Tool
Compare fabrics
Eight materials, seven properties and one rule: these are typical tendencies, not laboratory figures.
Softness
1 = crisp, firmer5 = very soft to the touch
- Egyptian cotton 5/5 very high
- Pima / Supima 5/5 very high
- Regular cotton 3/5 medium
- Organic cotton 3/5 medium
- Linen 2/5 moderate
- Bamboo viscose 5/5 very high
- Lyocell 4/5 high
- Polyester 3/5 medium
Breathability
1 = traps heat and moisture5 = lets heat and moisture escape very well
- Egyptian cotton 4/5 high
- Pima / Supima 4/5 high
- Regular cotton 4/5 high
- Organic cotton 4/5 high
- Linen 5/5 very high
- Bamboo viscose 4/5 high
- Lyocell 4/5 high
- Polyester 1/5 low
Warmth
1 = feels cool5 = holds warmth
- Egyptian cotton 2/5 moderate
- Pima / Supima 2/5 moderate
- Regular cotton 2/5 moderate
- Organic cotton 2/5 moderate
- Linen 1/5 low
- Bamboo viscose 2/5 moderate
- Lyocell 2/5 moderate
- Polyester 3/5 medium
Drying speed
1 = dries slowly5 = dries quickly
- Egyptian cotton 2/5 moderate
- Pima / Supima 2/5 moderate
- Regular cotton 2/5 moderate
- Organic cotton 2/5 moderate
- Linen 4/5 high
- Bamboo viscose 2/5 moderate
- Lyocell 3/5 medium
- Polyester 5/5 very high
Durability
1 = more prone to wear5 = withstands plenty of washing and use
- Egyptian cotton 4/5 high
- Pima / Supima 4/5 high
- Regular cotton 3/5 medium
- Organic cotton 3/5 medium
- Linen 5/5 very high
- Bamboo viscose 2/5 moderate
- Lyocell 3/5 medium
- Polyester 5/5 very high
Easy care
1 = needs gentle handling5 = ordinary washing, no fuss
- Egyptian cotton 4/5 high
- Pima / Supima 4/5 high
- Regular cotton 4/5 high
- Organic cotton 4/5 high
- Linen 3/5 medium
- Bamboo viscose 2/5 moderate
- Lyocell 3/5 medium
- Polyester 5/5 very high
Tendency to crease
1 = hardly creases5 = creases a lot
- Egyptian cotton 3/5 medium
- Pima / Supima 3/5 medium
- Regular cotton 3/5 medium
- Organic cotton 3/5 medium
- Linen 5/5 very high
- Bamboo viscose 4/5 high
- Lyocell 3/5 medium
- Polyester 1/5 low
Typical use
- Egyptian cotton Percale and sateen bed linen, fine shirtings
- Pima / Supima Quality knitwear, shirts, bed linen
- Regular cotton Almost everything – from denim to duvet covers
- Organic cotton Jersey, children’s clothing, bed linen
- Linen Summer shirts and dresses, duvet covers, kitchen textiles
- Bamboo viscose Pyjamas, socks, “bamboo” bed linen
- Lyocell Drapey clothing, sateen bed linen
- Polyester Sports shirts, duvet fillings, polycotton bed linen
Ratings are relative tendencies on a five-point scale, not laboratory measurements. The same material can behave very differently depending on the weave, yarn, finish and weight. How we rate
Notes on the materials
- Egyptian cotton
- An Egyptian origin does not by itself guarantee extra-long staple: Egypt also grows long-staple varieties. What matters is the variety, the yarn and the weave. More
- Pima and Supima
- The same botanical species as Egyptian cotton. Supima is a trademark for American Pima cotton grown in the USA. More
- Regular cotton
- The most widely grown type of cotton. Well-made regular cotton can feel nicer than badly made “premium” cotton. More
- Organic cotton
- “Organic” describes the farming method and the certification, not the properties of the fibre. That is why it scores the same as regular cotton. More
- Linen
- Creases a great deal – a flaw to some, character to others. Stonewashed linen is soft from the start. More
- Bamboo viscose
- In the EU the label should say “viscose”. Antibacterial claims made for bamboo do not carry over to viscose. More
- Lyocell
- Lyocell is not a natural fibre in the way cotton or linen are – its raw material is natural cellulose, but the fibre itself is made in a factory.
- Polyester
- In this index it serves as a point of comparison. Many people find it warmer and “sweatier” against the skin because it does not absorb moisture.