dye projects, so look for something with a higher cotton content or 100% cotton if you want to tie-dye. Those wanting to decorate a blended t-shirt fabric via sublimation typically should look for a cotton/poly blend that has at least 60% polyester (if not more). Always do a test run first if working with blends to ensure the results are to your liking, since not all blends will yield perfect results. If you are a screen printer or work with HTV, 50/50 cotton/polyester blends are a solid choice.

CVC Cotton

CVC, also known as Chief Value Cotton, is a cotton and polyester blend that is made up of over 50% cotton. They are extremely durable and are resistant to wrinkles. CVC t-shirts are also lightweight and inexpensive. They have a textured appearance to the fabric, giving them their signature &#;heathered&#; look. 

The downside, however, is that CVC t-shirt fabric is not as breathable as traditional 100% cotton. And if you want a solid appearance without texture, this isn&#;t the tee for you. 

Tri-Blends

Photo Source: Oh Boy! Print Shop

As the name suggests, tri-blends are a mixture of three different types of t-shirt  fabric. These shirts are usually 50% polyester, 25% cotton, and 25% rayon. Tri-blends are soft, durable, and keep their shape.  One of the best things about triblends is that they don&#;t entrap heat. Because tri-blends have more pros than cons, they tend to be one of the more expensive types of tees, while still being a fan favorite. DTG printers love to decorate triblends, and they often have a more drapey feel than a cotton t-shirt due to the rayon, making for a fashionable retail-worthy fit. 

Modal

Photo credit: Hanes Printwear Guidebook

A new player in the t-shirt game is modal. It is most commonly seen as a replacement for traditional rayon in tri-blend shirts. Modal is made from beech trees, by spinning their reconstituted cellulose fibers. Modal is soft to the touch, fits well, holds its shape, and wicks away moisture. The smooth finish makes it a great contender for screen printing and garment decorating. A big reason to love modal is that it uses less harsh chemicals than other man-made fibers. However, modal is one of the more expensive t-shirt  fabrics. 

Choosing Your T-Shirt Fabric

Now that you have the pros and cons of the different types of fabric available, it is time to choose your tee! From comfortable cotton, to smooth and slinky polyester and everything in between, check out the t-shirts we have available and snag them at super low wholesale pricing. And if you have a favorite t-shirt material, make sure to let us know in the comments! 

For more heat resistant clothinformation, please contact us. We will provide professional answers.