So you have decided that your corporate, sports or trade team could benefit from a uniform, and polo shirts are the way to go….
All you need now is to find a supplier with a polo shirt that matches your corporate or team colours and then organise to get your logo embroidered, right? You do a quick search on the net and call a promotional company. The sales consultant then asks if you prefer: cotton, polyester, poly/cotton, cool-dry, true-dry, or bamboo material. And do you require an elastane component? Huh?
Below are some questions to ask yourself to aid you in choosing the appropriate polo shirt for your needs:
1) How comfortable will your polo feel against your skin?
If this is your number one priority then you simply cannot go past bamboo or cotton polo shirts. Both are natural materials than breathe well. Bamboo also offers natural de-odorising and anti-bacterial benefits. Cool-dry polyester has become a lot more comfortable as the technology has improved but is still is not quite as nice as cotton or bamboo. A poly/cotton or true-dry blend is good compromise offering cotton comfort with the benefits of polyester. An added elastane component provides a little stretch for additional comfort.
2) How hot is the environment where you will be wearing this polos?
Traditional cotton and poly/cotton polos can be a little heavy. In an office environment, this is not a problem, and sometimes is even a benefit. However if you are working outdoors in the sun, or playing sport in your polo then a cool dry or true dry polo is a better option. Cool-dry is the most light-weight material on the market as it has no cotton content. True-dry is slightly heavier, but combines the comfort of a cotton lining.
3) How much care and maintenance are you prepared to put into your polo shirts?
Cotton will require more maintenance than polyester. Cotton will wrinkle more, stain worse and fade more if dried under sunlight. Polyester is made to resist stains, wrinkling (although not completely) and is more fade resistant. A cotton/poly blend can offer the best of both worlds.
4) Is the Environment a Factor?
100% cotton is the most eco-friendly material for polo shirts as it is the only fully natural option. Bamboo is another fast-generating natural material, but is combined with polyester for polo shirt construction. Polyester is a man made synthetic material.
