Textile Fabrics: A Guide to Fibres to Choose the Right Clothing

Cotton, polyester, linen, viscose, elastane… Behind every garment is a fabric that changes everything: its softness, its durability, its comfort and even the way it can be personalised. When you choose t-shirts for an event, polo shirts for a team or hoodies for a club, understanding textile fabrics helps you make the right choice, for the comfort of the people who will wear them and for the result of your logo. In this guide, we review the main textile fibres, their strengths and limits, and help you choose the right fabric for your use.

In this guide:

• Fibre, yarn, fabric: what are we talking about?
• The 3 main families of textile fibres
• Natural plant fibres
• Natural animal fibres
• Man-made cellulosic fibres
• Synthetic fibres
• Fibre blends
• Fabric comparison table
• Which fabric for which decoration technique?
• Which fabric to choose for your use?
• How to read a composition label
• Frequently asked questions

Fibre, yarn, fabric: what are we talking about?

Before comparing fabrics, a quick word on vocabulary. Everything starts with the textile fibre: a very fine filament, either natural (like cotton or wool) or man-made (like polyester). Fibres are spun into a yarn, then the yarns are assembled to create a fabric.

There are two main ways to assemble yarns:

• Weaving: yarns crossed at right angles, as in a shirt, an apron or a canvas bag. The fabric is stable and hardly stretches.
• Knitting: yarns forming interlocking loops, as in a t-shirt or a hoodie. The fabric is soft and slightly stretchy.

In custom clothing, you will often come across a few knit names: jersey, thin and soft, used for t-shirts; piqué, with a textured surface, typical of polo shirts; and fleece-backed jersey (French terry or brushed fleece), soft on the inside, for sweatshirts and hoodies. The same fibre, cotton for example, can therefore produce very different fabrics depending on how it is worked.

One last useful benchmark: the fabric weight, expressed in grams per square metre (g/m², or GSM). The higher it is, the thicker the fabric. A lightweight t-shirt is around 140 to 160 g/m², a heavy premium t-shirt exceeds 180 g/m², and a hoodie is often between 280 and 350 g/m².

The 3 main families of textile fibres

All textile fibres fall into three main families, according to their origin.

No family is "better" than the others: each has its qualities, and many garments combine several fibres to bring together their advantages.

Natural plant fibres

Cotton, the reference fabric

Cotton is the most widely used natural fibre in clothing. It comes from the cotton plant's boll and is soft, breathable, absorbs moisture well and rarely causes irritation. It is the base fabric of most custom t-shirts, polo shirts, hoodies and bags.

Not all cottons are equal, though. The main types are:

• Carded cotton: the most common and affordable.
• Combed cotton: the short fibres are removed, giving a softer, smoother and stronger fabric.
• Ring-spun cotton: a finer, more even yarn, highly appreciated for quality t-shirts and for printing.
• Organic cotton: grown without pesticides or chemical fertilisers. We will dedicate a full article to it in our sustainability section.

Its limits: cotton can shrink if washed too hot, it creases, and it dries more slowly than synthetics.

Linen

Linen is a very strong, cool and breathable fibre, ideal for warm seasons. Western Europe, and France in particular, produces most of the world's textile flax. Growing it requires little water and few treatments. Its main drawback: it creases easily, which is also part of its charm. You will find it in shirts, premium aprons and home textiles.

Hemp

Hemp is one of the strongest plant fibres. It grows quickly, without irrigation or pesticides, and its fabric softens wash after wash. Still rare in catalogues, it is gaining ground in eco-friendly ranges.

Jute

Jute is a sturdy, affordable fibre with a rough feel. It is mainly used for shopping bags, gift bags and packaging, rarely for clothing.

Natural animal fibres

Wool

Wool is warm, breathable and naturally odour-resistant. It absorbs moisture without feeling wet, which makes it an excellent winter fibre. Finer merino wool does not itch and is even used for sportswear. On the other hand, wool needs gentle care: cold or wool cycle, and never a tumble dryer, or it will felt. To personalise it, embroidery is the best-suited technique, for example on a beanie or a jumper.

Silk

Silk is produced by the silkworm. Very soft, shiny and light, it is also surprisingly strong for its fineness. Its high price reserves it for scarves, ties and luxury pieces: it is rarely used in custom clothing.

Man-made cellulosic fibres

Man-made cellulosic fibres are made from cellulose, usually from wood, that is chemically processed. They are natural in origin but transformed by industry.

Viscose

Viscose (also called rayon) is soft, light and drapes beautifully. It is pleasant to wear but creases and can shrink in the wash. Its environmental impact depends a lot on how it is produced.

Modal

Modal is an improved viscose with longer fibres: it is even softer, stronger and keeps its shape better. You will find it in very fluid t-shirts and underwear.

Lyocell (Tencel™)

Lyocell, known under the Tencel™ brand, is the most modern of the cellulosic fibres. It is made in a closed loop: almost all of the solvent used is recovered and reused. Soft, breathable and strong, even when wet, it appeals to more and more committed brands.

What about bamboo?

Bamboo grows quickly and without pesticides, but beware: most textiles sold as "bamboo" are actually bamboo viscose, a chemically processed man-made fibre, not a raw natural fibre. A detail worth checking on the label.

