What is cotton?

Cotton is a fiber obtained from a plant called cotton plant. Cotton is grown in many countries of the world: the USA, Egypt, India, Pakistan, China, Brazil, Central Asia, Transcaucasia. The production of cotton clothing became widespread relatively recently: in the 19th century.

Cotton fabrics and knitwear “breathe” (which is especially important in summer), they can be washed in washing machine(with rare exceptions). Good cotton fabrics are comfortable, durable, durable and look beautiful. Among the disadvantages of this material, it is worth noting the tendency to wrinkle, as well as slight shrinkage when washing.

Knitwear or fabric?

There are products made from both “knitted” cotton and cotton fabrics. T-shirts, polo shirts, jumpers, cardigans and pullovers are mainly made from knitwear; jeans, jackets, jackets, trousers, shirts, blouses, etc. are made from fabric. Jerseys softer and more elastic than fabric ones, they stretch more strongly. Wear resistance can be high for both knitted items and fabric items.

It is worth noting that cotton jumpers and cardigans do not provide very good warmth. A wool jumper retains heat better, although it usually costs more. In general, when buying a cotton jumper/sweater, do not expect that you will be warm in it in late autumn and especially in winter.

Double yarn (2-ply, 2-fold, double-twisted)

Cotton fabrics can be made from either single-strand or double-strand yarn. Preferable, of course, are fabrics made from double-strand yarn (as they also say, double-twisted cotton, 2-ply or 2-fold cotton) - they are more wear-resistant and more durable, and can withstand a much larger number of washes. In addition, such fabrics are less likely to tear.

Ideally, the fabric is made entirely of double-thread yarn - that is, if the warp threads of the fabric and the weft threads (perpendicular to the warp) are double (each thread is twisted from two). Such fabrics are designated as 2x2. Alas, manufacturers often do not disclose such details, but if you suddenly see this designation in the description, you can be sure that the fabric is of high quality.

Read more about 2-ply fabrics.

Three-strand yarn (3-ply)

This happens too. However, products made from 3-ply fabrics are very rare on sale and are expensive. Examples include some Ermenegildo Zegna shirts and Alumo Salvatore Triplo fabrics. Yes, such fabrics are very durable and wear-resistant, but in general, 2x2 is quite enough.

Types of cotton fabrics

Let's look at the most common varieties.

Denim- thick and very thick fabric, from which jeans are made. Usually considered the highest quality japanese denim, although decent denim is made in both the USA and Europe. I wrote more about jeans and assessing their quality in.

Stretch denim made of cotton with the addition of elastane (2-5%). Elastane allows jeans to become softer and better fit your figure. As a rule, narrowed and tight models are made from stretch fabric. There is an opinion that premium and durable jeans should contain 100% cotton.

There is also a budget variety of denim (sometimes called “gin”), sometimes with the addition of synthetic fibers such as polyester, up to 50% or more. Inexpensive jeans are made from it. It is soft, but of low quality; wear resistance and strength leave much to be desired.

Chambray- a thinner, softer and lighter fabric, somewhat similar in appearance to denim. Shirts are made from it (those often called denim), as well as women's dresses, skirts, sundresses.

Twill/twill (twill)- fabric with diagonal weave of threads. Sometimes there is twill with a ““ pattern. Thick and dense twill is used to make casual trousers and jackets, and thin twill is used to make shirts, both casual and formal, to be worn with suits. Good twill is practical (stands up well in the washing machine), strength, wear resistance, and durability. Cheap twill, like other cheap fabrics, can quickly lose appearance. Read more about twill.

Broken twill (broken twill)- a subtype of denim, characterized by a peculiar pattern (broken diagonal lines). In particular, some jeans from Wrangler, Naked & Famous and others are made from it.

Gabardine- fabric with a very dense diagonal/twill weave of threads, with good protection from moisture and wind (but at the same time it is partially breathable). Good specimens are characterized by high wear resistance, strength, and at the same time they are quite light. Gabardine is used mainly for outerwear, occasionally for trousers and for lining pockets in jackets and suits. The original Burberry gabardine, patented by the company's founder, is woven from yarn obtained from long-staple Egyptian cotton and treated with a special waterproof compound. Today, of course, gabardine is used not only by Burberry, and its quality and properties can vary somewhat.

Cannett - dense, but quite soft and pleasant to the touch fabric with an original texture (see photo below). Casual trousers are made from it, but they are rarely found on sale. Such models were in the summer collection. Moleskin also used to make casual trousers. Moleskin has a soft and pleasant surface to the touch, but the fabric itself is dense and heavy.Sometimes unpaired jackets and jackets are made from moleskin.

Velvet (corduroy) can be made from different fibers; cotton corduroy is quite popular. Corduroy has a well-recognized relief structure. This fabric is a little difficult to clean. As a rule, corduroy is used to make soft, informal trousers, which some consider too old-fashioned. They are dense, quite warm and comfortable; can look quite elegant. Read more about corduroy and its subspecies and manufacturers.

