What is the difference between cotton, satin, and percale?
May 02, 2022
Here is some useful information about these fabrics.
Let’s start with the basics: they are all cotton fabrics. But what are the differences?
- Weave
- Thread count
- Fabric finishing
Depending on the type of processing, we distinguish different fabrics. In general, the following rule applies: the higher the number of cotton threads, the greater the strength of the material. So, we can have a sparse and light cotton fabric or a denser and heavier one.
COTTON
Pure cotton is a strong plant fiber. Cotton is woven with a plain weave, which is the simplest and most used. This weave makes cotton the most compact and durable fabric because it has the highest number of binding points. Fabrics made with this weave have no right or wrong side; both sides of the fabric look the same.
For our 100% cotton products, we use 30/30 plain weave.
Brushed cotton is the most prized. Each item is made with a satin weave; this processing gives the fabric its natural shine and a smooth feel to the touch. Cotton satin fabrics have very different front and back sides.
PERCALE
Percale cotton is a particularly fine fabric, made with the same technique as cotton but composed of finer and higher quality threads. The greater the number of threads used, the higher the quality.
The result is a soft and velvety fabric to the touch, used to make high-quality linen. For our products, we mainly use 210-thread Percale cotton.
THREAD COUNT
Thread count is the conventional notation referring to fineness, that is, thickness.
With the indirect numbering system, the thread count is derived from the ratio between a length (variable) and a weight (fixed). The higher the number expressing the count, the finer the thread.
FABRIC FINISHING
“Textile finishing” means the treatments to which the textile material is subjected during processing to improve subsequent treatments such as dyeing or final performance.
Now that you have discovered all the features, explore our products