Polyester vs cotton
Cotton breathes and feels good on skin; polyester doesn't crease or shrink and dries fast, but traps sweat and odour.
Choose polyester
Sport, travel, coats and linings
Choose cotton
Next-to-skin wear, hot weather
Polyester
- Hardly creases or shrinks
- Quick-drying, durable and cheap
- Breathes poorly, holds odour
- Sheds microplastics in the wash
- Melts under a hot iron
Cotton
- Breathes and absorbs moisture
- Hypoallergenic, good for sensitive skin
- Washes easily, even hot
- Creases
- Shrinks in heat, especially jersey
- Slow to dry
| Polyester | Cotton | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Synthetic | Natural plant fibre |
| Made from | Petroleum (PET plastic); recycled polyester comes from PET bottles. | The fluffy fibre around cotton plant seeds. |
| Feel | Smooth and light; can feel warm and sweaty. | Cool, dry and kind to skin; softens with age. |
| Shrinks? | No – polyester hardly shrinks, unless washed or ironed very hot. | Yes – cotton shrinks in hot water and the dryer, especially as a knit. Wash at 30 °C and dry without heat. |
| Used for | Sportswear, dresses, coats, linings, fleece. | T-shirts, shirts, jeans, underwear, bedding. |
More comparisons
Questions and answers
Frequently asked
01Which is better, polyester or cotton?
Cotton breathes and feels good on skin; polyester doesn't crease or shrink and dries fast, but traps sweat and odour.
02Which is more breathable?
Cotton breathes better.
03Which creases less?
Polyester creases less.