10 Cotton FAQs Answered | Camotrek Backpacking Blog

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The purpose of this article is to answer ten of the most important FAQs regarding cotton, its characteristics, qualities, properties, and use. Why it is so important and who can benefit from the article? We believe that it would be especially valuable for those who&#;d like to know more about cotton and its properties as well as to most people, in general.

Natural fibers were once much more popular than man-made fibers. Cotton was king. Not anymore. Today, the increasing demand for highly functional fabrics for high performance gradually dethroned cotton. However, cotton is still finding applications in many industries including leisurewear and low-intensity activities such as yoga. Actually, cotton is the most popular natural fiber as its production accounts for around 90% of the overall production of natural fibers. Nowadays, it accounts for 25% of the world fiber production and is the second most popular fiber behind polyester.

Photo by fred moreno

It is time to find the answers to the 10 frequently asked questions about cotton:

Is cotton breathable?

The short answer is &#;Yes&#;. Cotton textile is breathable and non-allergenic, which makes cotton clothes and undergarments comfortable to be worn close to the skin.

Is cotton good for hot weather? (Does cotton keep you cool?)

Yes, cotton is good for hot weather. It is a good conductor of heat, making cotton clothes cool to wear. Moreover, cotton absorbs water and dries slowly making it highly suitable for walking in high temperatures. The mechanism is simple but effective: hot weather increases perspiration, sweat is then transferred to the fabric surface where it evaporates cooling the body.

Comfort is very important in hot environments. There are several factors that have marked importance on comfort. For example, the comfort ability of clothing for hot climates depends on factors like weight, thickness, breathability, moisture stability, flexibility, softness, and design of the clothing. Thus walking in hot weather requires loose-fitting clothing made from lightweight cotton fabric.

Is cotton warm enough for winter?

Cotton is a good heat conductor and can be warm enough for winter. Of course, except for the fabric, there are many other factors that make a particular garment suitable for cold weather. But let&#;s first mention the main principles for cold-weather clothing:

• You need to keep your clothing dry and clean. Make sure that you don&#;t get your clothing wet either from the outside or from the inside (don&#;t overheat).
• Layering your clothing is a key factor in maintaining thermal comfort.
• Still air insulates extremely well and provides more thermal insulation.

Now more about the most important factors for cold weather outfits:

• Breathability

It&#;s extremely important as breathability ensures comfort to the wearer.

• Moisture transfer properties of fibers and fabrics

The thickness and weight of the fabric affect heat and moisture transfer as fabric thickness is probably the most important factor determining thermal insulation. Thicker and multilayer fabrics provide better insulation because they could trap more air in the fabric or between the layers of the clothing respectively.

Fabric weight is another important factor as regards winter clothing. As a rule, low weight increases the comfort of the wearer. Of course, lightweight fabric won&#;t do its job unless it can provide the necessary thermal insulation.

• Garment design is very important for cold weather

Garments should shield you from the elements. Hence, the design of the clothing should the cold air out keeping warmth in. Potentially weakest points include the collar, cuffs, ankles, zippers, waist opening. So, typical features of cold weather clothes include adjustable high collar with chin guard, watertight zippers with Velcro storm flaps, hook-and-loop cuffs, adjustable waist hem, etc.

• Fiber fineness, structure, and shape

The fiber shape and structure can either increase or decrease the fabric thermal insulation by increasing/decreasing the amount of dead air entrapped. Hollow and crimped fibers are better at increasing the thermal insulation.

• Density of the fabric and its thermal insulation capacity

Thermal insulation differs significantly with different weaves. For instance, close-woven fabric structures with densely packed fibers have been quite popular for jackets and outerwear (Ventile), in general. In such structures, it&#;s important that the fiber is breathable. Tightly knitted fabrics can be even better at entrapping air than woven fabrics.

• Surface properties (such as smoothness) and chemical finishes applied to fiber and fabrics

The application of different finishes can also seriously influence the thermal insulation of a set piece of clothing. Different water-repellents are used for rain gear. They increase the ability of the garment to repel water and wind while reducing its breathability.

Keep in mind that cotton clothes are no good for high-intensity activities in cold conditions. Why? Winter performance clothes need to be wind-resistant and capable of providing thermal insulation without being too bulky. Moreover, they should allow moisture transfer from the body to the environment. Cotton clothes are slow to dry, which leads to an accumulation of moisture inside your clothing system. As a result, your clothing ceases to provide proper thermal insulation often resulting in the development of dangerous conditions such as hypothermia.

