Cotton vs Polyester. Which is Better for Outdoor Clothing and Why?

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Polyester and cotton are the two most widely used fabrics today. But do you know why they are so popular? This article is aimed at giving an answer to this and many other questions regarding these two fabrics. One of them is: What’s the difference between cotton and polyester and which is better for the outdoors? Here we compare polyester vs cotton by discussing the advantages and disadvantages of each as well as their inherent characteristics to give you insight into the appropriateness of their use in the backcountry.

Cotton has been the dominant fiber in the textile and clothing industries for the last two hundred years. Since the invention of the cotton gin by Eli Whitney, cotton has been a leading fiber for numerous products from denim and shirts to bedsheets and towels. However, in the 1940s, one synthetic fiber meant to displace cotton from its leading role in the textile industry was introduced. Its name was polyester.

Polyester is lighter, cheaper, more durable, and easier to twist and bend (easier to work with) than cotton. Moreover, polyester can be cut to any staple length and can be made at very different levels of fineness. All these characteristics make it very suitable for a variety of sports and demanding outdoor activities.

Good outdoor clothing needs to be made of the right fiber type in order to possess certain characteristics suitable for functional and comfortable activewear. So the question is:

Table of Contents

• Cotton and its properties
  • Cotton: a short history
  • Types of cotton
  • Cotton advantages
  • Cotton disadvantages
  • Cotton clothing
• Polyester and its properties
  • Fleece
  • Polyester advantages
  • Polyester disadvantages
  • Polyester clothing
• Blended fibers
  • Polyester blends
  • Cotton blends

Cotton and its properties

Cotton is a staple fiber that is produced from the cotton plant. The fibers have a flat, twisted, ribbon-like appearance. The cotton plant grows best in subtropical countries in warm, humid climates because the plant requires 6-7 months of warm weather. Cotton is the purest form of cellulose available in nature as cotton fiber typically contains around 94% cellulose. The color of cotton fiber is usually creamy white or yellowish but it can also vary from almost pure white to dirty grey, green, and dark brown. Generally, naturally colored cotton that doesn’t need dyeing is highly valued because it requires little maintenance or water following sowing (it needs no fertilizers) and is far more resistant to insects and diseases (it needs no pesticides).

Certainly, cotton has its pros and cons, just like any other natural or man-made material. That’s why it is very important that we present true facts and figures about cotton whose name has become a byword for fabric that’s not suitable for high-intensity outdoor activities such as backpacking. The phrase “cotton kills” has become extremely popular but do you know why people say that? We’ll try to answer the question so that next time you hear that phrase, you will know if it’s true or not.

Cotton has many advantages over other fibers. For example, it’s soft, highly breathable, and ensures long-lasting comfort. Moreover, cotton fiber is hydrophilic and absorbs moisture readily without making you feel uncomfortable. We can easily continue adding to the list of positive characteristics and properties of cotton, however, we should highlight the fact that cotton as a typical representative of natural fibers isn’t homogenous. It means that making generalizations about cotton isn’t correct and at the very least it isn’t very smart.

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. Unless you’re very young, you probably remember the time when cotton was the most popular fiber. It wasn’t until 2002 before polyester surpassed cotton in the market share for the first time. Since then, between 2002 and 2015, the demand for polyester increased by 250% to about 50 million tons, while the demand for cotton increased by 60% to about 30 million tons. The main producers are China (33 million bales), India (27 million bales), USA (18 million bales), Pakistan (10.3 million bales), Brazil (9.3 million bales), and Uzbekistan (4.6 million bales). These six countries account for 80% of a market worth USD $77 billion in 2015.

Cotton: a short history

There is evidence that cotton was used in India and the Middle East as early as 5000 BC (cotton bolls and cotton textiles dated around 5500 BC have been discovered in Mexico, while the oldest cotton fabric ever found is more than 8000 old and comes from Peru). Three to four thousand years later, it became widespread across India. Cotton was introduced to Europe many centuries after that – probably after the invasion of India by Alexander the Great.

Though historically cotton is one of the oldest fibers used by mankind, it has become really popular in Europe since late 18th century when the cotton manufacture began in England. It rapidly spread to the United States, resulting in a huge increase in production and international trade. The European-dominated cotton industry helped entrepreneurs and statesmen build an empire of cotton of tremendous scope and energy. Just to illustrate the importance of cotton, here’s something interesting about Manchester – the center of the cotton industry in the 19th century. It turns out that at that time, Manchester was world-renowned as the Cottonopolis.

