PB FABRIC FACTS
No fabric has as many faces as cotton. Think jersey, denim, poplin, muslin, twill: they all look totally different while being made of the same material: cotton. It's understandable that you might occasionally get confused.
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PB FABRIC FACTS
We answer the most frequently asked questions
Blog by:
Marissa
Do you have an urgent question about a particular fabric and its properties? Marissa knows everything about fabrics and provides the best maintenance tips. Additionally, she has a talent for mixing and matching styles and materials with a contemporary nonchalance.
Despite innovative materials like Tencel popping up like mushrooms, a whopping 40% of all our clothing is still made from cotton. Cotton is strong, easy-care, moisture-absorbent, breathable, and easy to dye. It's the ideal material for basics like T-shirts and jeans. However, this mix of superb qualities is not the main reason. You can compare cotton to a blank canvas. The appearance of the final cloth can be completely customized. Sounds like every designer's dream, right?
Back to that blank canvas. The way cotton yarns are woven or knitted obviously determines the fabric's appearance. But the spinning process, thread count, and fineness of the yarn are also important factors. This is what makes cotton behave like a true chameleon. A machine-knitted, fine yarn with high thread count results in a fluid jersey fabric while a coarser, twill woven yarn woven produces denim. The it-fabric summer version? Muslin. It's a double-woven fabric made from highly twisted yarns with a low thread count, creating that characteristic bubbly texture.
Is cotton just cotton? Far from it. The quality—and therefore the price—depends on the type of cotton. Egyptian cotton (also known as Giza cotton) - like Baindoux uses in their collection - is handpicked to preserve the fiber's original state. The longer the fiber, the stronger and more supple the fabric. This especially applies to Pima cotton, the Rolls-Royce among all cotton types. Additionally, treatments like mercerization or combing of cotton yarns can alter the appearance. These treatments remove imperfections from the yarn, resulting in a finer, stronger, and glossier fabric. These high-quality cotton types and treatments come with a higher price tag, but they offer a garment that not only feels more comfortable and drapes better, but also lasts longer.
Although cotton is a natural and biodegradable material, and its production involves relatively low CO2 emissions, growing cotton plants requires a significant amount of land, water, and unfortunately, pesticides and chemicals. On the other hand, a garment made from high-quality cotton lasts a long time. Moreover, many brands now exclusively use organic cotton, which involves the use of natural pesticides. Therefore, consciously purchasing a cotton garment is still better than buying a completely sustainable item you wouldn’t wear that often.
