Why Every Isla Lune Set Is 100% Cotton
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Every Isla Lune set is 100% cotton. Not a blend, not a percentage of something else quietly holding it together. That decision shapes most of what the pajamas are like to own, so it is worth explaining what it actually does.
It breathes
Cotton is a natural fibre with space inside it, so air and moisture move through instead of sitting against your skin. Body temperature drops as you fall asleep and rises again toward morning. A fabric that lets that happen is doing something for you all night, whether or not you ever notice it.
It gets softer, not worse
Most fabrics are at their best the day you buy them. Cotton is the opposite. Each wash loosens the fibres slightly, and the set you have worn for a year is softer than the one you unwrapped. This is also why we say to skip fabric softener. Cotton is already doing that work.
It falls instead of clinging
Cotton has weight to it. It drapes away from the body rather than following it, so a relaxed cotton pant holds its shape while you move. That is the reason you can open the door in these.
It washes simply
Cold wash, low tumble dry. There is no special cycle, no hand washing, no dry cleaning bill. Sleepwear gets worn constantly, and anything that makes it complicated to clean is something you will wear less.
What it costs us
Cotton is more expensive than a blend and harder to work with. It wrinkles. It needs more care in the cutting. A poly blend would be cheaper to make and would hold a press better on a hanger.
We make in small batches, designed in Victoria, British Columbia. The fabric choice is the part of that we are least willing to move on.
Common questions
Is 100% cotton good for pajamas?
Yes, and it is the fibre most often chosen for sleepwear. Cotton has space inside the fibre and an open weave between the threads, so heat escapes and moisture is drawn in rather than left on the skin. It also softens with every wash instead of degrading.
Is 100% cotton better than a cotton blend for sleepwear?
For sleeping, yes. Above roughly 20% polyester a blend starts behaving like a synthetic: it holds more heat, breathes less, and stops softening with washing. Blends do resist wrinkles better and cost less, which is the trade being made.
Why do 100% cotton pajamas wrinkle?
Because the fibre bends and holds the bend, which is the same property that lets it absorb moisture and soften over time. The wrinkling and the comfort come from the same place. Polyester springs back because it does neither.
Where can I find 100% cotton pajamas?
Check the composition label rather than the product name, because a great deal of sleepwear sold as cotton is a blend. Our own sets are 100% cotton with nothing blended in, designed in Victoria, British Columbia, and sold as separates in XXS to XXL.
Does cotton sleepwear get softer over time?
Yes. Every wash loosens the fibres slightly, so a set worn for a year is softer than a new one. Fabric softener works against this by coating the fibres, which is why it is worth skipping.
More: cotton versus polyester for sleepwear, how to wash cotton pajamas so they stay soft, and what size pajamas you should actually buy.