Millions of people spent their lives working in cotton plantations and cotton mills across the world – from the US and Europe to China. For more than a century – up to 1900 AD, the cotton industry was the world’s most important manufacturing industry. It was one of the driving forces of the Industrial revolution. As Sven Beckert argues in his book Empire of Cotton: A Global History:

“Following cotton, as we shall see, will lead us to the origins of the modern world, industrialization, rapid and continuous economic growth, enormous productivity increase, and staggering social inequality.”

Today, cotton is still among the most widespread fibers as there are huge cotton plantations in Asia, Africa, and America. Asia is the main producer of cotton as China and India combined produce more cotton than the rest of the world does (cotton is produced in over 100 countries around the world).

There is a bunch of natural fibers but cotton is the most commercially important of them. It is a raw material used worldwide for the production of soft, breathable, and relatively inexpensive textiles as well as various industrial products. There are so many cotton products ranging from apparel, home furnishings, and banknotes to cottonseed oil used for cooking and in cosmetics. There are many varieties of cotton, though the staple length can be a more important indicator of the various properties and characteristics of cotton.

Types of cotton

Cotton fibers can be classified into three groups based on staple length.

Long-staple cotton

The fibers are simultaneously thin and very resistant to tearing. The staple length is between 30 and 65mm. Cultivation and production are difficult and limited. This type of cotton is high-quality, used mainly for fine fabrics, high-quality yarn, and end products such as bed linen, hosiery, and garments. Its color is light, almost white. The longer the fiber, the easier it is to process and the final product is of better quality. Generally, high-quality cotton lint produces high-quality yarn and end products. Sea Island, Egyptian, and Pima cotton typically have long staples. Interestingly, though luxury cotton types may be obtained from many different countries, the origin of most long-staple cotton varieties can be traced back to America. The strength of the long-staple cotton fiber is 4-6g (the force to break or rupture the fiber or yarn. The strength affects the tenacity, durability, and overall quality of the product).

Medium-staple cotton

The staple length is between 25 and 30mm. This fiber is widely used for many products in a variety of industries. Medium-Staple cotton is very suitable for the production of clothing for everyday use like denim jeans, flannels, and underwear. Medium-staple cotton accounts for 85-90% of the world’s production of cotton fiber. American Upland is a typical representative of this type of cotton fiber. The strength of the single medium-staple cotton fiber is in the range of 3.5-4.5g.

Short-staple cotton

The staple length is between 10 and 25mm. The processing is very difficult, the fabric produced is coarse, and the quality is low so it’s used mainly for the production of low-grade products. Short-staple cotton is used for the production of carpets, blankets, jeans, flannel for work clothes as well as blends with other fibers.

Cotton advantages

• Cotton is relatively strong. Moreover, its strength or tenacity increases with moisture content. Generally, wet cotton is 25% stronger than dry cotton. The wet cotton fabric is stronger than dry cotton fabric (which enables a smoother manufacturing process). This means that clothes made of cotton can withstand repeated and regular washings. Furthermore, cotton shirts and pants can be ironed without damage because the material isn’t affected by moderate heat.
• Cotton is a soft and breathable natural fiber. The final products made of this fiber possess the same characteristics and properties. Hence, cotton is used for underwear, socks, and garments worn close to the skin.
• Cotton is a good conductor of heat that keeps you cool in summer and warm in winter. Actually, cotton is perfect for desert and hot weather hiking, though wearing cotton can be dangerous for night hiking when temperatures drop.
• Cotton can absorb a lot of moisture (water, sweat, etc.) and transfer it to the air without making you feel uncomfortable. A cotton cloth or garment can absorb up to 27 times its own weight in water! This is an important property that makes cotton clothes cool and comfortable. Moreover, this, added to the natural whiteness of the fiber, makes cotton easy to dye.
• The versatility of cotton makes it a desirable fiber for a variety of products from more standard ones such as jeans, pants, shirts, towels, bedsheets, and socks, to tents, window shades, wall coverings, and tarpaulins.
• Withstands high temperatures well, however, prolonged exposure to light will cause yellowing. The good news is that cotton clothes are highly resistant to all bleaches.
• It’s hypoallergenic and doesn’t irritate the skin, which makes it the ideal fabric for all those who suffer from allergies.

