Types of Cotton and The Terminology

When buying online it is hard to distinguish between the different types of fabrics when you can't feel them. Especially if you don't know the terminology.

We get asked a lot about what the different types of cotton names refer to especially cotton lawn. Here are also a couple of other examples of cottons we get asked about.

 

Cotton Lawn

Cotton Lawn fabric is a fine woven cotton material with a silky soft finish.

Lawn is designed using fine, high-thread-count yarns, which results in a silky, untextured feel. The fabric is made using combed yarns. 

Cotton lawn fabric is great for summer clothes because it is lightweight and naturally breathable. It is especially good for blouses and children’s clothes because it is fine, soft and washable.

 

Cotton Poplin

Poplin is a shirt weight cotton with a crisp structure. It has a ridged structure which gives depth and softness to the lustre of the silky surface.

It has a plain under/over weave, the fabric displays a plain woven surface with no ribbing. Shirts made from this material are easy to iron and do not wrinkle easily.

It is ideal for formal shirts, blouses, dresses and quilting/patchwork.

 

Cotton Drill

Drill is stout durable cotton fabric with a strong bias diagonal in the weave. It's robust and hardwearing fabric for workwear and tailoring.

This robust cotton is very versatile. It can be practical or elegant depending on how you style it. It’s hardwearing and washable. It’s twill weave helps ensure that, with well placed darts, a good fit can be achieved when tailoring.

 

Chambray 

Chambray is a light and strong pure cotton fabric. Ideal for shirts, children's clothes and summer dresses.

Chambray is a beautifully simple workaday cotton fabric. It is woven with a dyed warp yarn and white weft yarn. It can look like denim but is lighter and softer with a straight weave rather than a twill.

 

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