What Is TC Fabric (Polycotton)?
A woven polyester-cotton staple blend fabric—typically 65% polyester and 35% cotton (or 80/20)—engineered to combine polyester's tensile strength and low shrinkage with cotton's moisture absorption.
While traditional TC fabric spins staple polyester with combed cotton for pocketing and workwear, Weaverine weaves 100% continuous-filament microfiber and washed-cotton-hand polyester across 650+ waterjet looms (150–315 cm finished width, 75–120 GSM) for buyers who want a cotton-like hand without two-bath cross-dyeing cost or dryer lint.
By Wren Thunderborn, Head of Content
TC fabric (short for Tetoron Cotton, widely known in retail and hospitality sourcing as polycotton or T/C) is a woven fabric spun from an intimate blend of staple polyester fiber and cotton fiber in which polyester makes up the majority of the blend—most commonly 65% polyester / 35% cotton (65/35 T/C) or 80% polyester / 20% cotton (80/20 T/C).
Common TC Constructions in B2B Sourcing
In Chinese mill quotations, TC constructions are written as Yarn Count (Ne) × Yarn Count (Ne) / Ends per inch × Picks per inch:
| Standard Construction | Blend Ratio | Typical Weight (GSM) | Primary End Uses |
|---|---|---|---|
| T/C 45s × 45s / 110 × 76 | 65/35 or 80/20 | 100 – 115 GSM | Garment pocketing, shirting, budget institutional bed sheets |
| T/C 45s × 45s / 133 × 72 | 65/35 | 115 – 125 GSM | Poplin uniform shirting, medical scrubs, quilt backing |
| T/C 32s × 32s / 130 × 70 | 65/35 twill | 150 – 170 GSM | Light workwear, hospitality aprons, mattress ticking |
| T/C 20s × 16s / 128 × 60 | 65/35 2/1 or 3/1 twill | 230 – 250 GSM | Industrial workwear trousers, heavy utility covers |
TC vs CVC vs 100% Microfiber Polyester
When specifying sheets, duvet covers, or pocketing, buyers weigh three distinct fiber routes:
| Sourcing Parameter | TC Fabric (65/35 or 80/20 Polycotton) | CVC Fabric (60/40 Chief Value Cotton) | 100% Filament Microfiber (Washed Cotton Finish) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Majority Fiber | Polyester (> 50%, usually 65% or 80%) | Cotton (> 50%, usually 60%) | 100% Polyester continuous filament (75D–150D) |
| Dyeing Process | Two-bath disperse + reactive cross-dyeing | Two-bath reactive + disperse cross-dyeing | Single-bath high-temperature disperse dyeing |
| Pilling Behavior | Moderate risk (polyester anchors cotton pills) | Lower pilling than TC, higher shrinkage | High pill resistance (Grade 4–4.5; zero staple lint) |
| Laundry Shrinkage | 3% – 4% | 4% – 5% | < 2% – 3% (heat-set at > 185 °C) |
| Max Finished Width | Typically 150 – 280 cm | Typically 150 – 280 cm | 150 – 315 cm (woven on 650+ waterjet looms) |
Mill Boundary: When to Specify TC vs 100% Waterjet Polyester
Because waterjet looms use a high-pressure water jet to insert hydrophobic filament weft, Weaverine weaves 100% polyester filament constructions rather than hydrophilic cotton/polycotton staple blends (which run on airjet or rapier looms).
For buyers who want the matte, lived-in hand of polycotton or washed percale without the cost of two-stage cross-dyeing or staple pilling, our washed-cotton-finish polyester and peachskin microfiber programs deliver a natural matte hand across 150–315 cm finished widths (5,000 m custom MOQ; No MOQ on stock greige and digital print).
Spec tools
Common questions
What does TC stand for in TC fabric?
- TC stands for Tetoron Cotton (Tetoron is a historic Japanese trade name for polyester fiber). In global textile trade, TC fabric denotes any intimate staple-yarn blend where polyester represents more than 50% of the fiber weight—most commonly 65% polyester / 35% cotton or 80% polyester / 20% cotton.
What is the difference between TC fabric and CVC fabric?
- TC (Tetoron Cotton) is polyester-dominant (typically 65/35 or 80/20 polyester/cotton), prioritizing wrinkle resistance, tensile strength, and lower yarn cost. CVC (Chief Value Cotton) is cotton-dominant (typically 60/40 or 55/45 cotton/polyester), prioritizing a softer cotton hand and higher moisture regain at a higher yarn price.
Why do bedding buyers switch from TC 65/35 to 100% washed microfiber polyester?
- Dyeing TC 65/35 requires a two-bath disperse + reactive cross-dyeing process, and staple blends tend to pill when strong polyester fibers anchor broken cotton lint balls to the surface. 100% continuous-filament microfiber with a washed-cotton or peachskin finish dyes in a single disperse bath, weaves up to 315 cm finished width on waterjet looms, holds shrinkage under 2–3%, and eliminates dryer lint.
Related Terms
Sourcing tc fabric (polycotton) or a polyester equivalent? We quote mill-direct programs from 5,000 m per specification.
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Browse the full glossaryPolyester home-textile fabric, woven mill-direct for buyers worldwide.
Our mills run 650+ waterjet looms and produce 73M+ meters annually for bedding, curtain, and upholstery fabric programs.