Cotton disadvantages

• Cotton strength or tenacity decreases with temperature.
• It’s relatively inelastic due to its crystalline nature.
• Low resilience. In addition, products made from cotton crease easily and don’t recover well after that.
• Absorbs a lot of moisture and is slow to dry. Yes, this property can be both positive and negative depending on the circumstances. While it can have a very positive effect in the summer, it’s the opposite in cold and windy conditions when this can be very dangerous. Then, if the water vapor cannot escape to the surrounding atmosphere, it builds up inside your clothing and compromises its insulation abilities. While hiking or backpacking, you sweat and your cotton clothes absorb the moisture. Since cotton is slow to dry, you stay wet and cold because your cotton clothing ceases to provide any insulation. This can lead to hypothermia and rarely to death – that’s why “cotton kills“. Additionally, wet cotton does not wick moisture away from your skin, which exacerbates the situation further. That’s why cotton is not recommended for base layers or other clothing used for hiking in cool-to-cold weather. Remember that hypothermia occurs when your body’s core temperature drops from 36.5-37.5°C to below 35°C thus hypothermia can occur even when environmental temperatures are warm. Furthermore, wind and rain can have a dramatic effect on the risk of hypothermia because they accelerate the rate of cooling through convection.
• Cotton is highly susceptible to attack by mildew and silverfish. Mildew causes rotting and degradation, while silverfish eats cotton and other natural fibers.
• Poor stain resistance.

Sometimes cotton fiber is blended with polyester to make the fabric more durable with increased resilience. We elaborate on this in the section about blended fibers below.

Cotton clothing

Cotton has many excellent characteristics, qualities, and properties that have made it one of the most successful fibers ever. And although each year there are more and more technical fibers, it should be no surprise that cotton is still quite popular in many industries – from apparel and high-performance products to home furnishings and industrial applications.

Cotton clothes are soft, breathable, and comfortable with a non-itch feel. They are easy to clean and wash and due to the fact that cotton is a good conductor of heat (it feels cool in hot weather and warm in cold conditions), there’s a wide range of clothes made from this fiber suitable for various activities. Cotton is excellent for making clothes for normal wear situations. It’s a wonderful fiber for making shirts, denim jeans, pants, dresses, hats, and hosiery. Brands like Levi’s, Lee, and Wrangler are among the most popular producers of denim jeans. Cotton t-shirts and tops are another classic case of cotton garments. You can find some excellent products from brands such as Under Armour, Nike or Russell Athletic for as low as $10 as well as for more than $100. In addition, some renowned companies that make activewear such as Adidas, Nike, and Patagonia use more and more organic cotton for clothes. At the same time, companies like Pact pledge that they use only organic cotton. Blended with other fibers, cotton is used for gloves, hats, trousers, jackets, coats.

As we already pointed out, cotton clothes are quite popular for normal wear situations. However, cotton clothes absorb a lot of moisture and dry slowly which makes the use of clothing made of 100% cotton highly problematic in cool-to-cold and windy conditions and particularly when the outdoor activity includes sweating. The caused thermal discomfort won’t be your main problem; the real problem will be the danger of hypothermia. It’s another reason for using cotton blends instead of 100% cotton fabrics. Meanwhile, their ability to absorb lots of moisture and to dry relatively slow make cotton clothes great for desert hikes. So, it would probably not surprise you that many experienced backpackers prefer cotton in hot and dry conditions and environments.

Cotton was the most popular material used for sports apparel. Not anymore. Once the synthetic fibers were developed enough to become an appealing option to the consumer, they dethroned cotton. Technological advance was the main culprit. Unlike natural fibers, man-made fibers are engineered to meet the specific requirements of the wearer. There are a lot of requirements for sportswear fabrics as the most important of them include the fabric to be able to ensure effective moisture management, thermoregulation, and comfort without cling as well as be durable, lightweight, stretchy, and washable. Many synthetic textiles combine three or more of them, while cotton is often blended with polyester, nylon, or elastane to gain some of them.

Cotton is a very important fiber in the manufacturing of tactical and military clothing. It’s used for trousers, shirts, underwear, and even jackets. Note that most of them utilize cotton blends for their clothing not pure cotton. You can find durable and reliable clothes from brands such as 5.11, Helikon-Tex, and Tru-Spec.

Polyester and its properties

Polyester is the most used fiber in the world today and has had the fastest-growing demand among other fibers since 1980 with roughly 73% of total fiber demand growth. It can be found in sportswear, technical textiles, belts, tarps, curtains, draperies, upholsteries, carpets, tire cords, ropes, nets, etc. A synthetic fiber made mainly from polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyester is used for pants, base layers, mid-layers, and other garments.

