Cotton Vs Polyester T Shirts – tshirtprintlondon.co.uk

Cotton and polyester t-shirt fabric comparison

Cotton and polyester are the two most common t-shirt fabrics, but they suit very different projects — here's how to choose between them with confidence.

1. Comfort and Feel

Cotton is soft, breathable, and generally more comfortable for everyday casual wear, while polyester is lightweight and moisture-wicking, making it better suited to active or sports use.

2. Durability and Care

Polyester resists wrinkling and shrinking better than cotton, and dries much faster after washing — a practical advantage for uniforms and activewear that see frequent use.

3. Printing Method Compatibility

Cotton works beautifully with screen printing, DTF, DTG, and embroidery. Polyester is required for sublimation printing, since the sublimation dye only bonds correctly with synthetic fibers.

4. Choosing Between Them

Choose cotton for everyday casual tees, corporate wear, and most standard printing methods. Choose polyester for sports jerseys, gym wear, or any design needing sublimation printing.

💡 Pro Tip

If your project needs sublimation printing, polyester isn't optional — it's a requirement, so confirm your printing method before choosing fabric.

Factor	Cotton	Polyester
Feel	Soft, breathable	Lightweight, moisture-wicking
Best For	Everyday wear, uniforms	Sports, activewear
Printing	Screen, DTF, DTG, embroidery	Sublimation (required)
Care	Can shrink if not pre-shrunk	Resists shrinking and wrinkling

Key Takeaways

Cotton is softer and better for everyday, casual wear.
Polyester is lightweight and better for sports and activewear.
Sublimation printing requires polyester or poly-blend fabric.
Cotton works with most other printing methods.
Choose based on both comfort needs and your printing method.

Yes, though cotton is generally considered more comfortable for everyday wear.

Yes, with plastisol inks designed for synthetic fabrics.

The dye needs polyester's fiber structure to bond correctly.

Cotton and polyester both embroider well.

Cotton is more prone to shrinkage unless pre-shrunk.

Cotton is generally considered more breathable for casual wear.

Yes, we can supply both fabric types within the same order.

A durable middle ground for workwear and uniforms.

Pricing varies by supplier and garment style, not fabric type alone.

Tell us your use case and printing method, and we'll recommend the best fit.

Priya Sharma

Design Lead at TShirtPrintLondon, specializing in fabric selection and printing compatibility.

Cotton vs Polyester T-Shirts

In This Article

1. Comfort and Feel

2. Durability and Care

3. Printing Method Compatibility