With a lot of duplicates available in the market, it is especially hard for people to find and identify pure cotton. There are a variety of blended cotton fabrics available in the market, however there are various ways to identify the pure one.
In this article, we will be discussing different ways of identifying the pure cotton fabric. So, without a further ado, let’s get into it.
Understanding the Fabric
Cotton is a natural textile material that is grown from the cotton plant with seeds. It is then strung as yarn and later knitted or woven to get cloth or fabric as the finished product. Pure cotton fabrics have several distinctive characteristics:
- Softness: To start with, it is worth noting that cotton is an extremely comfortable material, which does not irritate the skin at all.
- Breathability: Most importantly, it provides breathability, and is comfortable to wear in hot or warm weather.
- Absorbency: Cotton can absorb moisture, which is the reason why cotton is used for production of towels and any article of clothing that is used for exercising.
- Durability: They are also durable fabrics especially when made from high quality material like the cotton fabrics which are resistant to the harsh effects of washing.
Understanding these features is crucial when trying to compare cotton with other textiles like polyester, rayon, or blends. So, here are a few ways to see if the fabric is pure cotton or not:
#1 Visual Inspection
The first thing that should be done is to examine the product, especially the fabric carefully, in order to determine its purity in terms of containing only pure cotton fabric. Here’s what to look for:
- Weave and Texture: Generally, pure cotton fabrics have a balanced warp and weft placement. The threads should be closely knit but not too dense, and let through a minimal amount of air. In contrast, synthetic fibers might be more lustrous or smoother because they are not woven from natural cotton.
- Color: Cotton fabrics are relatively soft and have a great bond with dyes (natural and synthetic), therefore; the garments should have good color strength and evenness. If they feel slippery or shiny the fabric could be synthetic in nature or contain jute material.
- Wrinkles: Cotton wrinkles easily. The elasticity test can also be used; if you could take the two pieces of the fabric between your fingers and twist or squeeze them and realize that the fabric is hard to return to the original shape then it is probably cotton. Synthetics/blends usually come along with easy iron or wrinkle-free properties.
#2 Fabric Touch and Feel
The physical experience of fabric can reveal a lot about its composition:
- Softness: True cotton should be smooth and have a satiny feel on the body.
- Warmth: hold the fabric against your cheek or your arm, and see which one is cool. The fabric which feels cool against your skin, might be the real cotton fabric. Cotton is lighter in weight, making it easy to let air pass through which is the reason why it feels cold when touched, while synthetics are warm, because they don’t let the air pass through.
- Weight: While synthetics may be flimsy and feel lighter to the touch, cotton usually has a thicker, slightly denser feel.
#3 Burn Test
A burn test is a very reliable way to identify pure cotton, though it should be done with caution and in a safe environment:
- Cut a Small Sample: Use only a tiny part of the fabric carrying the logo.
- Use a Flame: This can be done by placing the sample on a glass slide and holding it using tweezers, then moving it over a flame.
- Observe the Reaction: Specifically, the pure cotton C40 sample burns steadily with a yellow flame which looks like overheated metal and gives out a smell like that of burning paper. When it cools, it is characterized by soft, gray ash that does not cling on but rather falls apart when touched lightly.
- Synthetic Response: Synthetic fibers including polyester moves up and melts close to the flame and in the end gives out a smell resembling chemicals or candy.
Conclusion
In the process of identifying pure cotton fabric, it is advisable to use visual inspection, feel the fabric and analyze it with the help of scientific methods. Hence, based on the knowledge of the characteristics of cotton fabric, you will be able to identify the real cotton. This knowledge enables you to keep picking the best and comfortable as well as durable cotton fabrics for your clothing or projects for the many benefits that go with use of pure natural cotton.
If you are looking for products that are made from the real cotton, make sure that you check out Raworiya’s collection of cotton Kurtis, Sarees, Shirts, Lehengas cholis, etc. they are made with the premium quality cotton, which not only provides you with comfort, but also makes sure that you stay cool under the garment. So, what are you waiting for? Go ahead and check out our wide collection of Cotton Garments.