Many man-made fibers were developed in the first half of the 20th century. The first man-made textile fiber produced was viscose rayon (the so-called artificial silk is known as viscose in Europe and rayon in the USA). The first polyester fiber called Terylene was created in 1941. Polyester has been used in activewear since the 1970s because of its properties, including its resilience, strength, durability, abrasion resistance, crease-resistance, wicking abilities, dimensional stability, easy-care properties, etc. All these make polyester fiber suitable for a variety of sports and demanding outdoor activities such as hiking, backpacking, and mountaineering. Moreover, polyester is used in extreme weather clothing, especially for high-performance jackets, trousers, shirts and sweatshirts, fleece and fleece jackets.

Fleece

Fleece is a popular man-made material manufactured primarily from polyester. It was intended to be a synthetic alternative to wool so it shouldn’t be surprising that it has many properties that are typical of wool. Fleece fabric offers good thermal insulation thanks to its inherent ability to trap still air (between its fibers) next to the skin. When made from polyester, fleece fabric has many properties typical of polyester like durability, hydrophobicity, water repellency, and good resistance to microorganisms, insects, and chemicals. In addition, fleece is light, warm (even when wet), soft and comfortable, highly breathable, easy to work with, relatively cheap, and comes in a variety of weights and finishes.

A fleece top is an ideal mid-layer (simple designs such as the Helly Hansen Daybreaker, shown on the picture to the right, work best) used to increase warmth and reduce moisture in less than ideal conditions. Keep in mind that close-fitting fleece tops are better at trapping air close to the body. A fleece jacket is usually wind-resistant and water-repellent and can be used as an outer layer in cool conditions. However, it’s bulkier, less breathable, and needs more time to dry in comparison to a standard fleece top. Moreover, fleece jackets aren’t suitable for hiking in heavy rain or prolonged wet conditions.

The range of functional products made with polyester has made it the main fiber used in the textile and apparel sectors worldwide. The production of ultra-fine polyester fiber has revolutionized the sportswear sector and the hiking clothing sector in particular. For example, micro-denier polyester fleece fabric is soft and smooth, breathable, easy to care for, but also durable.

In 1980, the polyester demand was 5.2 million tons. This number nearly quadrupled by 2000 when it reached 19.2 million tons. In 2015, the demand was around 50 million tons, nearly twice the cotton demand. The main global producer is China (accounts for more than 70% of all polyester fiber production).

Source: textileworld.com

Polyester advantages

• Polyester fibers have low moisture regain value of 0.4%. This makes the fiber and the clothes made of polyester resistant to staining and naturally water-repellent. Polyester is essentially hydrophobic, but its surface can be treated by changing its chemistry or adding a finish that affects moisture movement. The result is a water-repellent and quick-drying fabric.
• Polyester fiber is strong and durable and has excellent wear and abrasion resistance.
• Good resistance to heat and chemical degradation. These make it perfect when your skin needs UV protection.
• Can be easily textured and readily modified, including its elasticity and pilling ability. COOLMAX is an example of modified polyester fiber. It’s made of lightweight hydrophilic polyester, which is channeled. Each COOLMAX fiber has four wicking channels, allowing moisture to disperse and evaporate very quickly while being highly air permeable to improve drying time and to keep the wearer cool and dry. Moreover, polyester is recyclable and can be made of plastic bottles. Nowadays, many popular sportswear brands use recycled polyester as a sustainable alternative.
• Polyester is able to retain crease for a longer duration and does not wrinkle easily. These properties make it ideal for everyday wear.
• Easy to wash and doesn’t shrink when washed. Polyester is perceived by many as the ultimate low-maintenance fabric.
• Relatively inexpensive and easy to blend with other fibers.
• Doesn’t change its properties in wet or dry conditions and stays relatively stable. Hollow polyester fibers are used to improve insulation and moisture absorption properties.
• Good resistance to microorganisms and insects.

Polyester disadvantages

• Non-breathable and uncomfortable to wear next to the skin, especially in hot conditions (except for some modified polyesters such as COOLMAX). The main reasons for this are low moisture absorption, poor vapor transmission, and low thermal conductivity. These issues can be overcome by blending polyester with hygroscopic fibers such as cotton or viscose.
• Feels clammy and chilly when wet because moisture remains on the fiber surfaces next to the skin. Thus, this synthetic fiber isn’t ideal for underwear, though modified, hydrophilic polyester can be moisture-wicking and quick-drying as both of these properties are ideal for underwear and base layers. The main drawback of using finishes is that after repeated washings, chemical treatments wear off.
• Due to its resistance to chemicals and low absorbency, polyester clothing can be hard to clean because water and chemicals cannot penetrate into the fabric and clean it.
• Thanks to its hydrophobicity, polyester clothing generates static electricity. These issues can be solved by blending polyester with hygroscopic fibers.
• Polyester is considered a rather heavy fiber. Thus, to overcome this, it is manufactured as lightweight or thin fabrics. For example, clothing made of thick polyester would be too heavy, which is a serious disadvantage for hiking apparel.
• Polyester retains odors and for this reason, it isn’t a good solution for multi-day trips. Actually, it reeks after any 30-minute high-intensive activity.

