Cotton is a soft, fluffy fiber that grows in a boll, or protective case, around the seeds of the cotton plants of the genus Gossypium in the mallow family Malvaceae. – Wikipedia
Where is cotton sourced from?
There are four commercially grown species of cotton that derive from the following locations:
1. Upland Cotton – 90% of world production sourced from Central America, Mexico, the Caribbean and Florida.
2. Extra-long Staple Cotton – 8% of world production sourced from South America.
3. Tree Cotton – less than 2% sourced from India and Pakistan.
4. Levant Cotton – less than 2% sourced from Africa and Arabian Peninsula.
– Wikipedia
How does high quality cotton apparel feel?
It is easy to think if a t-shirt is a substantial weight or has a heavy feel to it, that it must be of good quality. In reality, it tends to be the opposite. We’ll talk more about ring spun cotton vs. carded open-end later, but for now just take our word for it. Simply, the quality of cotton in a t-shirt or sweatshirt can be determined by the way it feels and the way it wears. High quality cotton is soft and smooth to the touch, wears and washes well. A t-shirt that feels thick or heavy can also feel rough against your skin. The label of the apparel is very telling about why it feels the way it does. Polyester mixed with low quality cotton can feel amazingly soft and smooth. This along with other common synthetics such as lycra, spandex found in today’s clothing can make it challenging to determine cotton quality.
Does the quality of cotton matter when you decorate it?
It sure does! When it’s combined with high quality inks, the result is a high quality print that looks sharp and feels soft and smooth. You will also get a better cure which means the print will last longer.
What should you look for in a t-shirt or sweatshirt?
Ring spun cotton is smoother and longer than open end yarn. The term “ring spun” means that the yarn goes through an innovative spinning process that’s designed to thoroughly soften and straighten each fiber. The result? Softer, more refined fibers (aka pieces you want to wear). Want something even softer? Combed and ring-spun cotton, the kind that BELLA+CANVAS uses on all their tees means that cotton fibers are spun then combed through to remove impurities while ensuring it stays soft to the touch. Fewer impurities mean a smoother surface to print on. – BELLA+CANVAS
Carded open-end is a cheaper way of turning cotton into yarn. In this method, fibers are bound by a wrapped fiber that runs perpendicular to the bundle, whereas In ring-spun cotton, all of the fibers are aligned in the same direction. Up close you can see that carded open end fiber is bulky, fuzzy and creates an uneven knit. – BELLA+CANVAS
The industry standard used to be carded open-end, but as people become more educated in fabric and feel the difference in quality, more and more are moving towards 100% combed and ring-spun. -BELLA+CANVAS
Now the next time you’re looking to order t-shirts or hoodies in bulk for decoration, you’ll be informed and better prepared to select the right blank.
