Wicking Sweatshirts

Tuesday 22nd of June 2010 02:15:06 AM

Cotton has long been the typical t-shirt fiber of choice. It is used in t-shirts, sweatshirts, polo shirts, and many more promotional clothing items. It has an excellent ability to absorb ink and stands up to six color printing techniques. Polyester and other blends are sometimes used but cotton continues to be the most popular fiber for promotional clothing t-shirts.

However, 2 new fibers are making a name for themselves in the textile world. Both hemp and bamboo are racing to become the next big fiber choice, second only to cotton.

Hemp fibers have been used for many years in trendy clothing items but have not had a large market following and have not made any inroads into the promotional clothing sector. Hemp is considered an industrial grade fiber, one of the toughest fibers to be found anywhere. Its strength makes it perfect for t-shirts or embroidered shirts that have to be durable and withstand many types of washing. Small businesses looking to outfit their workers in t-shirts will appreciate the durability of hemp.

Hemp has other factors that make it attractive to the promotional market. It is mildew resistant, which is another positive for t-shirts used in the workplace. And, small business owners will appreciate the price point – hemp is cheaper than cotton to produce.

Bamboo is not as durable as hemp or as absorbent as cotton but it is very versatile. It has a unique anti-bacterial quality that makes it perfect for many applications. For example, the school uniform market could be transformed with the introduction of bamboo fiber t-shirts and polo shirts.

Bamboo fibers are extremely soft and can be used in all types of clothing items. They are the perfect choice for athletic wear because they have the ability to wick moisture away from the body. Promotional sweatshirts and athletic wear will see a big boost with this new fiber.