Is cotton fabric stretchy?

Compared to other fibers, the elasticity of cotton is relatively low so no, the cotton fabric is not stretchy. Actually, untreated cotton fabrics crease badly because they are not extensible.

Table 1: Tenacity/elongation for fibers

Source: High-Performance Apparel*, p.79

Cotton fiber has poor elastic recovery relatively, i.e. it is relatively inelastic. The reason for this is its crystalline nature. Generally, fibers with good elasticity (wool, polyester) maintain their shape and products made from such fibers recover from wrinkling. However, products made from partially inelastic fibers such as cotton are not easily stretchable, do not recover from wrinkling, and stretch out of shape.

Table 1 above shows the tenacity and breaking elongation of different fibers. The tenacity indicates the strength of a fiber, while the elongation is a measure for the resilience of the fiber expressed as percent elongation taken at the point of breaking. Cotton&#;s tenacity is somewhat average, while its typical elongation of only 3-7% is extremely low in comparison to polyester, acrylic, nylon, and wool. This means that cotton fiber is not easily stretchable and once stretched, it is prone to some permanent deformation. That&#;s why cotton fabric and cotton clothing do not have any elasticity. This leads to restrictions in movement, which is one of the key requirements for sports and activewear.

Why is cotton so comfortable to wear?

Cotton has some excellent properties that make it comfortable in normal wear situations. Here are the most important things that make this natural fiber so comfortable to wear:

• Absorbs a lot of water and releases it to the air without making the wearer feel uncomfortable, which makes the material cool and comfortable in hot weather as well as easy to wash and dye.
• It is soft and breathable so cotton feels good close to the skin.
• Cotton is hypoallergenic and does not irritate the skin.
• Good heat conductor &#; keeps the wearer of cotton clothing cool in hot conditions and warm in cold weather.

All these properties make cotton comfortable to wear for all activities that do not cause or require profuse sweating. In other words, cotton will keep the microclimate dry and comfortable in normal wear situations. This leads us to the next question:

Is cotton good for hiking?

The answer to this question is both &#;Yes&#; and &#;No&#;. Cotton clothes dry slowly so they aren&#;t ideal for activewear worn in cold, wet, windy, and winter conditions. However, loose-fitting cotton garments are ideal for hot weather trekking because of their excellent wicking properties and a relatively long time to dry. Keep in mind that cotton socks aren&#;t recommended for hiking no matter the conditions.

Cotton clothing is extremely popular for desert hiking

Photo by Nathan McBride

There are a lot of requirements for sports textiles (including those suitable for hiking). They must be comfortable, relatively elastic, breathable, light, durable, with good heat and electrical conductive properties, moisture-wicking abilities, to be able to manage sweat to keep the body dry, and to offer sufficient UV protection. It&#;s extremely hard, if not impossible, to achieve all of these properties in one single solution. That&#;s why manufacturers often use blends and new structures in addition to classic fibers such as polyester, nylon, wool, cotton, etc.

Cotton was very popular for sportswear because it&#;s comfortable and absorbs perspiration but the man-made textiles offer much more &#; quick-drying and shape-retention properties as well as low weight even when wet (synthetics retain little moisture so they don&#;t saturate quickly unlike cotton) and easier maintenance. Additionally, cotton loses its insulative abilities when wet and clings to the body causing discomfort. Nevertheless, some cotton blends (such as poly-cotton, cotton and nylon, cotton and Lyocell/Tencel) are still used for performance wear and can be used for hiking and backpacking-related items. In such blends, cotton is almost always at the outer side.

Why do we prefer wearing cotton undergarments?

Undergarments serve primarily as a hygiene layer as they are worn close to the wearer&#;s skin. Due to this, next-to-skin clothing needs to keep the skin relatively dry to ensure good hygiene. Many people have an allergic reaction to certain fibers like wool. Thus, it is best if undergarments have antimicrobial properties to reduce the chance of dermatitic skin reactions. They should also minimize the retention and emission of odors generated from the body. Another important property of good underwear is the ability to remove or dissipate moisture from the skin. Last but not least, undergarments should be easy to wash and clean preferably after each wear.

