Choosing the T-shirt fabric that’s right for what you desire can have you blindly throwing darts at a board unless you really know what you want. Are you looking for comfort? Sturdiness? Is it a gift for someone? There are copious questions to be answered.
Cotton:
Ah, cotton. A classic t-shirt. It is a strong material, which will provide durability. At the same time, it feels soft to the touch; a veritable win-win for those looking for a custom shirt. Cotton is a natural product, as well as a renewable resource. Good for sensitive skin, and very breathable. It is also one of the more affordable materials with which to work in and of itself.
There are some downsides to this popular T-shirt fabric for you to be aware of when considering cotton. While it is economical, cotton needs plenty of land, as well as an abundance of water needed to grow it. With that, cotton can be less cost-effective, and therefore a bit pricier than other fabrics you might use for your custom T-shirt. Additionally, cotton does have a tendency to wrinkle, which could put a wrinkle into the printing process.
Within the category of cotton, there are a few different grades of the fabric:
Combed Cotton– Softer than other levels of cotton due to the fact that the fibers are given a little TLC before being spun into yarn. Given this factor, it is more expensive than other types of cotton.
Organic Cotton– When you purchase organic fruits and vegetables at the store, you know they are more expensive. The same holds true here. Because of the extra care taken for the environment in the production of this cotton, the toll is taken on your wallet.
Supima Cotton– A superstar in the world of cotton. Supima is amazingly strong, but the more you wash it, the softer it actually gets! It is also unyielding against stretching, fading, and pilling (when fibers become entangled and create irritating little balls, or “pills” on fabric).
Polyester:
noun: a polymer in which the monomer units are linked together by the group –COO–, usually formed by polymerizing a polyhydric alcohol with a polybasic acid: used chiefly in the manufacture of resins, plastics, and textile fibers.
Wow, that sounds a lot more complex than one might think. Let’s simplify it when dealing with custom T-shirt printing.
Polyester is synthetic, as you may have guessed. It’s a commonly used fabric in the shirt industry. Because it’s a sturdy fabric, it’s ideal for athletic shirts. In fact, many athletic companies make their T-shirts from this material. Polyester is quite easy to wash and dries fast. That’s a cool combination. Here is an extremely important note. This is the only fabric that can be used in dye sublimation screen printing for custom T-shirts.
Performance Wicking:
We place performance wicking shirts following polyester because many of these fabrics are made of polyester. If you aren’t familiar with performance wicking garments, they are designed, as you might expect, for performance: running, hiking, outdoor activities.
A moisture-wicking fabric has two roles to cover. The first is quickly moving wicking, aka sweat to the fabric’s outer surface. The second is drying quickly so your sweat is not trapped and doesn’t saturate the fabric. What transpires is that you’re more comfortable because your body can maintain and regulate its temperature efficiently. It creates a layer of protection, so the fabric touching your skin has a dry, non-viscous feel.
Rayon:
Rayon has a silky feel to it, but no need to worry…it is not nearly as costly. Rayon is comprised of cotton, trees, and plants, in other words, natural materials.
It’s a fabric that breathes well and has a flowing, draping look to it. The side effects of rayon shirts is that they wrinkle, stretch, and don’t bring the lasting ability of other fabrics. Things to think through for you custom T-shirt order.
Blends:
You’ve most likely have worn a T-shirt that is a mixture of cotton and polyester. This type of blend is created to achieve the best of both worlds. The duo might just be the premier choice for screen printing images on a shirt. You have cotton, being breathable and lightweight. You have polyester, bringing strength and a resistance to wrinkling to the table. Voila! You now have a custom T-shirt that will feel airy, last very long, and as a bonus, won’t fade.
Tri-Blends:
Why not throw in another fabric for fun, and call it a tri-blend, right? Generally, rayon is the fabric added to a garment that delivers the trifecta of awesome. Bringing rayon into the mix creates a shirt that feels worn in and displays an almost vintage look. Each color, image, text– whatever you want to have printed on your t-shirt are not as bold as you would typically find on other garments. Screen printing a shirt that’s breathable, durable, and extraordinarily comfortable…now that sounds like the perfect union.
