Do fabric blends matter?

Fabric blends matter enormously, both for performance and sustainability. A blend's composition determines how a garment feels, performs, and what happens to it at end of life. A common example: many "organic cotton" garments contain 5-10% elastane (spandex) for stretch. While this amount seems small, elastane is a synthetic plastic fiber, which means the garment cannot fully biodegrade and may complicate recycling. Understanding blends helps you make more informed purchasing decisions.

From a performance perspective, blending can be beneficial. Combining hemp with Tencel, as Boldwill does, yields a fabric that has hemp's durability and Tencel's silky softness. Blending merino wool with a small percentage of natural fiber can add stretch without synthetics. The key is whether the blend serves a genuine performance purpose or simply reduces cost — some brands use synthetic fibers as cheap fillers while marketing the garment under its premium natural fiber name.

For sustainability, the ideal is a 100% single-fiber garment or a blend of natural/biodegradable fibers only. Reprise Activewear uses 100% Tencel with zero synthetics — no elastane, no polyester thread, nothing plastic. When synthetics are present, even in small amounts, the garment cannot be composted and contributes to microplastic shedding during washing. Always check the full composition on the label, not just the headline fiber, and remember that thread, labels, and elastic waistbands often contain hidden synthetics.