Cotton vs polycotton: which for a kurta?

What polyester changes

Cotton is a plant fibre that soaks up moisture; polyester is a synthetic that absorbs almost none. Blending them trades some of cotton’s comfort for some of polyester’s convenience, and the balance shifts with the proportions.

• Creasing: polyester springs back from a fold, so a blend comes off the line smoother and stays neater through the day.
• Breathability: cotton takes moisture off the skin. A blend moves less of it, so it can feel clammy in humid heat even when the cloth is thin.
• Shrinkage: cotton can shrink in its first wash. Polyester holds its size, so blends are steadier.
• Colour: polyester holds dye firmly, so blends fade more slowly. Cotton softens in colour over many washes.
• Pilling: blends pill more. Polyester fibres are strong enough to hold the little balls of fluff on the surface, where cotton fluff would break away. Our guide to pilling, static and shine shows how to deal with it.
• Ironing: cotton takes a hot iron. A blend needs a cooler one, or the polyester can glaze and shine.
• Smell and stains: polyester tends to hold body odour and oily marks more stubbornly than cotton.

Is polycotton breathable?

Moderately. Air passes through any cloth according to how openly it is woven, so a light, loosely woven polycotton lets a breeze through. What it does less well is deal with sweat: the cotton part absorbs, the polyester part does not, and the more polyester there is, the sooner the fabric feels damp against the skin.

A cotton-rich blend in a light weave is comfortable in mild weather and air-conditioning. In fierce or humid heat, a pure cotton such as lawn or cambric is noticeably more comfortable.

Reading the percentages

Labels normally list fibres from the largest share to the smallest. The numbers tell you which fibre is in charge.

• 65 per cent polyester, 35 per cent cotton: the classic polycotton. It behaves mostly like polyester: very little creasing, quick drying, warmer to wear.
• Half and half: a middle ground, smoother than cotton and cooler than the classic blend.
• 60 per cent cotton or more: a cotton-rich blend, sometimes marked CVC. It feels close to cotton, with fewer creases.
• A few per cent of elastane: added for stretch, usually in trousers. It does not change how the fabric breathes very much.

When there is no label

A name tells you less than the numbers. Fabric sold as cotton, or even as lawn, is sometimes a blend, so look for the composition first. Our guide to reading an unstitched suit label shows where it is printed.

With no label at all, crush a corner in your fist for a few seconds. Cotton holds sharp creases; a blend opens out almost flat. A blend also tends to feel slightly smoother and cooler to the first touch, and it dries much faster after a splash of water.

Choosing for the kurta you have in mind

Whichever you prefer, say so when you ask for a quote. With Fabric + Stitching, tell us whether cool comfort or easy care matters more, and we propose a fabric with photos and a description and agree it with you before cutting. If you are sending your own fabric, the custom stitching page explains both routes.

• Hot or humid weather, long days outdoors: pure cotton.
• Sensitive skin: pure cotton, or a blend only where it does not sit against the skin.
• Packing and long journeys: a cotton-rich blend. Our travel-friendly kurtas article has more options.
• Work kurtas worn all day in air-conditioning: either, though a blend is crisper by the evening.
• Deep colours you want to keep deep: a blend holds them longer.