Cotton vs. Polyester Tunics: How Do They Compare?
Tunics are comfortable and elegant, while still being approachable and fun. Picking out the perfect tunic for an occasion can easily make for a showstopper of an outfit.
Not every tunic, of course, will always suit a wearer and event as well as certain others. While patterns and cuts matter, the choice of fabric has a lot of impact on how well a tunic wears and looks.
The two most popular tunic materials are natural cotton and artificial polyester. There are excellent reasons to choose either of these, so every wardrobe should contain at least one tunic made from each fabric. Learn more about how cotton and polyester perform when turned into tunics, and you will become even more adept at leveraging the strengths of this popular type of top.
Two Versatile Fabrics With Very Different Origins
Tunics available from retailers like www.fillyflair.com are often available in at least a few different materials. Of the most common options, cotton and polyester tower over the rest.
Cotton is a natural fiber that has been used to make fabric and clothing for thousands of years. Light, fluffy strands of cotton harvested from plants are processed and spun into threads that can then be woven into fabrics.
Polyester is a very different beast, arising as a raw material within shiny, sterile rooms where ingredients like petroleum byproducts undergo chemical processing. When polyester was first introduced to the market, it was positioned as a futuristic fabric. That sheen wore off fairly quickly, thanks largely to overuse, but more modern, mature forms of polyester have become popular with practically minded fans of fashion.
Cotton and Polyester Tunics Could Hardly be More Distinct
Both cotton and polyester can be used to produce tunics and quite often are. Cotton tends to have a softer feel, but that depends, to an extent, on the nap and weave of the particular fabric employed. Polyester often has a sheen that makes it seem silkier than warmer, rougher cotton.
Cotton is often used to produce products where absorbency is important, and that fact has some implications for tunics. A cotton-based tunic will absorb and hold onto perspiration and spills, whereas most polyester fabrics let moisture pass right through.
That makes polyester feel more breathable and cooler against the skin, making it a great choice for tunics when warm conditions are expected. The somewhat less-breezy feel of cotton, though, can help it provide a touch of welcome warmth even in the form of a lightweight tunic.
Cotton and polyester both take well to dying, printing, and other embellishing processes of appropriate kinds. Cotton is available in everything from featherweight weaves like sateen to heavy ones like denim. Polyester can be found in forms ranging from those that try to mimic silk to others that are almost as fuzzy as fleece.
Both Cotton and Polyester Can Make for Excellent Tunics
Both fabrics, in other words, are quite versatile, despite having some distinctive characteristics. Neither should ever be seen as the ultimate choice for tunics in general, but there are excellent reasons why both are so often used to make such garments.
Learn to appreciate the strengths of both cotton and polyester, and you will find it even easier to choose and wear tunics with style. Anyone who loves looking and feeling great will do well to learn about what cotton and polyester have to offer when used to make tunics.
