Materials
Fabric composition data and analysis — breathability, durability, sustainability, and care — backed by textile science and peer-reviewed research.
Silk vs Satin: What's the Difference? (Fiber vs Weave)
Silk is a fiber; satin is a weave — and a fabric can be both. Data table comparing silk, polyester satin, and cotton sateen by regain, momme, and care.
Micromodal vs Cotton Underwear: Fiber Data, Microbial Behavior, and FTC Labeling
Micromodal vs cotton underwear: fiber diameter, moisture regain, GSM, microbial behavior, and FTC labeling compared with sourced numbers, not marketing claims.
Lenzing Modal vs Cotton: Branded vs Generic Modal, and the Fiber Comparison Data
Lenzing Modal vs cotton compared on moisture regain, tenacity, μm, GSM, pilling, and Higg MSI — with cited test methods (ASTM, AATCC, ISO, Morton & Hearle).
What Is Modal Jersey Fabric? Properties, GSM, and Care
Modal jersey is a knit fabric made from beech-wood-derived modal fiber, typically 130–260 GSM. Compare properties, blends, and care vs cotton jersey.
Pima vs Supima Cotton: HVI Data and Verification, Compared
Pima and Supima are the same cotton species. The real difference is origin verification — see HVI staple, micronaire, strength data and the Oritain test.
What Is Mercerized Cotton? Process, Properties, and Data
Mercerized cotton is cotton treated under tension with concentrated sodium hydroxide. Compare strength, dye uptake, and moisture regain — with cited test data.
Viscose Shrinkage: How Much, Why, and How to Prevent It
Viscose shrinks 3–15% in the wash, driven by moisture regain, lateral fiber swelling, and tension release. Sourced ranges by structure, plus prevention.
Sustainable Hemp Fabric: LCA Data, Processing Pathways, and Certifications
Hemp fabric LCA: 300-700 L water/kg mechanical, 9-15 t CO2/ha sequestration, hemp viscose carries CS2/NaOH solvent footprint. Sourced comparison table.
T-Shirt Pilling: Causes, Fixes, and Fabrics That Resist It
Why t-shirts pill, what ASTM D3512 grades measure, which fabrics resist pilling, the fabric softener myth — explained with cited textile research.
Why Is Hemp Clothing So Expensive? Cost Breakdown and Comparison
Hemp clothing costs 3-5x more than cotton: per-yard tables ($15-30/yd hemp vs $5-15/yd cotton), per-step decomposition, cost-per-year math, and US history.
Linen vs Cotton: The Difference in Fiber, Fabric, and Performance
Linen vs cotton compared on fiber diameter, GSM, thermal conductivity, moisture regain, durability, and sustainability — measurable values with primary sources.
Is Hemp Itchy? Why Raw Hemp Feels Scratchy and How It Softens
Raw hemp's 2-5% lignin causes initial scratchiness. Enzyme washing and 5-10 laundry cycles soften it. Hand-feel data and label decoder, sourced.
Is Nylon the Same as Polyester? Polymer & Fabric Differences
No — nylon is a polyamide, polyester is most often PET. Compare moisture regain, abrasion (ASTM D4157), UV resistance, and cost with cited fabric data.
Types of Gauze Fabric: 12 Varieties Compared by Data
Compare 12 types of gauze fabric — cotton, double, muslin, cheesecloth, leno, surgical, silk — by weave, GSM, transparency, and use. ASTM and USP data.
Hemp vs Polyester: Fiber Chemistry, Microplastics, and Cost Compared
Hemp vs polyester compared on regain (12% vs 0.4%), peer-reviewed microplastic shedding (Napper 2016, De Falco 2018), biodegradation, and the 7x cost gap.
Hemp vs Bamboo: Bast Fiber vs Bamboo Viscose Compared
Hemp vs bamboo compared: tenacity (50-62 vs 18-26 cN/tex), wet strength, 5 bamboo fabric types, FTC 16 CFR 303 rulings, and $8.06M in bamboo-labeling penalties.
Is Bamboo Cooler Than Cotton? Comparing Fiber and Fabric Data
Bamboo viscose has higher fiber moisture regain than cotton, but peer-reviewed comfort tests show no significant cooling advantage. Full data inside.
Hemp Fabric Properties: Fiber-Level Data and Comparisons
Hemp fabric properties with measurable data: 12% moisture regain, 277 MPa tensile strength, 55-72% cellulose. Compared with cotton, linen, polyester.
Hemp vs Linen: Fiber Chemistry, Strength, and Sustainability Compared
Hemp vs linen compared on tenacity (cN/tex), cellulose and lignin %, water (L/kg), GSM ranges, and identification. The 8× stronger myth, debunked.
Linen vs Cotton Pants: Fiber Data, GSM, Wrinkle and Climate Comparison
Linen vs cotton pants compared by fiber diameter, GSM, moisture regain, thermal conductivity, and AATCC 66 wrinkle recovery — with ASTM/ISO data and blends.
Hemp vs Cotton: Fiber Strength, Water Use, and Cost Compared
Hemp vs cotton compared on tenacity (cN/tex), water use (L/kg), pesticide share, GSM ranges, cellulose chemistry, and certifications — with sources.
Peace Silk Fabric: Properties, Types, and What the Data Shows
Peace silk fabric data: spun-staple vs reeled, GSM and momme ranges, fiber diameter, tensile strength, certifications, and the moth-biology reality.
REPREVE Recycled Polyester: Properties, Production, and Verified Sustainability Data
REPREVE is Unifi's branded recycled PET fiber. Polymer specs, 2023 LCA numbers (42-60% lower GHG), microfiber shedding evidence, and U-TRUST verification.
What Is Elastane Fabric Made Of? Composition, Chemistry, and Production
Elastane is at least 85% segmented polyurethane built from MDI, a macroglycol, and a diamine chain extender — see the chemistry, regulations, and data.
Is Cotton More Expensive Than Polyester? 2026 Price Data
Cotton vs polyester prices in $/lb: ICE Cotton #2 at 79.45¢/lb (Apr 2026) vs US PSF at ~56.5¢/lb (Dec 2025). 10-year history, rPET premium, Pima tiers.
Is Polyester Better Than Cotton? A Data-Driven Comparison
Polyester vs cotton compared on moisture regain (0.4% vs 7-8.5%), durability, breathability, microplastics — measurable values and citations.
Linen Polyester Blend: Properties, Ratios, and Tested Performance Data
Linen polyester blend explained with measurable data — RET, GSM (110–420 g/m²), AATCC 135 shrinkage, Martindale abrasion, microfiber shedding, care.
Does Cotton Breathe Better Than Polyester? Lab Data
Cotton vs polyester breathability data: cotton scores 14% higher (159.58 vs 139.85 cc/s/cm²) in air permeability testing. But fabric weight matters more.
Is Recycled Polyester Better? What the Data Shows
Recycled polyester uses 45-85% less energy but sheds 55% more microplastics. Compare rPET vs virgin polyester on cost, safety, durability, and certifications.
Shirt Fabric Types: A Data Guide to Weaves and Fibers
Compare every shirt fabric type — poplin, oxford, twill, herringbone, linen, polyester — by GSM, yarn count, moisture regain, and formality. Cited data.
Why Does Polyester Make Me Itch? The Finish, Not the Fiber
Polyester itching is usually caused by chemical finishes — not the fiber itself. Learn which chemicals trigger reactions and how to stop the itch fast.
Why Does Polyester Make You Smell? The Fiber Science
Why does polyester smell? Its hydrophobic fibers trap oily sweat and host odor-causing bacteria that survive washing. Peer-reviewed science and proven fixes.