Fabrics and Care Instructions

Bodywear Boutique Fabric Descriptions

 

Bamboo

Bamboo fabric is known for its softness and boasts strong absorbency and anti-microbial properties. Clothing from bamboo is soft and comparable to cashmere. Most bamboo fabrics are considered “natural” and “eco-friendly”.

Although it is very soft, Bamboo fabric is also incredibly absorbent and hypo-allergenic. There is also current research suggesting that bamboo fabrics are more effective than other fabrics in protecting one’s skin against harmful UV rays.

Cotton

Cotton is a soft, breathable fabric that’s comfortable on the skin. A natural fabric, cotton is hypoallergenic and dust-mite resistant, which means is the best choice of material for people who suffer from asthma or allergies, or those who have sensitive skin prone to irritation. Natural fabrics such as cotton clothing allow for better air circulation, which helps remove and absorb body moisture, drawing heat away from the skin and keeping the body cool and dry. Also, because cotton clothing breathes better, it's the best choice to keep you cool in hot, humid weather.

Cotton (Organic)

Organic Cotton is cotton that is grown without pesticides from plants which are not genetically modified. It is organic cultivation, chemical free processing, eco-friendly dyes and finishes. It helps support organic agriculture and healthy living by wearing clothes made from organic materials.

Cotton is a very fragile crop and susceptible to damage by pests. The production of cotton takes up 5% of the agricultural land in the world. The organic industry is working to ensure that the highest standards are used behind the label "organic."

Cotton (Pima)

Previously called American-Egyptian, Pima cotton is a generic name for extra-long-staple (ELS) cotton grown only in the Southwestern United States, Australia, Peru and in very limited production in a few other locations around the world. Pima cotton is excellent-quality cotton that is exceptionally soft, and the fibers are strong and firm. Cotton is considered to be ELS or Pima if the fiber is an inch and 3/8 or longer.

Cotton (Supima)

A premium fiber created from 100% extra-long staple cotton grown in the United States, the term Supima is a licensed trademark owned by Supima and its members. It is used to promote textile and apparel products made of 100% America Pima cotton, but is strictly controlled by the grower organization. The name Supima is an abbreviation for Superior Pima.

French Terry

Not to be confused with terry cloth, French terry is an ultra soft cotton/lyrca blend. French terry tends to feature looping and piling of the fabric on one side only so the “good side” is flat. Perhaps one of the most valuable features of French Terry, is its stretch. You may be familiar with French Terry because it is used frequently in infant clothing because of its softness and durability.

Linen

A natural fiber made from flax, a vegetable fiber. Linen offers a crisp feel and is available in lightweight to heavyweight fabric. Linen is very strong, offering twice the strength of cotton. It is hand washable or it may be dry-cleaned. It is also resistant to static and pilling.

Lycra

Lycra is a collective name for a number of stretch materials and fibers. Even a little quantity of lycra make fabric a soft finish, high quality, and long service life. It can be stretched repeatedly and still recover its original length. It provides lightweight freedom of movement in apparel.

Micro Modal

Micro Modal is one of the world’s softest fibers. It makes textiles naturally more beautiful. Fabrics of Micro Modal are feather-light and natural skin huggers.

This fiber is particularly well suited to blends with cotton since both fibers have similar properties. The fiber is made from beech wood, a natural raw material. The pulp used for fiber production is made by Lenzing to guarantee consistent and reliable quality. The natural softener makes Modal fabrics pleasant to the touch even after repeated washing. Hardening of the rayon fabric, which occurs as a result of limestone deposits and traces of detergent, becomes a thing of the past with Lenzing Modal.

Modal

Made from Beech Trees, Modal is an incredibly soft, tissue thin fabric. Like it’s cousin Rayon, it is colorfast and dyes like cotton. These fabrics are resistant to shrinkage and fading. Pure modal items should be washed in low temperatures and ironed afterwards. If modal is blended with other fibers (silk, cotton, spandex, etc), they can be washed at normal temperatures and may not need to be ironed.

Nylon

Nylon is a synthetic fabric that is made out of the raw materials raw materials phenol, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen. It was intended as a replacement for silk when silk became scarce during World War II. It is light, strong, and durable and does not get damaged easily. Nylon became well known when “nylons” replaced silk stockings. It is highly durable and easy to take care of.

