Bi-blend is a term gathering speed and its fair share of “buzz” in the textile industry of late, but what exactly is a “bi-blend” and what does it do for our clothing? How does a bi-blended fabric lend itself to our active lifestyles?
The modern world places a premium on durability, adaptability and longevity. We need our garments to take a beating and come back smiling and need no ironing. We want all the comfort and strength of traditional cotton fibers but we also demand the stretch of a yoga master, the fit of a tailored suit and the ability to endure ten million spin cycles. Polyester is the man-made, utilitarian fiber invented to answer all of these questions. Cotton may be the world’s favorite textile but without polyester to support it it literally wouldn’t have a leg to stand on. You see, polyester has qualities which cotton lacks: Where cotton is tough, polyester is flexible and elastic; where cotton picks up dirt, stains and coloration from the natural environment, polyester is stain and dye resistant and where cotton gets wet, polyester stays drier than a duck’s back in a desert.
Say what you will about the differing merits of both cotton and polyester, when we combine these two ultra-fibers they form a truly unbeatable partnership–the Bi-blend. Bi-bended yarns leverage the power of scientifically formulated synthetic fibers to traditional garment design to bring you a truly dynamic and futuristic fabric. The elasticity of polyester combined with the strength of cotton makes for a textile which can resist wear and tear in a way which regular cotton cannot. The resultant poly-cotton fibre has a natural ability to wick perspiration away from the body, making it the perfect fabric for the most intense workouts and, combined with polyester, cotton becomes a truly durable and long-lasting bi-blend fiber which can survive just about any beating and just keep on going.
The strength and durability of bi-blend is a boon for activewear garments because of its natural durability, flexible character and perspiration wicking abilities. The varying grades of bi-blend make it a truly versatile combination as it can be blended with cotton to match almost any need or design.
Spectratees bi-blend philosophy is a simple one, we combine our Bi-blend of cotton and polyester in two distinct ratios: Where most apparel manufacturers use the standard 50:50 combination of cotton to polyester to cut costs, Spectratees uses a 52:48 ratio to make the process of screen printing onto this fabric considerably easier for our printers. This also results in a smoother fit to the shirt with its cotton-heavy presence and familiar softness supported by the strong, athletic elasticity of polyester. Secondly, Spectratees’ Bi-Blend is created in a truly luxurious 90:10 cotton-to-polyester bi-blend ratio for all of our traditional athletic grey garments, with a snug hold on the torso which is resistant to nicks and tears and truly durable. These classically styled grey heathers wick away perspiration effortlessly whilst providing a snug fit and classic active-wear styling for the wearer. But don’t take our word for it just ask the ladies’ yoga class–they’re all wearing our Racerback 8700 bi-blend tank for its stretch and its core strength. This flattering design and futuristic fabric makes the Racerback the only gym buddy you’ll ever need. For the gents our handsome, athletic-cut bi-blend cotton heather tee is the epitome of comfort and style, which has all the staying power you’ll need from your favorite tee..
A Spectratees bi-blend garment is hard to beat for its pure athleticism, no-wrinkle classic styling and extreme durability and comfort. We’ve blended hard science into every inch of our classic American-made cotton yarns to bring you an activewear textile that stands tall over its competitors whilst working as hard as you do, at any lifestyle.