Different fabrics for different bags – Cotton vs. Canvas

Different fabrics have different structures and properties and selecting the right fabric for the right purpose is, of course, extremely important.

If you touch the fabric of your clothes, you will easily feel that the texture of your shirt is quite different from that of your trousers or skirt. Clothing items need to adapt to your body in different ways and using cotton, linen or denim will result in a different fitting. Sometimes this is a requirement, whether it be for the season's weather (you would likely not use cotton skirts in winter) or for fitting purposes (non-stretching cotton would not be the best option for a free size dress).

Other times, instead, choosing a fabric over another could just be a matter of style.

When it comes to fabric bags, the same principles apply. Depending of what type of bag you are looking for, you may want to select a different fabric.

So, here are some tips about what fabric would work best for different bags.

Typically, a fabric bag will be made either of cotton or canvas. To be correct, canvas can be made of cotton, too. However, the name “canvas” is also often used as a generic term for heavier type of fabrics – and this what canvas will be referred to in this article.

Cotton: 

Cotton is a type of fabric which is widely used for both garments and home textiles.

Cotton meant for home textiles is typically preferred for bags. This is because this type of cotton is generally sturdier and would therefore serve the purpose better. Of course, nothing prevents you from using garment cotton for a bag. You just need to keep in mind that this would result in a less sturdy bag.

At Nu-nomad, cotton meant for home textiles is typically preferred. To give cotton more resistance, a fusible interlining is often used. The fusible interlining is a thin fiber sheet having a special glue on one side. When ironed, the glue melts and the sheet attaches to the fabric, thus making it sturdier.

Having said this, when is cotton to be preferred for a bag, then?

Cotton bags are especially good in the summer, as they look fresh and light, thus fitting better with your summer clothes. A cotton bag can be folded without effort, so that you can easily bring it with you when travelling. Also, cotton can typically stretch to some extent, so that you can fill up your bag with more stuff than you would expect.

What you should keep in mind, however, is that a cotton bag can more easily loose its original form compared to canvas, especially when constantly filled with more stuff its shape should contain.

Also, cotton is perceived as a spring – summer material and it may not fit at best with a winter jacket. But this is more a matter of personal style: you may still want a contrasting look and therefore have a cotton bag paired with a wintery woolen coat.

Canvas: 

Canvas is a type of fabric which can be made of cotton, linen, juta or hemp. The name does not refer, therefore, to its origins, as in the case of cotton and linen (which refer to the plants from which the fibers come from).

As already said, the term canvas is also often used as a generic term for heavy and sturdy fabric. Typical uses of canvas are surfaces for paintings, tents and backpacks. Cotton or cotton-linen mixed canvas is often used in home textiles, especially for making sofas and curtains. This latter canvas type is a very good choice for a bag, thanks to the beautiful texture and its sturdiness.

A bag made in canvas is typically quite resistant. Over time, the shape of the bag would keep better than that of a bag made of cotton. You can still fill the bag with a lot of stuff, but you should keep in mind that a canvas bag would stretch slightly less than a cotton one.

A bag made with canvas can also be a bit heavier in weight. Likely not as much as a bag made with leather, but still more than a cotton made one.

As for styles, canvas bags are maybe a bit more versatile than cotton bags. A canvas bag would match both your summer and winter clothes and not look inappropriate.

Now, a bag also has an interior. When choosing one to purchase or when making your own bag, you may want to take into consideration also the material used for the interior.

So, to summarize all the above, here is a simple scheme to help you choose:

1. Cotton outside and cotton inside –you will make a light bag, easy to fold, easy to fill. Not very sturdy, maybe best suited for the summer. 
2. Canvas outside and cotton inside (or viceversa) -you will make a semi-sturdy bag, still quite light in weight, but more structured than a cotton-cotton one. If you use cotton for the inside, it will be easier to fill the bag up. 
3. Canvas outside and canvas inside – you will make a sturdier bag, a bit heavier in weight, but more resistant. It will not stretch as much as a cotton bag, but it will be perfect in any season.

Hope this will be helpful. And leave a comment, if you have any!