What is Combed Cotton? The Difference Your Skin Notices

When people come to wash clothes at LaColada, sometimes they ask me why that "good" t-shirt they bought years ago is still intact, while the one they bought on sale last week already has little holes and feels like sandpaper. The answer is almost always on the label, although few know how to read it. It's not magic; it's the difference between any old cotton and combed cotton.

My grandmother, who sold thousands of spools of thread in her haberdashery, always said: "Cotton must be combed like a child's hair: to remove knots and leave it soft." And technically, she wasn't wrong. If you've ever wondered what combed cotton is and why some sheets cost twice as much as others while looking the same, read on. I'll explain it to you as a technician, but so everyone can understand.

What Exactly is Combed Cotton?

Imagine shearing a sheep or picking cotton from the plant. You have a bunch of fibers: some long, some short, some dirty, others broken. The standard process (carding) cleans that up a bit and makes the yarn with everything mixed together.

Combed cotton is the "VIP" of cottons. After carding, it passes through extremely fine mechanical combs that do two fundamental things:

• Remove short fibers: Anything short or prone to breaking is discarded. Only long fibers remain.
• Align fibers: They place them all parallel, in the same direction.

The result is a much smoother, finer, and stronger yarn. It's like the difference between a rope made of messy hair and a perfect braid.

Real Differences: Combed vs. Regular (Carded)

To make it clear, I've prepared this comparison based on what I see daily in washing machines:

Why is it better for your clothes?

It's not just a matter of luxury; it's a matter of durability and health.

1. Ideal for Sensitive Skin and Babies

Having no short fibers sticking out and "pricking," combed cotton is the perfect material for underwear, baby bodysuits, or people with dermatitis. If you have children, I recommend reading our guide on how to wash baby clothes, where we talk a lot about the importance of fabric.

2. Resists Infinite Washes

In an industrial laundry like ours, clothes suffer (powerful spins, dryers). Combed cotton sheets come out of the machine just as they went in. Cheap cotton ones come out thinner and thinner until they tear. In the long run, cheap is expensive.

3. More Vivid Colors

Being smooth and uniform fibers, they absorb dye more evenly and retain it better. That black t-shirt that is still black after a year is surely made of combed cotton.

How to tell if a garment is made of Combed Cotton?

Sometimes the label clearly states it ("100% Combed Cotton"), but other times not. Here are my technician tricks:

• The light test: Hold the fabric up to the light. If you see a uniform and regular texture, it's combed. If you see lumps, darker areas, and fuzz, it's normal carded.
• Touch: Combed cotton feels cool and smooth at first touch. Normal is more "woolly" or rough.
• Price: Nobody gives anything away. If a set of sheets costs €15, it will hardly be high-quality combed cotton.

Washing Tips to Make It Last FOREVER

Although it is resistant, if you want that soft touch to last for years, take care of it a little:

• Temperature: Although it withstands 60ºC, ideally wash it at 30ºC or 40ºC to maintain sheen.
• Fabric Softener: Use sparingly. Combed cotton is already naturally soft. Excess softener can "waterproof" it and make it lose absorbency (fatal for towels).
• Dryer: It withstands the dryer well, but take it out slightly damp if you can to avoid stubborn wrinkles.