Synthetic fibres

Synthetic fibres are made entirely from petroleum derivatives. They are durable, affordable and easy to care for. Their main drawback: they release plastic microfibres in the wash and are not biodegradable.

Polyester

Polyester is the most produced fibre in the world: on its own, it accounts for more than half of all textile fibres made. Durable and crease-resistant, it dries very quickly and keeps its colours. It is the go-to fabric for sportswear and workwear. Its weak point: it breathes less well than cotton and can retain odours. Today there is also recycled polyester, made from plastic bottles, which we will cover in our sustainability section.

Polyamide (nylon)

Polyamide, the best known of which is nylon, is very resistant to wear and abrasion, light and water-repellent. You will find it in windbreakers, puffer jackets, bags and outdoor gear.

Elastane (Lycra™, spandex)

Elastane (also called spandex, or Lycra™ for the best-known brand) is an extremely stretchy fibre. It is never used on its own: just a few percent, often 2 to 5%, are enough to make a garment stretchy and help it keep its shape. You will find it in fitted t-shirts, leggings and sportswear.

Acrylic

Acrylic imitates wool at a lower cost: it is light, soft and warm. It tends to pill and generate static electricity. It is mainly found in beanies, scarves and some jumpers.

Fibre blends

Many garments combine several fibres to bring together the best of each:

• Cotton-polyester (for example 65/35 or 50/50): the softness of cotton with the durability and shape retention of polyester. Very common in hoodies, polo shirts and workwear, which have to withstand frequent washing.
• Cotton-elastane (for example 95/5): cotton that stretches and keeps its shape, for more fitted cuts.
• Triblend (cotton, polyester and viscose): a very soft feel and a slightly heathered look, very popular in fashion.

Polyester or cotton, which to choose? There is no single answer: cotton wins on comfort and breathability, polyester on durability and quick drying, and a blend often offers the best compromise for intensive use.

Fabric comparison table

Which fabric for which decoration technique?

This is the question people often forget: the fabric of the garment determines which decoration techniques are possible. The same logo is not produced in the same way on a cotton t-shirt and on a polyester sports shirt.

A few key points to remember:

• Digital printing gives its best results on cotton, which absorbs the inks well.
• Sublimation only works on polyester (or fabrics very rich in polyester) in light colours.
• Embroidery suits most fabrics, but it is more at home on thick materials such as a polo shirt, a hoodie or a cap than on a very thin t-shirt.
• Screen printing is perfect on cotton and blends; discover it in detail in our screen printing guide.

Which fabric to choose for your use?

The right fabric mainly depends on how the garment will be used. Here are our recommendations:

• Events, festivals, associations: cotton custom t-shirts, comfortable and affordable.
• Sport, running, clubs: technical polyester, light and breathable, that dries quickly.
• Reception, retail, companies: polo shirts in cotton piqué or cotton-polyester that keep their shape all day, and shirts for a smarter image.
• Work, building sites, workshops: workwear in cotton-polyester or polyester, resistant to frequent washing.
• Catering and kitchens: aprons in heavy cotton or cotton-polyester, easy to wash, in our kitchen textiles.
• Winter, outdoors: fleece-backed hoodies, fleeces and jackets in polyamide or softshell.
• Bags and gifts: cotton canvas for tote bags, and cotton terry for home textiles.

How to read a composition label

The label sewn inside a garment shows its composition. Fibres are listed from the most to the least present, with their percentage: "60% cotton, 40% polyester" means cotton is the main fibre. "100% cotton" contains only cotton. Labels such as certified organic cotton sometimes appear too. Finally, the care symbols tell you the washing temperature, drying and ironing to follow so that the garment, and its personalisation, last longer.

Find the right fabric with Zigzag-Concept

Not sure which fabric to choose for your project? In our workshop in Holzem, we advise you on the clothing best suited to your use, your budget and the decoration technique, with a wide range in organic cotton and recycled materials. Discover all our custom clothing, or request your quote: we will get back to you quickly.

Frequently asked questions about textile fabrics

What is the best fabric for a t-shirt?

For everyday comfort, cotton remains the best fabric for a t-shirt: soft, breathable and compatible with all decoration techniques. For sport, a technical polyester, lighter and quicker to dry, is more suitable.

Cotton or polyester, which one to choose?

Cotton offers more comfort and breathability, polyester more durability, shape retention and quick drying. For a garment worn and washed very often, a cotton-polyester blend is often the best compromise.

What is the difference between natural and synthetic fibres?

A natural fibre comes from a plant (cotton, linen) or an animal (wool, silk). A synthetic fibre is made from petroleum derivatives (polyester, polyamide, elastane). In between, man-made cellulosic fibres such as viscose come from natural materials that are chemically processed.

Is bamboo a natural fabric?

Usually not: most "bamboo" textiles are bamboo viscose, a man-made fibre obtained by chemically processing the plant.

What does the fabric weight (GSM) of a garment mean?

The fabric weight, expressed in g/m² (GSM), indicates how heavy the fabric is. The higher it is, the thicker and generally more durable the fabric. A lightweight t-shirt is about 140 to 160 g/m², a hoodie 280 to 350 g/m².

Can all fabrics be personalised?

Almost all of them, but not with every technique. Cotton accepts almost every type of decoration, polyester works well with DTF, vinyl and sublimation, and thick fabrics such as wool or fleece embroider very well. We will advise you on the right technique for your garment.