Cotton has many properties that make it preferred fiber for next-to-skin clothing. For example, it&#;s soft, hypoallergenic, does not retain odors (actually it does retain odors but less than man-made fabrics like polypropylene or polyester), is easy to wash and has good wicking abilities. So it&#;s hardly surprising that 100% cotton underwear has been popular not only among the general population but also in the military. Keep in mind that cotton is not suitable next to the skin for those practicing sports or medium-to-high-intensity pursuits. Fibers such as wool, special polyester fabrics, and other hydrophobic, wicking, and quick-drying textiles are better options.

Is cotton fabric waterproof or water-repellent?

The short answer is &#;No&#;. However, the densely woven breathable fabric called &#;Ventile&#; is made of extra-long staple cotton. This cotton fabric is breathable and weatherproof. Though the fabric is advertised as weatherproof, it&#;s technically slightly waterproof. The swelling of the fibers when wet prevents the further passage of water. This way Ventile provides excellent protection against the wind, rain, snow, and cold. It&#;s used in outdoor sportswear and performance garments.

Do cotton clothes shrink?

Just like most other natural fibers, cotton is easy to clean. However, cotton clothes may shrink during laundering especially when strongly alkaline detergents are used. Always check the care instructions before washing cotton clothes to make sure that you follow the best practice.

Cotton clothes can also shrink during drying. This happens when excessive drying is applied. To avoid it, your best option is to air dry them. Another good option is to remove cotton clothes from the dryer when they are slightly damp.

To achieve improved functionality and optimized performance, cotton is often blended with other fibers. Note that clothes made from such cotton blends often do not shrink and wrinkle.

Cotton is a classic material for manufacturing high-quality shirts

Photo by Lena Kudryavtseva

What are the uses of cotton?

Cotton is a versatile fiber with many excellent properties and abilities such as the ability to absorb moisture, breathability, and strength (it&#;s stronger when wet so cotton goods can be washed regularly). They have made cotton widely used in various industries. It&#;s used in many apparel, homeware, outerwear, and industrial products. Here are the main uses of cotton:

• Apparel

The comfort, softness, easy laundering, and the non-itch feel have made cotton a classic fiber for making apparel. Trousers, shirts, denim jeans, dresses, tactical and military clothing, hosiery, hats, and undergarments are among the most popular garments made from cotton.

SCICO CARE contains other products and information you need, so please check it out.

• Home

High-quality bed sheets, pillowcases, and towels as well as carpets, blankets, window shades, flannel for work clothes. Cotton is also used for home furnishings (upholstery, curtains) and a ton of other home applications.

• Outerwear

We mentioned earlier that cotton is a good heat conductor. This makes it suitable for manufacturing tops, jackets, and coats.

• Industrial products

Many industrial products contain cotton. Among them: tarpaulins, medical supplies, fishing nets, coffee filters, cotton paper, industrial threads, cotton insulation, and cottonseed oil.

• High-performance products

The Ventile fabric, suitable for extreme and hostile environments, is made from 100% quality long-staple cotton fibers. Cotton and cotton blends are among the materials used for making firefighting protective clothing (both Proban-treated and Pyrovatex-treated cottons are flame-retardant), performance wear and sports garments, smart textiles.

Conclusion

Cotton is among the most popular and widely used fibers in the world. Its softness, breathability, hydrophilicity, good heat conductivity, versatility, and antimicrobial properties have made it a leading fiber in many industries. Cotton may not be king any more but it is still here and it will stay because of its valuable characteristics and properties.

*  In J. McLoughlin, & T. Sabir (Eds.), High-Performance Apparel: Materials, Development, and Applications, , Elsevier Ltd.

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I&#;m just starting out with sewing and cosplay construction. What are some basic fabrics that are easy to sew and generally look good? I often go with whichever fabric is the right color, but then I find that it&#;s too thick, it frays way too much, it&#;s stretchy when I don&#;t want it to be, or any other weird reason that seems designed to kill a beginner cosplayer. What about going with an easy to work with fabric in a base color and dying it to get the right color, perhaps? I just want simple fabrics with the right colors! &#; Milly

I recently got this question in my ask box, and boy, is it a doozy! Long story short, there is no one fabric that will work for every project. Each outfit and costume is completely different, and there are a ton of things you have to think about every time. There is SO much I would love to write about fabric choices, but it would simply take too long to do at the moment. I hope to in the future have a bit of free time to write out both a comprehensive guide and make a comparison chart similar to my armor materials chart, but it will have to wait until my current projects are finished. For now, I have decided to write a very short, incomplete guide to help introduce new cosplayers to the very basics of fabric shopping just to get you going!

