Why Cotton Socks Are A Better Choice For Your Pilates Workout!
Pilates has taken the world by storm, especially in the last few years. Whether you love to workout at home or at a pilates studio, a good pair of pilates socks can take your workout to the next level. When you’re dealing with shiny wooden floors or carpet at home, the right non-slip socks will help support you and keep you stable in each position. But what type of socks are the best for your workout? Should you go with cotton or polyester?
We know cotton is a soft, fluffy fiber that grows naturally in a protective case around the seeds of cotton plants. On the other hand, Polyester is a man-made petroleum-based synthetic fibre. If you were to look at it under a microscope, you would see the plastic fibres are woven very finely and very close together. They both have their pros and cons, however, at Move Active, we believe that cotton socks are a superior choice than polyester. These are our reasons below.
Polyester Is Very Bad For Our Planet
In approximately the 1940’s man-made fibres such as polyester were created and were cheaper to use than cotton. But although polyester is a cost-effective and versatile product, it is incredibly bad for the planet as it isn’t biodegradable. It won’t break down in 5 years from now or even 500 depending on the condition of the planet at the time. Also, polyester is created from petroleum and the oil manufacturing industry is the world’s largest pollutant. Cotton, however, is a biodegradable fibre that grows naturally from the earth.
Cotton Is Soft, Comfortable & Breathable
When it comes to choosing socks for your Pilates workout, comfort and breathability are very important factors. The best thing about cotton is how incredibly soft it is. This comes down to the fibres being less abrasive than polyester, so it feels super nice on your skin. Cotton is also comfortable and breathable, much more than polyester socks. This creates an environment where your feet will sweat less during your workout. The material also gets rid of excess moisture. Polyester is not breathable at all. This creates foot sweat and overheating, especially during a Pilates workout.
Cotton Is Better For Sensitive Skin
Cotton is also a great choice if you have sensitive skin as it’s completely natural and not a chemically-derived fibre. As it’s so much softer, those with sensitive skin tolerate 100% cotton better than polyester. Certain fabrics exacerbate problems like dry and itchy skin and polyester is one of them. They are also treated with harmful toxic chemicals during production which can’t be good for our skin. . Also, synthetic fibres can't absorb sweat, therefore creating an environment for smelly bacteria to grow.
As organic products becoming increasingly popular, you can find cotton fabric made with very little chemical processing which is far better for our skin, the largest organ in our body. Cotton also doesn’t doesn’t retain odors like oil-based fabrics, so it’s also a great option for when you’re getting sweaty in your pilates workout.
Cotton Socks Will Last Long And Keep Its Colour If You Take Care of Them
Some of the reasons people chose polyester are that it’s more durable than cotton. They also dry quickly after being washed. And they’ll keep their colour over time because polyester retains the dye it has been coloured with, better. They are also less likely to fade, shrink or wrinkle.
While cotton doesn't hold colour as well as polyester, it still holds it well and be relatively long-lasting. Cotton is a strong and tough fibre. You can rely on it to last a long time and not fall apart on the first wear.
