What is Combed ring-spun cotton?
Before going into deeper about combed ring-spun cotton, let's see what is combed cotton and ring-spun cotton fabrics first.
Combed cotton yarn is made by removing the short cotton fibers and then straightening the long cotton fibers with a brush. This will make the fabric softer and smoother, and enhances the durability and color fastness of printing.
Ring-spun cotton is also known as spinning cotton. For this fabric, the cotton fiber is spun using a loop frame. Ring-spun cotton fabrics are often more superior to original cotton fabrics as they are softer and more durable.
This is the fabric of the future, promising to bring interesting experiences to users. Although there is no official description for this fabric, it can be said that combed ring-spun cotton is the perfect combination of combed cotton and ring-spun cotton by combining the production process of the two fabrics mentioned above.
How many steps does the manufacturing process of Combed ring-spun cotton take?
Combed ring-spun cotton is produced by a process almost similar to that of other ordinary cotton fabrics, the most distinctive feature of which is the cotton spinning step.
Normally, the production process for combed ring-spun cotton fabric has 5 basic steps, but at Bao Minh Textile, we will purchase combed ring-spun cotton yarn that meet with our strict requirements and start production from step 4.
Step 1: Harvest and sort cotton
During harvesting period, cotton plants will be picked and sorted into groups different quality with poor quality cotton being discarded while the rest is dried in a cool and clean location. For combed ring-spun cotton fabric, only cotton with high quality can be used to make this superior cotton fabric.
Step 2: Ginning
After being dried, cotton will be sent to ginning factory. This is where the cotton is fed into the ginning machine that separates the cotton fibers from the seedpods to efficiently remove any dirt, stems, leaves and linters.
Step 3: Spinning
This is considered the most important segment of all because it will directly affect the future products. After ginning, the raw cotton fiber moved through the spinning process to turn into yarn. Ring-spun yarn is made by twisting and thinning the cotton strands to make a very fine, strong, soft rope of cotton fibers.
Step 4: Weaving
Here at Bao Minh Textile, we focus on making woven fabrics. Our factory is equipped with a system advanced machinery from brands like Toyota and Itema to ensure we can easily meet with international standards. Cotton fabric is usually made by weaving weft and warp threads together. The fabric woven from long combed cotton fibers will have much tighter texture than normal standard cotton fabric. The fabric is then being prepared for the dyeing process.
Step 5: Dyeing
Our dyeing factory is invested with the latest technology and machinery from Europe for both yarn dye and piece dye. Due to the tight texture from the weaving process, combed ring-spun cotton has optimal color retention and outperforms cotton and other fabrics on the market.
Outstanding advantages of Combed ring-spun cotton fabric
Fabrics made from ring-spun cotton are superior to other cotton fabrics because of the following advantages: Do not irritate the skin.
All cotton fabrics are made from natural fibers thus it is safe to use, even for people with sensitive skin.
- Softer and lighter than regular cotton
"Singles" is a term used to describe the weight and overall feel of a shirt made from cotton fabrics. According to some studies, ring-spun jerseys are in the range of 30-40 singles, while heavy-duty t-shirts come in close to 18 singles. The higher the number of singles, the tighter the cotton structure will be and the softer the feel, and the higher the number of singles, the thinner and lighter the shirt will be.
The application of the ring-spun (combed) process reduces the cotton weight by about 15% compared to the original, making the shirt much lighter.
This fabric is much softer than regular cotton fabric. If you touch it with your hands, you will feel the coolness, comfort but not drooping or cold.
- Color fastness when printing and color fastness
Combed ring-spun cotton is made by removing the short fibers and then straightening the long cotton fibers which makes the fabric softer and smoother and also enhances durability and color retention in printing.
It is a durable fabric and can withstand frequent washing. This fabric becomes supple, stronger up to 50% when wet (in regular cotton, it's 30%). It dries quickly and is easy to iron flat or after being hung up.
- Good moisture absorption and superior sweat absorption
Just like regular cotton fabric, combed ring-spun cotton has excellent absorbency to help reduce heat and cool the body quickly. This is also the reason that this fabric is popular in the summer.
Typical application of Combed ring-spun cotton fabric
Currently, this material has not been widely used on fashion products. However in the near future, with outstanding advantages, combed ring-spun cotton will be a formidable material choice.
At the moment, only a few brands actually use this type of fabric to produce garments. According to some reviews, the combed ring-spun cotton t-shirt is extremely light and soft, comfortable to wear and breathable.
The production process at Bao Minh Textile uses modern machinery yet being environmentally friendly because the wastewater treatment system is fully utilized. This enables us to supply high quality fabrics to the market while still adhere to our sustainable development goals.