Calico- cheap, light and slightly rough cotton fabric; was very popular in the USSR. Cheap dresses and shirts, diapers, underwear and bed sheets.

Satin / Sateen- satin weave fabric with a smooth, slightly glossy, silky and pleasant to the touch front surface and a rough, dull/matte back side. Used for dresses, bed linen, and as lining fabric. Previously, satin was exclusively a silk fabric, but for quite some time now there have been options made from cotton, and for some time now also from synthetic materials. Satin products can be decorated with embroidery (as in the photo below), but they may not have embroidery.

Oxford (Oxford)- dense fabric with a characteristic weave reminiscent of “” or many miniature diamonds. It can be soft, or it can be rough. As a rule, oxford is used for sewing casual shirts, although royal oxford is also suitable for formal shirts. In the summer, such shirts can be a bit hot, but a lot depends on the thickness/weight of the particular fabric. Read more about Oxford cotton.

Poplin- a simple weave fabric, smoother than oxford. Good poplin has a light, noble shine and can withstand many washes. Poplin shirts can look either strict and formal or informal: a lot depends on the color and pattern. Read more about poplin in.

Batiste (batiste, batist, cambric) distinguished by its thinness, lightness and faint noble shine; it can be semi-transparent. This is an expensive and also delicate fabric. Mainly used for sewing women's dresses, blouses, underwear, and handkerchiefs. There are also men's and women's cambric shirts. They are only suitable for summer; It’s worth adding that the hair on the chest is usually visible quite well through a cambric shirt.

Jacquard- fabric with a relief pattern. Stripes, polka dots, figures can be embossed... Informal shirts are sewn from jacquard, which can have a very picturesque appearance; As a rule, such shirts can always be found in assortment. In addition, jacquard is used to produce furniture upholstery, bedspreads, pillow covers and other home textiles.

Piquet- a material with a characteristic weave reminiscent of a honeycomb or bird's eye. Cotton pique is used to make polo shirts, dress shirts and dress vests, as well as white bow ties to be worn with tails. Things made from high-quality pique cotton last a long time, are comfortable, breathe well, have excellent breathability and are hygroscopic. A bad cotton pique may not last long and may not be very pleasant.

Read more about peak cotton.

Flannel, flannelette (flannel, flannelette)- soft, slightly fleecy (“fluffy”) fabric (not necessarily cotton - however, jacquard, for example, can be made from other fibers). Shirts, pajamas, and underwear are made from cotton flannel. Flannel is pleasant to the touch, comfortable, and looks informal. Flannel shirts are combined with jeans, cotton trousers, informal jackets (tweed, knitted), cardigans, pullovers/jumpers. Read more about flannel.

Non-iron fabrics (Iron free, Wrinkle free, Easy care)

On some shirts you can see the inscription Non-Iron. This means that the fabric has been specially treated to achieve less creasing. Typically, treatment is done using chemicals; in particular formaldehyde. This means that non-iron shirts are not very good for health (although no one has conducted special studies).

Non-iron shirts actually wrinkle less than those that have not undergone the appropriate treatment. But you still need to iron them. In addition, they often look quite cheap and can wear out quite quickly (depending on the manufacturer). The exception is non-iron shirts that have undergone completely natural processing - for example, companies or. But they cost much more than mass-market non-iron shirts.

Read more about non-iron fabrics in.

Mercerized cotton

Cotton that has been processed (a type of yarn processing) is called mercerized cotton. This cotton is distinguished by its noble shine, smoothness and increased susceptibility to dyes. It's also durable and hard-wearing, and won't fade or fade (though it's worth noting that the quality of mercerized cotton varies, so exceptions may apply). Naturally, clothes made from mercerized cotton are more expensive (all other things being equal). Double mercerization used best manufacturers, preferable to “single”.

Yarn numbers

Some cotton items and many fabrics may be marked with yarn numbers (from 30 to 300). The higher the number, the finer the threads (and, as a rule, the fabric itself), the more pleasant and silky the fabric and the higher the price. However, a high number does not mean high wear resistance: a lot depends on both the raw materials and the weaving machines used. Inexpensive fabrics with high yarn counts should be avoided. Good choice for every day there can be fabrics made from yarn with numbers from 80 to 140. From 150 to 200 - rather for shirts that you do not plan to wear too often, although the best fabrics from such yarn have good wear resistance. Above 200 - in my opinion, it’s not worth buying, because the price is very high, there are no practical advantages over the same number 200, but the wear resistance may be lower.
Supima cotton.

All of the above varieties (except for some subspecies of Egyptian cotton) are extra-long fiber cotton. Read more about it.

Cotton with added synthetics

Synthetic materials are often added to cotton fabrics - mainly polyester. Yes, cotton clothes with added polyester are cheaper, but they look worse (noticeably worse if the polyester content is more than 20-25%). Often such clothes quickly lose their appearance. In addition, synthetics do not allow your skin to breathe and can also cause an allergic reaction. Therefore, I do not recommend buying, say, a shirt (shirt, blouse), more than 35% of which is polyester. Preference should be given to products made from 100% cotton.

