Fabric Guide: How to Choose the Right Fabric for Personalised Clothing

Choosing the right garment is easier when you understand the fabric. Some customers want soft cotton for everyday comfort. Others need hard-wearing polycotton for uniforms, workwear, schoolwear, or team clothing. To make this simpler, we group our garments into clear fabric categories so you can quickly find the best option for your needs. Here is quick comparison This guide explains how our fabric filter works and what each fabric category means.

Why We Use Fabric Categories

Many garments have detailed fabric compositions such as 80% ringspun cotton / 20% polyester or 65% polyester / 35% cotton. These details are useful, but they can be confusing when you are simply trying to choose a personalised T-shirt, polo shirt, sweatshirt, hoodie, jacket, or workwear item. That is why we group similar fabrics into easy-to-understand categories. Instead of making you compare every percentage, our fabric filter helps you choose by fabric type, comfort, durability, and use.

Cotton

Cotton is a natural fabric known for comfort, softness, and breathability. It is a popular choice for everyday clothing, casual uniforms, promotional T-shirts, schoolwear, and personalised garments worn close to the skin. Garments in this category may include:

• 100% cotton
• Organic cotton
• Ringspun cotton
• Combed cotton
• Cotton with a very small amount of elastane or polyester

Cotton is a good choice if you want a soft, breathable, and comfortable garment. Best for: T-shirts, casualwear, schoolwear, light uniforms, events, and everyday personalised clothing.

Cotton Rich Blend

Cotton Rich Blend means the fabric is mostly cotton, but it also includes another fibre such as polyester. We use this category for garments that have a high cotton content, usually around 70% or more. For example: 80% ringspun cotton / 20% polyester 70% cotton / 30% polyester This type of fabric keeps much of the softness and comfort of cotton, while the polyester can help with durability, shape retention, and easier care. Cotton Rich Blend is a good choice if you want something that feels more cotton-led but performs better than pure cotton in regular use. Best for: Premium hoodies, sweatshirts, casual uniforms, teamwear, and comfortable workwear.

Polycotton

Polycotton is a blend of polyester and cotton. It is one of the most common fabrics used in workwear, uniforms, schoolwear, hospitality clothing, and everyday personalised garments. Common examples include: 50% polyester / 50% cotton 65% polyester / 35% cotton 60% cotton / 40% polyester 80% polyester / 20% cotton Polycotton is popular because it balances comfort and durability. Cotton helps the garment feel more comfortable, while polyester helps it last longer, dry quicker, and keep its shape better. Polycotton is often a practical choice when garments need to be worn regularly and washed often. Best for: Workwear, uniforms, polos, sweatshirts, schoolwear, hospitality clothing, and team clothing.

Polyester

Polyester is a synthetic fabric known for durability, easy care, and quick drying. It is commonly used in sportswear, jackets, performance clothing, hi-vis garments, outerwear, and workwear. This category includes:

• 100% polyester
• Recycled polyester
• Polyester with elastane or spandex
• Polyester softshell fabrics
• Polyester-rich performance fabrics

Polyester is a good option when you need something durable, lightweight, practical, and easy to look after. Some polyester garments include elastane, which gives stretch and flexibility. In those cases, we still group the garment under Polyester because polyester is the main fibre. Best for: Sportswear, jackets, hi-vis clothing, outdoor garments, performance tops, and durable workwear.

Nylon

Nylon is another synthetic fabric, often used in outerwear and performance garments. It is strong, lightweight, and commonly found in waterproof or weather-resistant clothing. This category includes:

• 100% nylon
• Nylon with elastane
• Waterproof nylon garments

Nylon is a good choice for jackets, outdoor clothing, and garments where strength and weather resistance are important. Best for: Jackets, outerwear, waterproof clothing, and activewear.

Acrylic

Acrylic is a synthetic fibre often used as an alternative to wool. It is warm, lightweight, and commonly used in knitted items such as beanies and winter hats. For example: 100% soft-spun acrylic with polyester shearling lining In this case, we group the item under Acrylic because the main outer fabric is acrylic. The polyester shearling is used as a lining for extra warmth and comfort. Best for: Beanies, winter hats, knitted accessories, and cold-weather garments.

Mixed Fabric Blend

Mixed Fabric Blend is used for fabrics that contain three or more important fibres, or fabrics that do not fit neatly into Cotton, Polycotton, Polyester, Nylon, or Acrylic. Examples include: Triblend: 50% polyester / 25% viscose / 25% cotton LENZING™ ECOVERO™ / organic cotton blends Polyester / viscose / cotton blends These fabrics are often designed for softness, drape, comfort, or a more premium feel. Some mixed fabric blends are used for fashion-style garments, retail-quality T-shirts, or eco-conscious clothing. Best for: Premium T-shirts, fashion garments, soft-touch clothing, eco-conscious ranges, and lightweight casualwear.

What About Organic, Recycled, Ringspun, and Stretch Fabrics?

Some fabric terms describe the fibre type, while others describe a special feature. For example: Organic means the cotton has been grown organically. Recycled means part of the fabric is made from recycled material. Ringspun means the cotton yarn has been spun to feel softer and smoother. Stretch usually means the fabric includes elastane or spandex for flexibility. LENZING™ ECOVERO™ is a branded viscose fibre often used in more eco-conscious garments. These are important details, but they are not always used as main fabric categories. Instead, we show them in the product details so you can understand the exact fabric composition.

Which Fabric Should You Choose?

If you want a soft, breathable garment, choose Cotton. If you want a cotton-feel garment with better durability, choose Cotton Rich Blend. If you want practical, reliable uniforms or workwear, choose Polycotton. If you want lightweight, durable, quick-drying, or performance clothing, choose Polyester. If you need waterproof or outdoor-style garments, choose Nylon. If you are choosing hats or winter accessories, choose Acrylic. If you want a softer fashion-style fabric or a fabric with multiple fibres, choose Mixed Fabric Blend.  

Final Advice

There is no single best fabric for every customer. The right choice depends on how the garment will be used. For everyday comfort, cotton is a strong choice. For uniforms and workwear, polycotton is usually more practical. For sportswear, jackets, and performance clothing, polyester or nylon may be better. For premium casual garments, cotton rich and mixed fabric blends can offer a softer, more modern feel. Our fabric filter is designed to make this choice easier, helping you find the right garment for printing, embroidery, DTF heat transfer, or personalised workwear. Here is full