Let's Talk: Clothing. Cotton vs. Polyester.
April 27, 2021We get it. You want to live a more eco-friendly life, but sometimes it can be a little overwhelming. Where do you start? Grocery bags? Water bottles? Solar panels? As of late, there has been an increased focus on what lives in our closet - should you buy 100% cotton garments? Is polyester always worse? Is a 50/50 blend the way to go? Or should you only purchase second hand? Take a breather. We're in this together and taking small steps can go a long way. ✌️
Let's talk clothing: we've recently had to do some digging for our clothing development process. Choosing the best materials is of upmost importance to us here at Tree Tribe, but it doesn't come easy - we spend a lot of time researching where to start, too! Lately, we've come across some information that seemed too important not to share. So, buckle up!
Cotton or Polyester? This debate is still alive and well. At face value, cotton fabrics seem like the obvious choice: they're made from natural fibers from cotton plants. Polyester, on the other hand is a synthetic material. Naturally, a lot of us would think (me included!) that 100% cotton is the way to go...
As it turns out, a 50/50 cotton/poly blend material may be the better choice for your wardrobe. According to the European Textile Services Association, especially for workwear, a cotton/polyester blend takes the cake and produces less greenhouse gases. Likewise, some research into Fibre2Fashion lands with similar conclusions. Ready for the rundown? 👇
- Polyester and its blends creates 10% less CO2 than 100% cotton wear, when considering the entire lifespan.
- Polyester is stronger and more chemically resistant than 100% cotton, resulting in a longer life span for the garment.
- Cotton takes a ton of water to produce and is often produced in a non sustainable way.
- Polyester takes less water to produce, but more energy.
- Polyester and its blends, due to lower moisture regain, take less energy to dry than 100% cotton garments.