Is cotton or polyester better for everyday clothes?
Cotton for breathability and feel against skin; polyester for durability, stretch recovery, and price. Blends split the difference.
Cotton breathes, absorbs moisture, and softens with age - better for tees, shirts, and anything in heat. Its weaknesses: it wrinkles, dries slowly, and thins at friction points. Polyester resists wrinkles and shrinking, holds color, and dries fast, but traps heat and odor against skin and can look shiny with wear. For daily basics worn against skin, cotton (or cotton-dominant blends) wins on comfort. For structured outerwear, gym gear, and travel clothes that must emerge from a suitcase presentable, polyester earns its place. The lazy heuristic: fiber touching skin all day should be natural; fiber providing structure can be synthetic.