The basic considerations:

1. Fibre content
2. Weave
3. Weight
4. Texture
5. Color
6. Cost

Each of these have their place in choosing what your fabric should be for a specific costume. I will go over the basic things you should think about when looking at them, and provide a few examples.

Fibre Content

One of the things you should /definitely/ be looking at is: what is this fabric made out of? Some materials can be very easy to clean, others take a ton of maintenance to keep looking good. Some can&#;t even be cleaned at all. This is all important as a cosplayer because you will be stuck in this costume for a long time, likely for more than one wear, and stains just aren&#;t an option. Here are a few very common fibres that you should know about:

• Cotton &#; Cotton is great, but, it&#;s a pain in the arse to care for on it&#;s own. It&#;s a natural fibre and has very few anti-wrinkle properties. My Leafeon dress had a 100% cotton outer, and I had to steam and iron it EVERY TIME I put it on, or it would look like a crumpled up tissue. And sometimes I would have to steam it throughout the day if I had a big shoot or event. Usually by the end of the day, I went right back to crumpled tissue.
• Polyester &#; This stuff is pretty great. However, on it&#;s own, it can end up looking quite shiny and cheap on some fabrics. It is quite easy to remove wrinkles from and they don&#;t tend to stick around. It tends to balance out the negative properties of cotton, and as such, poly-cotton blends are very popular. These are quite easy to work with and I highly recommend them for beginners.
• Silk &#; Real silk can sometimes be found. It is very expensive, very pretty, and very hard to take care of. It can&#;t be washed normally and pretty much always needs to be dry cleaned, or not cleaned at all. So, unless you&#;re going for extreme historical accuracy, I&#;d say pass on the real silk.
• Nylon &#; Nylon can also be great. Easy to care for, high strength, comes in all sorts of finishes. The only downside is that it is resistant to adhesives and iron-on products.
• Wool &#; Sometimes you will find heavier fabrics made of wool. These can get extremely warm, and scratchy. Useful for coats and similar garments, not much else.
• Spandex &#; Very stretchy and pretty awesome. I enjoy working with it on projects that need a lot of stretch to them. Other than that, it doesn&#;t have much of a use.

Weave

The way a fabric is woven has a large impact on the properties of the final fabric. There are many different weaves, however, I will just look at the difference between woven and knit fabric today.

Woven fabric is the type of fabric that has very little or no stretch to it. It is typically found in the quilting, upholstery, and garment sections of the store. It is best suited for doing anything that isn&#;t tightly fitted to the parts of the body that need to move (knees, elbows, etc). It can come in all sorts of weights, from sheer to heavy. Just avoid using this stuff for things like bodysuits, tight pants, tight shirts, or anything else that needs to stretch in the slightest. Things it is good for include jackets, structured garments such as bodices or corsets, and anything else that needs to avoid stretching

Knit fabric is the type of fabric that stretches. It is usually found in the garment section of the store, or it might have it&#;s own section. The amount of stretch a knit has can vary greatly and typically there are different amounts of stretch that are best for each project. Knit fabrics are amazing for things like bodysuits, tightly fitting shirts, shirt sleeves, leggings, or anything else that needs more movement. It is not all that great for anything needing structure, such as coats, loose fitting clothing, structured bodices, and anything else that requires a solid structure.

Weight

The weight of a fabric is essentially how thick it is. The weight will affect how it drapes, how much structure it can keep, how warm it will be to wear, among other things. If you are looking to make a light and airy dress that flows behind you as you walk, stick to lightweight fabrics. If you are looking for a strongly structured jacket, go for a heavy weight. Anything that needs strength, such as a corset or a bag, should probably be made out of heavy fabric. If you will be wearing this costume in Arizona during the summer, stick to lightweight fabrics. There are many things the weight will affect, so just try to think about the role of the fabric and how it will work on your costume before you buy it.

Texture

The texture on the fabric can have a huge effect on the final outcome of the outfit. Some fabrics are shiny and smooth, such as satin. Others have a dense texture with no shine at all. Some have raised patterns. Texture can seriously affect the final look of the costume. Try to stay as close as possible to the reference material for this, or your fabric will look wrong even if everything else is correct. For instance, don&#;t use a shiny satin on a military uniform &#; it just doesn&#;t work!

