Cotton Guide

Cotton is primarily grown and used for clothing and is the most frequently used natural fibre. Cotton reduces the severity of any allergic reaction and is perfect for those who have sensitive skin.

Natural Material

Synthetic fabrics can cause rashes, skin allergies and body odour, as they tend to trap moisture. As our philosophy is to not use synthetic or artificial fabrics, fibres, leather or fur in our garments wherever possible, we use 100% cotton as one of our source materials, along with 100% down, 100% cashmere, and genuine leather. While natural/synthetic blends may have certain visual advantages, they have health drawbacks as well. Moreover, breathable clothing is necessary in summer to avoid heat stroke and other related problems.

Cotton plant
100 percent natural Cotton

The most outstanding advantage of cotton is its breathable, hypoallergenic, weatherproof and durable in nature.

Tradition

For millennia, cotton’s properties have made it a staple of clothing. Despite losing some ground to less expensive synthetic fibres made from crude oil, cotton continues to be the most widely used fabric in the world.

Quality - Cotton fibre length

Cotton fibres vary in length considerably, from half an inch to over 2 inches. Higher quality is often associated with longer length and to achieve that an increased demand on resources is needed (e.g. water).

Long fibres make up only about 3% of worldwide cotton output and their use is typically limited to high-end fashion fabric products. Egyptian, American Pima and Sea Island cottons are the main long-fibre cotton varieties.

Quality - Cotton fibres fineness

Fibre diameter is the second important measurement of quality. Best-in-class fabric products try to weed out irregularities and immature cotton fibres – the latter tend to be up to 20% thinner than mature fibres and can lead to shirt fabrics prematurely wearing out due to their fragility.

Advantages of cotton - uniqueness

The most outstanding advantage of cotton is its breathable, hypoallergenic, weatherproof and durable nature.

Cotton fabric pulls moisture away from the body and returns it to the environment. It is also soft and comfortable, and can absorb an outstanding one-fifth of its weight in water before feeling damp.

Advantages in summer

In the summer, our bodies tend to perspire more in order to combat the heat. In this situation, cotton comes to our rescue, as it is a natural fabric. Cotton allows better air circulation, which helps in absorbing and removing unwanted body moisture and odour caused by perspiration if hung properly after use in the fresh air to dry.

ADVICE

Wear loose cotton items so that air can pass through. This keeps the cotton breathable and allows it to dry more quickly.

Advantage - Hypoallergenic

Cotton is hypoallergenic. Many other fabrics, especially synthetics, can cause rashes, skin allergies and body odour, as they tend to trap moisture.

As cotton is hypoallergenic and does not irritate skin, it is used in medical products like bandages and gauze, and is the fabric of choice for baby clothes. We recommend not using black cotton for children, as this dye often contains ingredients that may be harmful.

Black second-hand clothing for children usually carries less of a risk than new clothing.

Advantages of cotton - Environmentally friendly

Cotton is a natural product that decomposes normally and does not harm the environment as synthetic fabrics do once discarded.

Organic cotton is increasing in popularity as it uses no synthetic fertilisers or pesticides and therefore leaves a smaller footprint on the environment. However, organic cotton is around twice the price of normal cotton. We at SVEN-HOLGER therefore prefer its use, given our focus on customer health. The trend is towards naturally coloured cotton, which is currently available in red, beige, green, and brown. Other colours are being developed.

Cotton in its elemental form
Cotton in its elemental form

Cotton reduces the severity of any allergic reaction and is perfect for those who have sensitive skin

Advantages of cotton - Waterproof

Cotton can be manufactured into waterproof garments depending on the manufacturing process used, with the cotton fabric nevertheless retaining its breathability and comfort.

Advantages of cotton - Durability

Cotton has high tensile strength, making it rugged, durable and less likely to rip or tear. It withstands extreme temperatures such as hot water washes without losing its positive properties, especially notable when compared with other synthetic fabrics.

Advantages of cotton - Comfort

Cotton is especially comfortable to wear, as it is soft and stretches easily. It is therefore often used for underwear and undershirts as well. We always recommend pure 100% cotton

Disadvantages of cotton

Cotton fabrics tend to wrinkle and can lose their shape while drying after washing. This problem can be minimized by careful handling.

The natural wrinkling of a cotton garment is an indication of the purity of its fibres. Synthetic fibres can reduce this purity.

Depending on quality, its colour can fade over time as a result of exposure to sunlight and excessive hot washing

Care Guide

Please do not expose your cotton garment to strong sunlight unnecessarily. Placing them in a clothes dryer can damage the fibres as well as cause colours to fade.

Cotton garments look especially crisp when ironed. We recommend ironing cotton while it is still somewhat damp, before it has completely dried, using an iron that is not too hot. The garment should moreover be ironed inside out. We further recommend that you follow the care instructions on the label.

Never mix colours when washing cotton items in the washing machine.

Cotton garments smell nice when dried outdoors in indirect sunshine, in contrast to synthetic fabrics, which are unable to pick up natural scents present in the environment. To prevent the unpleasant absorption of unpleasant odours, avoid storing your fashionable keepsakes in damp basements.

When exposed to acids, fabric softener or bleach, cotton has some durability issues. Use bleach sparingly, as it weakens cotton’s natural cellulose fibres.

Unlike synthetic fabrics made from crude oil, cotton fabrics should be stored clean and dry to protect them from mites, rot, and mildew.

 

We hope you enjoy wearing our comfortable, highest quality 100% cotton clothing. With proper care you and subsequent generations can continue to enjoy your garment for many years to come.

Any Questions?

Please contact our customer support service