What Is Polyester Cotton Fabric?
Polyester Cotton Fabric, commonly traded as T/C or polycotton, contains polyester and cotton in blended yarns or separate warp and weft yarn systems. T/C 65/35 usually indicates 65% polyester and 35% cotton, but buyers should name both fibers and percentages because notation varies. Polyester generally supports strength, crease recovery and easier care, while cotton adds absorbency and a more natural hand. Actual performance depends on the ratio, yarn structure, weave, GSM, coloration route and finish.
Common Specifications Buyers Compare
SpecificationCommon OptionsBuyer Note
Fiber composition.Typical options include 80/20, 65/35 and 50/50 polyester/cotton, while cotton-rich blends may be described as CVC.Write both fiber names and percentages because T/C shorthand is not interpreted consistently in every market.
Blend structure.Options include intimately blended staple yarns in both directions or union constructions using different warp and weft fiber compositions.Confirm the yarn arrangement because an intimate blend behaves differently from polyester warp and cotton weft during coloration and wear.
Fabric construction.Poplin and broadcloth suit many shirts, while twill, drill and canvas are typical workwear constructions.Select the weave according to the required surface, drape, coverage and mechanical performance.
Yarn specification.Supplier-dependent options include carded or combed ring-spun yarn, compact yarn and open-end yarn.Specify yarn counts and spinning type because they affect surface cleanliness, pilling, strength, hand and cost.
Finished weight.Indicative ranges are 100-150 GSM for shirting and 180-300 GSM for general workwear, subject to construction and end use.Set finished GSM and its tolerance because finishing, coatings and moisture conditions can affect measured weight.
Finished width.Typical finished widths include 145, 150 and 160 cm, depending on loom capacity, finishing route and order requirements.State finished usable width because nominal width may include selvages or change after heat setting and finishing.
Coloration route.Options include disperse-reactive, disperse-vat and pigment coloration systems, as well as yarn dyeing and printing.Choose the route with the mill after confirming shade, order quantity, fastness and cost requirements.
Color control.Evaluation may include daylight, retail lighting and another buyer-specified source using an approved physical or digital color standard.Approve shade under agreed light sources because the polyester and cotton components can create tone differences or metamerism.
Main Applications
Industrial uniforms and general workwear.Corporate, school and hospitality uniforms.Woven shirts and shirt dresses.Medical scrubs and laboratory coats.Aprons, coveralls and service garments.Pocketing, linings and utility components.
How Buyers Should Source It
- Use 65/35 polyester and cotton as a comparison point, not a complete specification, because mills offer different qualities under the same ratio.
- For shirting, assess opacity, air permeability, pilling, crease recovery and skin-side hand on finished fabric rather than relying on composition alone.
- For workwear, prioritize construction stability, tear strength, abrasion resistance, seam performance and laundering durability alongside GSM.
- Request grey-fabric and finished-fabric details when investigating recurring shrinkage, bow, skew or width variation.
- Approve color on the specified blend and construction because changes in composition, yarn structure or surface finish can alter shade and metamerism.
- Check rubbing fastness carefully on dark navy, black and saturated shades, particularly when garments contain pale trims or are packed face to face.
- Evaluate hand and appearance after the specified wash cycle because resin, softener and mechanical finishes can change during laundering.
- Compare quotations using the same finished width, tolerances, test requirements, packing method and inspection terms to avoid misleading price differences.
- Run a garment trial before bulk production when the fabric has strict appearance, industrial-laundry, fusing or seam-performance requirements.
RFQ Checklist
- State the complete composition, such as 65% polyester and 35% cotton, instead of relying only on T/C shorthand.
- Confirm whether the fabric uses intimately blended yarns or separate fiber yarns because the arrangement affects appearance, wear and coloration.
- Specify weave, yarn counts, thread density and finished GSM with tolerances because these variables affect coverage, hand, performance and price.
- Give the finished usable width and clarify whether selvages are excluded because usable width affects garment consumption and quotation comparisons.
- Describe the garment use and identify areas exposed to abrasion, strain or seam stress so the supplier can propose a suitable construction.
- Provide the color standard, evaluation light sources and metamerism requirements because polyester and cotton components can show different tones.
- State whether the fabric is piece dyed, yarn dyed, printed or otherwise colored because the route affects minimums, cost and achievable fastness.
- Set test methods and acceptance grades for washing, rubbing, perspiration and light fastness according to garment use and color depth.
- Define dimensional-change limits after the intended home or industrial laundering cycle because cotton content, heat setting and finishing affect stability.
- Specify relevant physical tests and acceptance limits so the mill can price and validate tensile, tear, abrasion, pilling and seam performance.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Using T/C 65/35 without naming each fiber creates composition risk because suppliers may interpret blend notation differently.
- Comparing prices by GSM alone ignores yarn count, thread density, weave, usable width, dyeing route and finish.
- Assuming all 65/35 fabrics perform alike overlooks differences in fiber quality, yarn spinning, construction and finishing.
- Approving a lab dip under one light source can leave unacceptable metamerism under retail, office or factory lighting.
- Describing colorfastness as good or commercial gives the mill no test method or measurable acceptance target.
- Selecting a lightweight shirting construction for workwear can cause abrasion damage, seam failure or unacceptable show-through.
- Assuming polyester content guarantees dimensional stability ignores shrinkage, fabric relaxation and appearance changes caused by laundering, pressing or fusing.