Color

The color of the fabric should be as close as you can get, but honestly, is one of the least important things to get exact in this situation. No one at a con will be holding a reference picture up to your costume and saying &#;this is two shades too light!&#;. If you can get something close, it will be good enough.

Things also tend to look a lot different in different lighting situations. If you are concerned about the color, it is best to take a picture of the fabric both inside and outside, in artificial and natural light. This will give you the best idea of what it will look like on photos. Don&#;t be too concerned if it isn&#;t exact, as it will change from location to location anyway.

Also, if you have found the perfect fabric but it is not the right color, it is quite easy to dye your own fabric at home! There are many types of dye available for all kinds of fibre, make sure you are getting the correct one for the fabric you are attempting to dye. If you can find a white fabric this will work the best for dyeing, otherwise, you will have to attempt to correct for the previous color of the fabric when mixing your dye.

Cost

The cost of your fabric can also be a consideration for some people. I tend to always look in the bargain, clearance and sale sections before all others when shopping for fabric. Quite often, there will be a large, mixed variety of fabrics there that I could potentially use for my project. Many of them are not labeled, and in this case it is best to be able to identify the properties of the fabric instead of the name. That is why I&#;ve attempted to write this guide in a way that explains the properties of the fabric, over just listing some names and throwing you to the wilds.

In an attempt for historical accuracy, my leafeon costume was made mostly out of 100% cotton broadcloth. The wrinkles everywhere were horrible, and it needed to be steamed constantly. Yay history!

This jacket was made of a woven polycotton blend. It had a decent amount of structure to keep the collar and sleeves stiff, and the fabric draped well. The dress is made of a thick woven polyester, also to create nice draping and structure through the bodice.

I got a little smarter with my vaporeon and used 100% polyester fabric from the discount section. Woven, with a raised line texture that reminded me of water. Heavy and resistant to stretch for a nice, structured garment.

The jacket for Popplio was made of a lightly stretchy woven fabric to keep some structure in the chest. The shirt and socks were a thin knit that fit close to my body. The shorts were made of a lightly stretchy, thick polyester fabric that allowed me to move easily.

My bodysuit for lady loki was a sports knit that I managed to get some smocking into. This made it fit close to my body and stretch with my movement. Sports knit is about the best thing you can use for bodysuits!

Fabrics to stay away from:

Ah yes, Satin. This costume was one of my first times working with satin, and you can tell. The wrinkles tell all! The purple bits were a woven polyester for lining, which didn&#;t fare much better at all.

Well, now you know what to look for in a fabric! But, I feel like I should mention some that a beginner should DEFINITELY stay away from. These are difficult to work with, require special tools, or are just generally nasty.

Slippery fabrics (Satin, chiffon, etc) &#; These fabrics can be awful. Just, don&#;t use them. There are a few things that they can be good for, but for a beginner, they are a killer. They wrinkle up as you sew, and usually show every wrinkle because of their shiny texture.They are incredibly slippery, and hard to get clean stitches on. Just don&#;t do it unless you really have to, and if you do, look up some tutorials before you try it.

Loosely woven, fraying fabrics &#; Always look at the cut line on the fabric before you buy. If the fabric is fraying a ton, it&#;s probably going to fray a lot after you cut it, too. Fabrics like this can completely come apart at the seams if proper precautions aren&#;t taken to make sure that the edges don&#;t fray. This also applies to webbing, straps, anything else that might come undone.

Leather, pleather, thick vinyls &#; These can be very difficult to work with for a beginner. They require a stronger sewing machine, special needles, and tons of precautions and special sewing to ensure everything stays together as intended. Although they look great on a finished costume, I would stay away if I was a beginner.

Conclusion

That&#;s all I&#;ve got for this time. I hope some of this has helped you think about the properties you are looking for in a fabric. As easy as it would be to say &#;XYZ works for all costumes&#;, it&#;s just not that easy. And though there are a few really easy fabric types (broadcloth, suiting, sports knit), they also do not solve all problems with figuring out a fabric to use. The easiest way to learn to buy fabric is to start thinking about the fabric&#;s properties as you shop, and go from there. I know this is a lot to take in as a beginner, but I promise you, it will help you significantly in the long run!

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