Grey cotton fabrics

How to recognise quality cotton fabric

Cotton is a versatile fabric renowned for its comfort, breathability, and ease of care. It’s also a great choice for those who are prone to allergies. You can use cotton fabric in a number of ways, including to make clothing, bedding, soft furnishings and more. But selecting the right cotton fabric for your crafts project can potentially be difficult, especially since price isn’t always a clear indicator of quality. Provided below are some key points to keep in mind:

• Higher quality cotton fabrics tend to be 100% natural and made from long fibres like Pima, Supima, or Egyptian cotton. The longer fibres are stronger, more resistant to tearing. You sometimes find cotton fabrics that pill quickly. This happens when short, low-strength fibres are woven with longer, high-strength fibres. The weaker fibres eventually wear away, leaving the stronger fibres tangled up or pilled.
• The weave of a fabric, or how its fibres are interlaced, is also an important factor to consider. There are many types of cotton weaves, so it’s a good idea to learn which one fits your craft project best. For example, plain weave cotton results in smooth and strong fabric that’s easy to work with, twill weave cotton is thicker and more sturdy, while sateen weave cotton is luxuriously soft and smooth with a subtle sheen.
• Cotton fabrics come in lightweight (30 to 150 gsm), medium-weight (150 to 250 gsm), and heavyweight (250 to 600 gsm) options. Lightweight cotton fabric like voile is perfect for summer clothing and sheer curtains. Medium-weight cotton fabric like poplin is versatile and can be used to make shirts, dresses, bed sheets and plenty more. Heavyweight cotton fabric offers structure for bags, jackets, and upholstery.
• Cotton fabrics can be pre-washed for a softer feel or come in a more crisp, natural state. Brushed cotton, like flannel, has a soft, napped finish ideal for winter wear. Mercerized cotton undergoes a treatment for added lustre and strength.

When looking for cotton fabric, always keep in mind the intended use of the cotton fabric, and make sure you order plenty of samples. It’s a good idea to see the fabric in natural light rather than on your screen, as the colour settings on your computer may not be true to life. What’s more, if you have samples you can judge the cotton fabric by their feel. Often a high quality cotton fabric will look less rumpled than a low quality cotton fabric after you squeeze it.