Fabric & Materials

What the cloth is made of, and what that changes after twenty washes. Combed cotton, breathability, softness and stretch, explained without the marketing words.

The waistband of a grey cotton trunk held gently stretched between two hands, the only stretch test a shop lets you run
How Much Should Cotton Underwear Stretch?
Enough to move with you, and no more. Stretch should be a comfort margin rather than the thing that makes a garment fit — and the direction the fabric stretches... Read more
Macro view of soft cream cotton knit falling in gentle folds, the surface feel a fingertip judges when underwear is new
What Makes Underwear Soft — and What Makes It Stay Soft?
Softness is not one thing. It is three separate things that get called by the same name — how the surface feels to a fingertip, how easily the fabric gives... Read more
A fine steel comb drawn through raw cotton, with short tangled fibres caught on one side and long straight fibres on the other.
Combed vs Carded Cotton: What Changes After 20 Washes?
New out of the packet, combed and carded cotton feel closer than the price gap suggests. The difference shows up later. Carded yarn keeps more short fibre, and short fibre... Read more
A floating square of grey cotton knit fabric with soft currents of air passing through the gaps in the knit
What Does Breathable Actually Mean in Fabric?
Breathability is two separate properties sold under one word. Air permeability is how easily air moves through the cloth. Moisture management is how readily the fabric takes up sweat and... Read more