Safe to wear, but rough on the environment.
↳ Safe to wear; production isn't clean — donate when done.
Why this material grade?
This product scored 59/100 on the 7-axis material rubric, based on its composition of 52% Cotton, 48% Polyester. Blended from 52% Cotton, 48% Polyester — the score is a weighted average based on each material's proportion.
C (55-69): Average material composition — typical blend, reasonable for everyday wear.
Average quality, high synthetic content
Decent for everyday wear, but the synthetic content means microplastic shedding and it won't biodegrade. Consider natural alternatives for your next purchase.
Breakdown
Composition
52% Cotton, 48% Polyester
Mixed blend — natural + synthetic
Every wash of synthetic fabric releases up to 700,000 microplastic fibers into waterways. Use a Guppyfriend bag to catch them.
This fabric will take 200+ years to decompose. That means a shirt you buy today will still exist in the year 2226.
Synthetic fabrics can contain BPA, which mimics estrogen. Studies have found BPA transferring to skin through sweat contact.
Network
Performance
spec sheet- Construction
- Jersey
- Fit
- Oversized
Knit — soft, stretchy
Cost per wear
rough estimateInvestment piece — wear it
How we got there
Base for Sweaters: 100 expected wears.
× 1.00 for Cotton (mid-durability fiber, durability 72).
= 100 expected wears. $210 ÷ 100 ≈ $2.10/wear.
Missing GSM — this is a category-level estimate, not garment-specific. Expect ±30% variance.
Real life is messier than a formula: how often you wash, how you wash, whether you wear it inside-out, dry on low — all of it shifts the number. This is the ceiling under reasonable care.
Care Guide
Decode symbols →Wash
warm (40°C)
Bleach
Do not bleach
Dry
tumble low
Iron
low
Dry Clean
avoid
Best For
Good comfort (63) and care ease (82) for casual wear
Good durability (72) and comfort (63) for office wear
Good durability (72) and breathability (59) for outdoor activities
Better Alternatives
Higher-rated sweaters products — each card shows how much better this alt scores vs your current product.
Uniqlo
Merino Sweater
100% Merino Wool
J.Crew
Wide-sleeve pointelle crewneck sweater in merino wool
100% Merino
Uniqlo
Merino Cardigan
100% Merino Wool
Banana Republic
Merino Crew-Neck Sweater
100% Merino Wool
Tradeoffs
Health Impact
Microplastic shedding · skin-contact synthetic load · likely chemical treatments
Low health impact — predominantly natural fibers with no major treatment flags.
700,000 fibers/wash
48% synthetic
Antimony
- Antimony (trace): Virgin polyester contains trace antimony from PET production. Recycled polyester reduces but does not eliminate it.
Biodegradability
Not BiodegradableMaterials will persist in the environment for decades.
Health & environmental impact →What this score doesn't measure
- ×Fiber grade. Staple length, micronaire, strength. "100% cotton" could be short-staple upland or long-staple Pima — same label, very different fabric.
- ×Yarn processing. Singles count, ply (single vs two-ply), spinning method (open-end vs ring-spun vs compact), mercerization. Invisible from any label.
- ×Knit / weave structure. Single jersey vs interlock, knit tightness. A loose knit pills; a tight knit lasts.
- ×Fabric weight (GSM). One construction signal among several — and high GSM can come from loose cheap yarn just as easily as from fine tight yarn. We have it for blank manufacturers, rarely for retail.
- ×Pre-shrink processing. Sanforized cotton shrinks ~1%; non-sanforized can shrink up to 10%. Not visible from the composition tag.
- ×Construction quality. Stitch density (SPI), seam types, collar geometry, manufacturing tolerances (AQL). These often matter more than the fiber itself.
- ×Specific chemical loads. Health Impact flags "likely PFAS / possible formaldehyde" from composition × category — we don't lab-test individual SKUs.
We rate the fabric, not the garment. Composition is the floor of what you're guaranteed to be getting — most shoppers don't have that.
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