Side by side
Rayon vs Cotton
Rayon and cotton are both made of cellulose, but cotton grows that cellulose as a natural seed fiber while rayon dissolves wood-pulp cellulose and respins it into a smooth filament. Cotton is the familiar breathable, durable natural staple. Rayon is silkier and more drapey, often more absorbent, but weaker, especially when wet, and more prone to shrink. It was invented as a cheap stand-in for silk, not for cotton, and it shows in the drape.
Rayon
No. 119woven from regenerated cellulose · first documented 1890s
Cotton
No. 126the seed-hair fiber, woven into countless cloths · first documented Antiquity
The differences
| Aspect | Rayon | Cotton |
|---|---|---|
| Origin | Regenerated: wood-pulp cellulose dissolved and respun. | Natural: the seed-hair fiber of the cotton plant. |
| Hand and drape | Silky, fluid, drapey; mimics silk. | Soft but crisper, with more body. |
| Strength | Weaker, and notably weak when wet. | Strong, and slightly stronger wet than dry. |
| Care | Often needs gentle or dry cleaning; can shrink and lose shape. | Easy to wash, though it wrinkles and can shrink unless pre-shrunk. |
| Absorbency | Very absorbent and cool, but slow to dry. | Absorbent and breathable. |
Which to choose
Choose cotton for durable, washable, everyday cloth with body. Choose rayon for a silky, fluid drape at low cost, accepting that it is more delicate, weaker wet, and fussier to care for. The two are often blended to lend cotton some of rayon's drape.
Common questions
- Is rayon natural or synthetic?
- Neither, exactly. Rayon is a regenerated fiber: it is made from natural cellulose (wood pulp) but heavily processed and respun, so it sits between natural fibers like cotton and true synthetics like polyester.
- Why is rayon weaker than cotton?
- The chemical process that dissolves and reforms the cellulose leaves rayon's fibers less strong than cotton's natural structure, and rayon loses much of its strength when wet, which is why many rayons must be washed gently or dry cleaned.
- Which is cooler to wear?
- Both are breathable and cool. Rayon's smooth, fluid, absorbent hand often feels cool and drapes against the skin, while cotton breathes well but has more body. In heat, many find rayon or a rayon-cotton blend the more comfortable drape.