Polyester

Of all the manufactured fibers, polyester is the most used. The over-use of polyester 20 to 30 years ago caused a negative perception of the fiber. However, as with other manufactured fibers, new developments in polyester have created a fresh attitude towards polyester. Polyester offers less breathability and lower resistance to static and pilling than most other fabrics.

Rayon

Neither truly synthetic nor natural, Rayon is derived from cellulose (from plants) but treated in such a way that it offers excellent strength, and durability. Rayon is also able to wick moisture away. It is also easy to care for, as it’s normally machine washable.

Silk

Besides its luxurious softness and lustrous beauty, there are various other benefits of silk that other fabrics, whether natural or man-made, simply cannot match. These advantages of silk have rightly earned silk its reputation as the queen of fabrics. Silk is hypoallergenic, highly absorbent, strong, wrinkle-resistant and fade-resistant. It also dyes beautifully and blends well with other natural fibers.

Spandex

Also known as elastane, spandex is classified as an elastometric fibre, or quite simply a fibre or material that is able to expand over 500% without breaking. The additional wonder of this technically-bred super-fibre is its ability to recover to its original size when not in use.

Spandex, an anagram of expand, first took the world by storm as the preferred attire of the superheroes like Superman and Batman but was soon embraced by our current heroes and heroines: the athletes of the modern world. Swimmers, gymnasts and figure skaters wear spandex to great effect - even our cricketers wear spandex undergarments on the field.

Apart from its ability to stretch and recover to the original shape and form, spandex is extremely comfortable, lightweight and supple, resistant to body oils or perspirants, abrasion resistant and pill and static free.

Supplex

Supplex uses finer multiple filaments to make Supplex flexible, lightweight, and 26% to 36% softer than standard nylon fabrics.

Activewear garments utilizing Supplex fabrics will hold their great shape and vibrant colour – as only nylon can – through vigorous exercise, sun and surf, and repeated washings and dryings. And, they’ll never fuss or pill. Plus, Supplex won’t wrinkle, shrink or fade so clothes made of Supplex stay looking new for longer. Additionally, Supplex is popular for hiding imperfections—like cellulite.

In blends with Lycra brand elastane, Supplex combines cottony-soft comfort with the gentle support, superb fit and great freedom of movement that only Lycra can bring. It’s a practical fusion of softness and stretch, with Lycra stretching up to 500%, and then springing back to its original shape.

Supplex is as strong as it is soft, resisting abrasions, punctures and tears. It is also breathable and odour-, wind- and water-resistant.

When Supplex does get wet, it dries in a flash - drying faster than cotton by 56 minutes. Because of these qualities, Supplex is used in activewear, exercise wear, "extreme" sportswear, and outerwear.

Supplex (Sueded)

Sueded supplex fabric offers consumers the feel of cotton with the benefits of advanced fiber technology. Cotton’s natural texture and aesthetics make it the fabric of choice in many garment categories. Garments made with cotton tend to crease and shrink easily, and they often fade in color. Scientists wanted to give consumers the benefits of cotton, without the pitfalls. They did so by developing supplex fabrics—a family that combines the traditional appeal of cotton with the performance benefits of modern fiber technology. Supplex fabrics are breathable, hold their shape, dry faster than cotton and retain their color. Sueded supplex fabrics are incredibly soft without the stiffness of supplex.

Tencel or Lyocell

Tencel is the another name for lyocell, which a biodegradable fabric is made from wood pulp cellulose. It started to grow in popularity in the late 1990s, and now you can find a variety of clothing made with the fabric.

Most compare the original Tencel garments to rayon in feel, but it can be made in different forms. Many forms of Tencel either had a blousy silky feel or a peach skin or moleskin finish. Blends with other fibers can produce a variety of different Tencel finishes, but you will most commonly find peach skin type Tencel.

 

Bodywear Boutique Fabric Care

At Bodywear Boutique, most items we sell will have specific care instructions printed inside the garment on the tag. Just in case your particular item does not, here are our guidelines:

If you follow these guidelines, your favorite garments are sure to last for a very long time. They will retain their comfort, color and shape.