16 Different Types of Cotton Fabric (2024)

Pretty much everyone has at least one garment in their closet that is made of cotton fabric but did you know that there are an array of different types of cotton fabric on the market today?

Cotton is one of the most popular fabrics used in the creation of clothing and we explain each of the different types of cotton fabric to help you decide which version of this very versatile fabric is the best one for you to wear and feel comfortable in while sporting it.

Cotton has been around since 3,000 B.C. Back then, it was grown in the Indus River Valley in Pakistan before being spun and woven into cloth. By 800 A.D., Arab merchants were bringing cotton cloth to Europe to sell, and in 1492 when Columbus discovered America, he located cotton plants that were growing throughout the Bahama Islands. By the 1500s, cotton was being grown and sold throughout the entire world and in today’s world, is used to make many different types of cotton fabrics.

I have a ton of clothes that are made of cotton or other versions that are listed below that involved cotton fabric in their creation. Cotton is cool or warm, depending on the garment, and soft to the touch so it is easy to wear and to take care of when you wash and dry it. It is used in a variety of garments and other products, including aprons, tablecloths, and bedding. Everyone I know owns some amount of clothing items that are made of cotton fabric along with sheets, pillowcases, and comforters. Below is our list of main types of cotton fabrics.

Quilting Cotton

Quilting cottons are also referred to as craft cottons, patchwork cotton, or printed cotton and are plain weave cottons that are light to medium weight cotton. They are a pretty closely woven fabric and there are an array of quilted cotton fabrics available that are utilized for making tops, tunics, aprons, blankets, quilts, dresses, and skirts.

Brushed Cotton

Brushed cotton is sometimes referred to as flannel or flannelette. it is a medium-weight cotton fabric that has surface fibers that are brushed on one side of the material which gives it hey very soft and warm look and feel. you can purchase it in a plain material, or checked printed or stripe material and it is most often used for casual shirts, children’s clothing, and linings for bedding comic coats, and jackets. When it comes to a lightweight flannelette, it is used many times to make nightgowns and pajamas.

Pima Cotton

Considered a higher-end type of cotton fabric, pima cotton boasts longer fibers than regular cotton. Smooth fabric that is very soft to the touch is created with pima cotton. It tends to be resistant to wrinkles and very durable. Several products are created from this type of fabric, including bed sheets and underwear.

Egyptian Cotton

Known as the highest quality cotton fabric, Egyptian cotton is used to make a number of products, including higher thread count bed sheets that many people prefer over other types of sheets to sleep upon. You can expect to pay a little more at the cash register for anything made from this type of fabric.

CottonTwill

There are many fabrics that are created from a cotton twill weave fabric, including some linen fabrics, denim, chino, and gabardine. It is used in making pants, jackets, skirts, and much more. It is distinguished by its weave pattern that places diagonal lines in the fabric and it is very sturdy and durable. Cotton twill is also used in creating some types of upholstery fabric since it is so durable.

Cotton Lawn

Cotton lawn is a lightweight, plain-weave cotton fabric that has a crisp, smooth feel. It can be quite sheer but is reasonably strong due to the fine weave. Often used for blouses, children’s clothes, tablecloths, and blankets.

Organic Cotton

Organic cotton fabric is created without any synthetic fiber being added into it and is usually free of chemicals, including fertilizers and pesticides, when the cotton is being grown by cotton producers.

Knitted Fabric

Knitted fabric is made with one single yarn that is looped continuously to create a braided look and multiple yarns are used to make a woven fabric, crossing over each other at right angles, to create the grain of the fabric. Stretching is a process that can be used to determine if a fabric is woven or a knit fabric. Some of the products made from knitted fabric created with multiple yarns are men’s and women’s button-up shirts, jeans and trousers, and even denim jackets.

Examples include button-up shirts, trousers, jeans, denim jackets. Knit fabric that has been created with one single yarn includes women’s leggings, T-shirts, sweaters, and some underwear.

Levant Cotton

Levant cotton comes from the Levant seeds of the Gossypium herbaceum cotton plant, which are also used for feed, oil extraction, and food. It is considered Old World cotton and is used by many commercial cotton producers in creating clothing and other products.

Wool fabric

With cotton wool fabric you end up with the best of both types of fibers: cotton fiber and wool fiber. This means you get the comfort of cotton with the resilience and strength from the wool fiber. This type of cotton blend can be worn all year round no matter what season it is outside. Cotton and wool blends are normally used in higher-end clothing, including tweed, chenille, brocade, and velvet.

Poplin

Poplin, also known as cotton broadcloth, is a medium-weight, plain-weave cotton fabric that is tightly woven and easy to work with when sewing. It is extremely versatile and is used often to produce blouses, dresses, and shirts. It can be a pure cotton blend or one that includes polyester fabric.

Linen Fabric

Linen cotton mix fabric is very soft and of light to medium-weight. It often contains a blend of 50 percent linen and 50 percent cotton. It retains the look and feel of linen but is more robust and will not crease as much. Some clothing made from linen and cotton is a little itchy to your skin. Some products created with linen cotton fabric include skirts, sheets, jackets, and dresses.

Silk Fabric

A mix of silk and cotton weave produces a lightweight fabric that is very soft to the touch and offers the drape and luster that silk provides. It is used most often to make blouses and dresses.

Sea Island Cotton

Sea Island cotton is the rarest type of cotton fabric type in the world as well as one of the finest versions of cotton fabric. It boasts a very fine, uniform texture that offers a silky lustre and feels great next to your skin. A variety of products are made from Sea Island cotton, including high-end men’s boxer shorts.

Voile

Voile is a soft and very sheer fabric type that is typically made of 100 percent cotton or of cotton blended with linen or polyester. It is a very lightweight cotton fabric that gets its name from the French term for veil. This fabric is used often in hot, tropical climates and for mosquito netting and sheer curtains for windows.

Poly Cotton

Polycotton is usually a blend of 50 percent polyester and 50 percent cotton can sometimes be made of 65 percent cotton and polyester. It is a very lightweight plain-weave fabric that is very strong, durable, resistant to creasing, however, it is less breathable than other cotton fabrics so it can be hot and make you sweat if you wear it during the warmer months. It is often used to create children’s clothing, skirts, and aprons.

FAQs About Cotton Fabric

What is the warp yarn?

Warp yarn is the set of yarns that are stretched into place on a loom before the weft is added during the process of weaving to create different blends of materials.

What is woven cotton?

Woven fabric is usually a more crisp fabric than 100 percent cotton fabric and it is not stretching. It is sometimes created to be very thin like a chiffon material or very thick to create something like denim fabric. Sometimes spandex material is woven into the mix that will allow it to become stretchable.

Woven cotton fabric is available in a variety of prints or solid colors. It is a fun fabric that is used in by quilters to create gorgeous quilts and blankets. It is also used in home décor items and a variety of different garments for men, women, and children. Some crafters even use woven cotton in an array of different craft projects that they create.

What is a jacquard loom?

It is a loom that is designed to weave fabrics of intricate designs to create a woven fabric and to even create wholes and other designs throughout the fabric during this process.

What is rayon?

Basically, rayon is a type of fabric that is produced from purified cellulose fibers, which are typically created from wood pulp, and used to make cheaper clothing and other items.