Polyester T-Shirts Explained: Comfort, Quality & Where to Buy the Best Ones

By: Jennifer Posted on: May 6, 2025

Polyester continues to be trending among apparel fabrics, even surpassing cotton. This blog presents an overview of every aspect that makes polyester t-shirts a top preference.

Polyester’s always been right up there with cotton when it comes to popular apparel fabrics, occasionally even surpassing cotton at times. Polyester t-shirts remain a top pick for apparel decorators, owing to the inherent durability and color retention properties of the material. By polyester t-shirts, we mean every style made of polyester or a blend with polyester in the fabric composition.

The wholesale t-shirt market popularity trends shift between 100% polyester t-shirts and poly-cotton blend t-shirts. The choice is obvious for businesses that want high-performance, budget-friendly custom t-shirts.

What is a Polyester T-Shirt?

Stacked polyester fabric in multiple colors showcasing softness, durability, comfort, and low shrinkage—ideal for custom t-shirts.

Polyester is a synthetic fabric made from petroleum-based polymers. The material is lightweight, dries quick, and tough. T-shirts made of polyester get all these properties, and offer many benefits that cotton doesn’t.

If you are wondering what the real differences between polyester and cotton are, here’s a quick comparative breakdown.

Softness: Cotton is softer but because it’s organic, it can fade. Polyester can be almost as soft and keep the softness longer.
Durability: Polyester resists wear, stretching, and tearing better than cotton.
Shrinkage: Cotton is known for shrinking quickly. Because polyester is synthetic, it doesn’t shrink significantly.
Comfort: Few fabrics rival cotton when it comes to comfort. Polyester by itself cannot offer that level of comfort but cotton-poly blends come close.

Polyester vs Cotton: What Should You Choose?

Both fabrics have their moments. Choosing between the two should come down to specific requirements and preferences. For example, if you need athletic gear or customized t-shirts to sell, polyester t-shirts won’t disappoint.

You can use this table to make a decision.

Comparison chart of polyester vs cotton highlighting differences in breathability, shrink resistance, color retention, sublimation, and heat press suitability.

100% Polyester: Best for sublimation printing. Doesn’t fade and is often preferred for sportswear.
50/50 Cotton Polyester: Soft, breathable, and print-friendly. Popular for uniforms.
60/40 Polyester-Cotton: Slightly more polyester for more longevity. 40% cotton adds to the comfort.
Polyester-Spandex: Stretchy and form-fitting. Great for compression and activewear.
Triblend: A fabric blend typically composed of cotton, polyester, and rayon.

In YouApparel, you can find 100% polyester t-shirts, as well as polyester, blend tees from leading wholesale apparel brands like Bella+Canvas, Next Level, and Jerzees.

Polyester Care Tips

To get the best value out of polyester t-shirts, their longevity needs to be maximized. The first step is ensuring proper care for the fabric.

Here are a few tips to keep your polyester tees fresh:

Always turn the fabric inside out while washing to avoid pilling on the outside
Polyester fabrics can be washed with warm and cold water, with the latter being a safe bet and the former recommended for 100% polyester t-shirts
Only use simple detergents and not ones that are “tough on stains” or ones with wrinkle-releasing properties
Low-temperature drying minimizes the likelihood of shrinkage. Polyester can also be air-dried.
You can loosen the fabric by soaking it in warm water and gently pulling it. Results vary depending on the quality of polyester and polyester content in the fabric.

Note: 100% polyester rarely shrinks in the wash or dryer under normal care. But there is a chance of shrinkage in t-shirts made of a combination of polyester and other materials, particularly cotton-poly blends.

Where to Buy Polyester T-Shirts (Without Overpaying)

If you need bulk t-shirts for events, branding, or resale, you don’t have to pay more at retail stores. Wholesale blank apparel stores like YouApparel offer a variety of t-shirt styles in so many colors at very low per-piece prices. In YouApparel, you also get bulk discounts on bigger order volumes.

Top wholesale picks at YouApparel:

Team 365 Zone Performance Tees - Great for fitness and corporate branding.
Comfort Colors T-Shirts - Superb quality, printability and comfort.
Core 365 T-Shirts - Lightweight with vibrant color retention.
Gildan T-Shirts - A go-to for budget-friendly sublimation tees.
Next Level T-Shirts - Blended for a modern, soft fit.

These are available in various cuts, sizes, and blends. From athletic to casual to print-ready, you’ll find the right match in YouApparel’s 100 polyester t-shirts wholesale collection, at competitive prices - in bulk and per-unit.

Conclusion

Polyester tees are no longer a runner-up. They’re a top pick for any serious buyer. They last longer, print better, and resist the wear that kills cotton over time.

Grab the finest blank polyester tees for customization, resale, or uniforms.

Explore YouApparel’s polyester t-shirt collection
Get wholesale pricing with no order minimums
Request a quote or contact our sales team for tailored deals

Now that you know the facts, it’s time to pick the right polyester for your next project.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is polyester like cotton?

No, it’s more resistant and faster drying.

Is polyester good quality?

As a material, yes. But there are cheap polyester variants that typically won’t have the quality you expect.

Is polyester comfortable?

Yes, especially blended options.

Is a cotton-poly blend worth it?

Absolutely. A 50/50 or 60/40 tee is soft yet strong.

What are the various polyester blends?

The blends give or take the effect of some properties of polyester. 100% Polyester: Best for sublimation printing. Doesn’t fade and is often preferred for sportswear. 50/50 Cotton-Polyester: Soft, breathable, and print-friendly. Popular for uniforms. 60/40 Polyester-Cotton: Slightly more polyester for more longevity. 40% cotton adds to the comfort. Polyester-Spandex: Stretchy and form-fitting. Great for compression and activewear. Triblend: A fabric blend typically composed of cotton, polyester, and rayon.

What is a Sublimation-ready t-shirt?

These are white or light-colored polyester t-shirts generally. Ink bonds well with the t-shirt's polyester material, which gave it the name.

How to shrink a polyester t-shirt?

High heat in wash and dry. This could damage the shape of the garment in some cases.

How to stretch a polyester t-shirt?

Use warm water and light tension. May not work on some cotton-poly blends.

Can you iron a polyester t-shirt?

Depends on the brand. We recommend checking the care label first, as some labels may explicitly say not to iron or dry clean. If they don’t, you can iron it gently.

How to get rid of soap residue on a 100% polyester garment?

Soap residue could be due to a couple of reasons like using too much detergent, detergent not dissolving properly, overusing fabric softeners or even a dirty wash machine. To remove soap scum, you can wash it with the hottest water the fabric can take after adding a few drops of distilled vinegar. It doesn’t have to be too hot. While washing, do not use detergent or fabric softeners. Try adding a few more drops of distilled vinegar into the water if needed. If the residue is still not coming off, you can also try an oxygen-based bleach.