There is a variety of fabrics (some of them trademarked) made from polyester. Among them, some of the most popular ones are: Capilene, Dacron, Lavsan, Polartec, Primaloft, Terylene, Thermolite, Trevira, etc.

Keep in mind that usually there isn’t any appreciable difference between different polyester base layers, hiking pants, shirts or other clothes as most of them work pretty much the same way (well enough) and bring the same results.

Polyester clothing

Today polyester is the most popular fiber for clothing. It offers options in a vast range of consumer demands – from higher-end fashion products to everyday life to military clothing. It is also commonly used for sportswear and activewear, and with reason. Polyester is a highly functional fiber used for making a vast array of garments – from pants, shirts, and jackets to gloves, hats, and undergarments. In this section, we will focus primarily on the activewear clothing made from polyester and polyester blends.

Polyester base layers

Many world-renowned outdoor brands such as Helly Hansen, Under Armour, and Craft make base layers from 100% polyester, modified polyester (COOLMAX, Capilene, Trevira, etc.) or polyester blends. The moisture-wicking and quick-drying properties of polyester combined with its durability and low moisture regain value make it highly suitable for undergarments including sock liners. The biggest downside of polyester (and synthetic, in general) base layers is that they tend to retain and emit odors generated from the body. To ameliorate the situation, some manufacturers treat the garment with anti-bacterial agents.

Polyester (fleece) mid-layers

Polyester fleece dominates the market of mid-layers. It was meant to be a cheaper version of wool. The idea was to highlight the pros of wool and minimize its cons. As a result, fleece fabric (and clothes made from fleece) possesses some unique characteristics, qualities, and properties – it’s highly breathable, it remains warm even when wet and provides soft non-itch feel. Additionally, it has many of the inherent qualities of polyester – the material is durable, lightweight, hydrophobic, resistant to chemicals, it’s easy to care for, and it does not wrinkle. Columbia, Helly Hansen, and The North Face make high-quality polyester fleece mid-layers. Get such a mid-layer and you can’t go wrong (see our review of the Phantom 1/2 Zip Phantom 2.0 to get a glimpse of what a good polyester fleece middle layer can offer).

Rain jackets

Polyester plays a prominent role in making rainwear. While waterproof breathable membranes are made from polymers, polyester is often used for the face fabric and for the lining. The outer side of a rain jacket is expected to be durable and for increased protection, the fabric is treated with durable water repellent. For high-intensity activities, we recommend highly waterproof and breathable jackets (2.5- and 3-layer laminates) such as the Outdoor Research Helium II and Helly Hansen Odin Mountain 3L. For those who prefer not-so-intensive pursuits, we recommend the Marmot Precip (shown on the image to the right), Helly Hansen Seven J, and The North Face Millerton. Note that 2.5- and 3-layer constructions are usually (much) more expensive than 2-layer shells.

Softshells

Softshells or the “fourth layer” as we called them in our article about layered clothing systems are placed between mid-layers and outer layers. They’re often made from 100% polyester. The main role of these advanced composite textiles is to offer flexibility and some protection. That’s why they offer some warmth as well as wind and rain (until the wearer can find shelter) protection. Here are some functional and reliable models suitable for outdoor adventures – Columbia Ascender, Marmot Gravity, and The North Face Apex Bionic 2. If you want to learn more about softshell, see our in-depth post about the best softshell jackets.

Polyester pants

Polyester and other man-made fibers such as nylon and elastane are used extensively for outdoor pants (including rain and snow pants) suitable for various environments and temperatures. There are models for all kinds of weather. The various designs should keep the wearer dry and cool in hot, cold, good or inclement weather. For example, the prAna Stretch Zion (the image to the right) are rugged, lightweight, water and abrasion-resistant, quick-drying, and extremely comfortable pants ideal for both indoor and outdoor activities. The Outdoor Research Helium and Outdoor Research Cirque are classic for rainy and snowy conditions respectively, while the Columbia Silver Ridge are zip-off pants suitable for changing weather conditions.

Other types of polyester garments

Other types of polyester clothing include gloves, socks (including waterproof socks), and headwear (hats, balaclavas, face masks, headbands, neck gaiters, etc.), gaiters. Polyester is used for many excellent designs suitable for warm or cold weather.