Cotton vs Polyester Fabric: Which Is Best for Custom Jerseys?

06 January, 2026 | jhon smith

When you order custom jerseys, one of the first questions is which fabric to choose. Cotton vs polyester is the most common comparison, and both have real strengths. The right answer depends on how and where your team will wear the kit.

What Makes Cotton a Natural Favourite?

Cotton is a natural fibre that feels soft and comfortable against the skin. It is breathable in mild weather and familiar to almost everyone, which is why cotton T-shirts are so popular for casual wear, events and merchandise.

• Soft feel: comfortable for all-day casual wear.
• Breathable: good for low-intensity use in mild weather.
• Easy to print: works well with screen printing and DTF printing.

The downside for sport is that cotton absorbs sweat and holds on to it. A cotton jersey gets heavy and damp during intense play and takes a long time to dry. It can also shrink or lose its shape after repeated washing.

Is Polyester the Better Choice for Performance?

Polyester is a synthetic fibre designed for performance. It is the standard choice for professional and amateur sports jerseys for good reasons:

• Quick-drying: it moves sweat away from the body and dries fast.
• Lightweight and stretchy: modern knits move freely with the body.
• Durable: it keeps its shape and colour through regular washing.
• Perfect for sublimation: sublimation ink bonds with polyester, giving bright, permanent full-colour designs.

You can read more about how the fibre is made on Wikipedia’s polyester page.

Cotton vs Polyester: How Do They Compare?

• Sweat handling: polyester wins. It wicks and dries quickly, while cotton stays damp.
• Comfort at rest: cotton feels softer for casual wear.
• Durability: polyester holds its shape and colour better over time.
• Printing: polyester suits full sublimation; cotton suits screen and DTF printing.
• Best use: polyester for matches and training, cotton for events, merchandise and casual team wear.

Which Should You Choose?

For sports jerseys used in matches or training, choose polyester. It keeps players cooler and drier, and the sublimated design will not crack or fade. For event T-shirts, college fest merchandise or casual team wear, cotton is a comfortable and cost-effective option. Many teams order both: polyester jerseys for match days and cotton T-shirts for travel and fan merchandise.

Compare fabric weights in our fabric and GSM guide, see our cotton T-shirts, or browse our polyester sports jerseys.

What About Cotton-Polyester Blends?

Blended fabrics mix cotton and polyester to get some of the benefits of both. A blend feels softer than pure polyester and dries faster than pure cotton, which makes it a popular choice for casual team T-shirts and hoodies. However, blends are not ideal for full sublimation, because only the polyester part of the fabric takes the ink. The result can look lighter or slightly faded. For bright, all-over printed designs, pure polyester is still the best option.

Caring for Cotton and Polyester Kits

Cotton should be washed in cool water to reduce shrinking, and dried in the shade to keep colours from fading. Polyester is easier to care for: wash it inside out in cool or lukewarm water, avoid fabric softener, which can block its sweat-wicking ability, and skip high-heat ironing. With the right care, both fabrics will look good for a long time.

Cotton vs Polyester FAQs

Can cotton jerseys be sublimation printed?

Not well. Sublimation ink needs polyester to bond, so on cotton the colours look faded and wash out. Use screen or DTF printing for cotton.

Is polyester hot to wear?

Modern sports polyester is knitted to be breathable and moves sweat away from the skin, so it usually feels cooler than cotton during exercise.

What is the minimum order for either fabric?

The minimum order is 4 pieces for jerseys and T-shirts.

Related Guides

• Sportswear Fabric Technology Explained
• Recycled Polyester Sportswear
• Size Chart and Fabric Guide