Cotton twill is the default fabric for streetwear cargo pants because it is sturdy, holds its shape and takes embroidery and patches cleanly. Choose nylon when you want a lighter, smoother, more technical cargo or shell jacket, and denim when the wash and the worn-in look are the point of the piece.
Picking the fabric for streetwear cargo pants, jackets and overshirts decides how the piece looks in a photo, how it hangs on the body and how it can be branded. This post explains the three woven fabrics in our white label streetwear range and how to match them to each style.
Cotton twill
Twill is a woven fabric with a diagonal rib on the face, made by passing the weft over and under the warp threads in a stepped pattern. That weave makes it dense and firm, so it holds its shape and resists creasing more than a plain weave of the same weight.
Look and feel. Matte, structured, slightly stiff when new, softening with wear and washing. It reads as workwear.
Styles. Cargo pants, overshirts and jackets.
Branding. Embroidery sits cleanly on twill, and woven patches stitch on flat. Screen print works on jacket backs. Branded buttons, rivets and zip pulls suit the workwear look.
Washes and finishes. Twill can be garment-washed for a softer hand or a slightly faded colour. Tell us the effect and send a reference photo; we confirm what is possible at quotation and on your sample.
What to watch. Heavier twill makes a stronger cargo but a stiffer overshirt. If the overshirt is meant to be worn as a light layer, say so and we suggest a suitable weight.
Denim
Denim is a cotton twill too, usually woven with a dyed warp and an undyed weft, which is why the face is blue and the back is lighter. What sets it apart is how it responds to washing: the colour fades along the high points and seams, giving the worn-in look that defines it.
Look and feel. From crisp and dark to soft and faded, depending on the wash.
Styles. Jackets, overshirts and denim pieces.
Branding. Branded rivets and buttons are the classic denim trims. Embroidery and woven patches suit it well. A woven patch at the back waistband of jeans is often the main brand mark.
Washes and finishes. The wash is the key decision. Send a reference photo of the shade and fade you want. We confirm the options at quotation, and you see the result on your sample. Shades can vary a little between wash batches, which is normal for washed denim.
What to watch. Washing changes the size of denim, so the approved sample is the reference for bulk measurements.
Nylon
Nylon is a smooth, light woven synthetic. It has a clean surface and often a slight sheen.
Look and feel. Light, smooth, technical. It moves and rustles more than cotton.
Styles. Cargo pants and jackets, especially shell and lighter styles.
Branding. Screen print and heat transfer suit nylon jacket backs. Embroidery works for small logos with care, since dense stitching can pucker light fabric. Branded zip pulls and toggles suit the technical look.
What to watch. Nylon shows puckered seams and needle marks more than cotton, so stitching quality matters. It is not washed for effect the way twill and denim are.
We describe these fabrics by look, weight and feel only. We do not make performance claims for any of them.
Fabric by style
| Style | Cotton twill | Denim | Nylon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cargo pants | Yes, the usual choice | No | Yes, lighter and technical |
| Jackets | Yes, workwear look | Yes, classic denim jacket | Yes, shell styles |
| Overshirts | Yes | Yes | No |
| Denim pieces | No | Yes | No |
Matching fabric to the brand
- Workwear-inspired brand: twill cargos and a twill jacket in muted colours.
- Technical or outdoor look: nylon cargos and a nylon shell jacket with branded toggles and zip pulls.
- Vintage or classic brand: a washed denim jacket and a denim overshirt.
- Layering range: a twill overshirt over your existing tees and hoodies.
Colour, swatches and the sample
Colour depends on the fabric. A twill olive and a nylon olive will not look identical. Washed twill and denim also shift in colour from the wash. If you want two pieces to match, such as a cargo and a jacket, keep them in the same fabric where possible, or tell us so we can check the shades. The colour split is confirmed in your quotation.
Ask for swatches with your enquiry if you are unsure. When they arrive, check them in daylight, feel both sides and fold them to see how they crease. On the sample, check the fabric again after one wash. Our post on checking a streetwear jacket sample lists everything else to look at.
Each fabric of a style counts as its own style for the minimum of 300 pieces, with sizes mixed. Send us the style, the look you want with a reference photo, and your trims and branding, and we will suggest a fabric and quote it.