About fabrics

Cotton

A natural fabric from the fibre of the cotton plant: it breathes, absorbs moisture and feels good on the skin. Here is what kinds there are and how to choose a piece.

Cotton suiting from our shop, piece A0016

Naturalfibre from cotton bolls
up to 5 %can shrink at the first wash
1.5–3 mfor a shirt or a dress
30–40 °Cusual wash

Where cotton comes from

Cotton is a fibre that grows in the bolls of the cotton plant. When a boll ripens it splits open, and a fluffy white wad comes out. It is cleaned, spun into yarn and woven.

The fibre is almost pure cellulose. That is why cotton breathes, absorbs moisture well and rarely irritates the skin, and it takes any dye easily.

Cotton plant: flower, boll and an open boll with its fibre · Photo: Alabama Extension, CC0, Wikimedia Commons

Cotton plant: a flower, a green boll and an open boll with white fibre — Cotton plant: flower, boll and an open boll with its fibre · Photo: Alabama Extension, CC0, Wikimedia Commons

Kinds of cotton fabric

Fine and light: batiste, poplin, calico. For shirts, blouses, summer dresses and underwear.

Dense: twill, denim, cotton suiting. They hold their shape, so trousers, skirts, jackets and outerwear are made of them. These are the pieces our shop has most often.

Brushed: flannel and flannelette. Warm and soft, for shirts and home clothes. Tartan deserves a mention too: the check is often woven in cotton.

Red cotton tartan with blue, yellow and white checks — Cotton blend tartan, piece A0002

Cotton blends

Elastane is added so the fabric stretches: in our shop that is «Stretch cotton», for fitted trousers and skirts. Polyester makes it stronger and less prone to creasing: that is «Cotton blend».

Pure cotton breathes better, a blend wears more practically. Choose for the garment: pure cotton for a summer shirt, a blend is fine for everyday trousers.

How much fabric you need

At 1.4 to 1.5 m wide: a shirt or blouse 1.5 to 2 m, a dress 2 to 3 m, straight trousers 1.2 to 1.5 m, a skirt 0.7 to 1.5 m, a jacket 1.5 to 2 m. For a closer count see the articles on shirts, dresses, trousers and skirts.

Cotton can shrink, so allow a little extra. For tartan and other checks add another 10 to 20 % to match the pattern at the seams.

Care

Before cutting, wash the cotton the way you will wash the finished garment, and dry it. It shrinks now rather than in the finished dress. More in «Decatising».

Wash at 30 to 40 °C, colours apart from whites, iron while slightly damp. Iron dense cotton suiting inside out so it does not get shiny.

Sources

Facts checked against these pages. The text is our own.

Updated 19 October 2026

Questions

Does cotton shrink after washing?

It can, usually up to 5 %, mostly at the first wash. So wash and dry the fabric before cutting.

How is cotton different from linen?

Both are natural and breathe. Cotton is softer and creases less, linen is coarser, cooler and creases more.

What is stretch cotton?

Cotton with a little elastane, usually 2 to 5 %. It gives a bit, so it is comfortable for fitted trousers and skirts.

Cotton in the shop now

See all

Cotton

See every piece in stock, or call us if you would like advice.

All fabrics +38 050 278 89 86

About fabrics

Cotton

A natural fabric from the fibre of the cotton plant: it breathes, absorbs moisture and feels good on the skin. Here is what kinds there are and how to choose a piece.

Cotton suiting from our shop, piece A0016

Naturalfibre from cotton bolls
up to 5 %can shrink at the first wash
1.5–3 mfor a shirt or a dress
30–40 °Cusual wash

Where cotton comes from

Cotton is a fibre that grows in the bolls of the cotton plant. When a boll ripens it splits open, and a fluffy white wad comes out. It is cleaned, spun into yarn and woven.

The fibre is almost pure cellulose. That is why cotton breathes, absorbs moisture well and rarely irritates the skin, and it takes any dye easily.

Kinds of cotton fabric

Fine and light: batiste, poplin, calico. For shirts, blouses, summer dresses and underwear.

Dense: twill, denim, cotton suiting. They hold their shape, so trousers, skirts, jackets and outerwear are made of them. These are the pieces our shop has most often.

Brushed: flannel and flannelette. Warm and soft, for shirts and home clothes. Tartan deserves a mention too: the check is often woven in cotton.

Cotton blends

Elastane is added so the fabric stretches: in our shop that is «Stretch cotton», for fitted trousers and skirts. Polyester makes it stronger and less prone to creasing: that is «Cotton blend».

Pure cotton breathes better, a blend wears more practically. Choose for the garment: pure cotton for a summer shirt, a blend is fine for everyday trousers.

How much fabric you need

Cotton can shrink, so allow a little extra. For tartan and other checks add another 10 to 20 % to match the pattern at the seams.

Care

Before cutting, wash the cotton the way you will wash the finished garment, and dry it. It shrinks now rather than in the finished dress. More in «Decatising».

Wash at 30 to 40 °C, colours apart from whites, iron while slightly damp. Iron dense cotton suiting inside out so it does not get shiny.

Sources

Facts checked against these pages. The text is our own.

Updated 19 October 2026

Questions

Does cotton shrink after washing?

It can, usually up to 5 %, mostly at the first wash. So wash and dry the fabric before cutting.

How is cotton different from linen?

Both are natural and breathe. Cotton is softer and creases less, linen is coarser, cooler and creases more.

What is stretch cotton?

Cotton with a little elastane, usually 2 to 5 %. It gives a bit, so it is comfortable for fitted trousers and skirts.

Cotton in the shop now

See all

Cotton

See every piece in stock, or call us if you would like advice.

All fabrics +38 050 278 89 86