Author: Milda Urbonaite
Comfort is probably the most important thing for tees, whether running a marathon, working at the office or lounging on your couch.
Clothes that feel soft and smooth on the skin give you the freedom to move and rest without itchiness and restriction and feel as comfortable as in your own skin.
But how do you know which t-shirt will be the softest and comfiest? Keep reading to find out.
Softness factor
T-shirts are the most versatile piece of clothing, but since they go directly onto the skin, just a little bit of roughness can ruin the day with itching and scratching.
That’s why you need to pick a soft fabric, but what actually makes it so? In short, the main softness factor is the yarn count (stitches per inch) – the higher the count, the softer and lighter the fabric.
Then there’s the thickness of the fibres – thin fibres are more lightweight and therefore softer than thick ones.
Lastly, the flexibility of the fibres is also important. The more flexible fibres – the softer the fabric. Pretty simple, right?
Softest t-shirt materials
Now that we’ve covered the factors that determine fabric’s softness, let’s look at the softest fabrics for t-shirts!
Cotton
Cotton is one of the most popular fabrics used to make tees. And for a reason, because this textile is natural, breathable and can be really soft if you choose the right one.
However, regular (not combed) cotton may not be the best choice as it’s precisely the combining process that makes the fabric soft. The procedure removes short fibres prone to fraying and breaking, which are one of the main causes of rigidness and scratchiness.
What you want is a combed, organic or Pima cotton tee.
Combed cotton. The combing process removes any impurities that stick out of the fibres, making a softer and smoother yarn and a tight-woven fabric that’s pleasant to touch.
Organic cotton. Organic cotton is one of the best choices overall as its cultivation and production process does not use any chemicals and pesticides, resulting in long fibres. By choosing organic cotton, we’re not just protecting the environment but also enjoying a soft fabric!
Prima cotton. You may have heard about Pima cotton as one of the more expensive choices, and that’s because it also has longer fibres and, therefore, is softer touch (plus, Pima cotton is wrinkle-free).
Modal
One of the softest t-shirt fabrics out there is modal, which is a semi-synthetic eco-friendly textile. Modal is made from beech tree cellulose, and the manufacturing process uses fewer chemicals than most manmade fabrics.
Modal is known for its soft and smooth touch and a luxurious feel and has long been used to make underwear, sleepwear and lounger wear. Luckily, many brands started using it for tee production and we fell in love with it!
Modal feels silky, comfortable and durable and is wrinkle-free, pilling resistant, and biodegradable.
You can check modal t-shirts by FreshCleanTees.com for some affordable options.
Cotton-poly blend
It’s a popular blend that combines the softness of cotton and the stretch and durability of polyester.
Cotton gets wrinkled pretty quickly and is not that durable, so blending it with polyester is ingenious. The final textile is as soft as high-quality cotton and as durable, wrinkle-resistant, and moisture-wicking as polyester.
Tri-Blend
Tri-blend is a commonly used combination of cotton, polyester, and modal and is very popular for t-shirts. The fabric makes the tees comfortable, durable, and super soft!
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed are those of the author and not necessarily those of the Yucatan Times.