Addition elastane allows clothes to stretch better (within reason) and fit the body better. At the same time, elastane is added to a very low large quantities- usually 2-5%.

The idea of ​​​​making fabrics from cotton fibers first appeared among the Indians many thousands of years ago. The idea was implemented. I liked the resulting canvas and began to gain popularity in Asian countries. In Russia, cotton fabrics were first seen in the 15th century and began to be produced from imported fibers 3 centuries later.

Raw materials for producing cotton fabrics, methods of its processing

For production textile materials Cotton with fibers of different lengths is used.

• Short-staple cotton with a fiber length of up to 26 mm is little used on an industrial scale.
• Medium-fiber cotton is in demand. It grows in large quantities in Central Asia. The plant is productive, matures 140 days after sowing, produces fibers with a maximum length of 35 mm.
• Long staple cotton is the preferred source of raw material. It has lower yields and requires special climatic conditions. The fiber length of such a plant reaches 45 mm. Grows in India, Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, China, Mexico.

Marvelous! The cotton flower only lives for one day. Then the petals fall off and the formation of a seed box begins.

To propagate seeds, nature intended the presence of fluffy fibers on them, which will be easily carried by the wind over long distances. Man has found practical applications for these formations.

You can find a variety of cotton materials in every fabric store.

The resulting fibers differ in degree of maturity. Fully formed cotton is characterized by high strength, elasticity, absorbency, and dyeability. It is based on up to 97% cellulose, which has about 6 thousand monomer units.

The intermediate stage preceding the production of fabrics is the transformation of fibers into yarn and threads. There are several spinning technologies. For cotton materials the following are used: carded, combed and machine spinning.

• Card spinning, which is the most common method, processes medium-staple cotton.
• Cotton with fine fibers is combed.
• Using the hardware method, low-grade fibers and waste resulting from the implementation of the first two spinning technologies are processed.

The threads used to produce cotton fabrics are either uniform or complex. They also differ in the presence or absence of torsion and the degree of its intensity.

Types, characteristics of fabrics

Cotton fabrics

There are a large number of parameters, varying which allows you to obtain many types of fabrics from pure cotton. The trend of manufacturing from cotton raw materials is increasing by adding a natural, chemical, synthetic component. In the process of producing textile products from cotton, all known types of weaves are used.

Fine, long-staple cotton is used to make the finest fabrics.

• – a thin, durable fabric with low density made from combed yarn that has been twisted. Weave type - plain, low density. The fabric is expensive and not very wear-resistant. Delicate shirts, pajamas, and holiday onesies are made from cambric.
• Marquisette is a fabric similar in basic criteria to cambric (combed twisted yarn, plain weave), characterized by a higher degree of twisting of the threads. The density of the canvas is almost 10 times higher than the density of cambric. Summer clothes, curtains, and bed linen are made from awnings.
• Volta is a silky, delicate fabric with high density. It is made from combed yarn that has been twisted. Weaving is carried out according to the plain pattern. The material is similar to cambric. Women's summer dresses and underwear are made from it.
• – an exquisite thin material with a high density of threads, woven using a plain algorithm. Durable fabric when touched is perceived as soft, delicate, silky. It lasts a long time and tolerates washing well.
• Poplin is a material made of plain weave from combed twisted yarn. In the weft of some varieties of poplin, untwisted yarn is used. The combination of a high density of warp threads with a large weft thickness leads to the formation of a slightly pronounced transverse scar on the fabric. Bed linen is made from poplin.
• – a lightweight, silky fabric made from tightly twisted combed yarn in a plain weave. Elegant items are made from taffeta.
• More beautiful - light fabric with a slightly “crumpled” surface. Made from combed yarn, using a special type of weave and special chemical treatment. Sometimes contains gold or silver thread. Women's dresses are made from more beautiful materials.
• Kiseya is a representative of the group of gaseous fabrics. This is a very light transparent linen type material. During the production process, straight weft threads intertwine pairs of crossed warp threads. Used to decorate ladies' outfits and curtain windows.
• Tulle is a transparent mesh fabric of a smooth or patterned type. Produced on special machines. Used for decoration women's clothing, making curtains, bedspreads, capes.
• – elegant lace fabric from thin threads. It is done using several methods: pulling out excess fibers, etching the soluble thread of the pattern frame after completing the design. In industrial production, guipure is now produced on special spinning machines.
• Combed satin. A material with an informative name, from which it follows that it is made from combed yarn through a satin weave. Used for sewing bed linen and home textiles.

A large group of textile materials are made from medium-fiber cotton.

• - a popular fabric made from medium-twist threads woven in a plain linen pattern. Summer clothes, bed linen, home textiles, clothes for sleeping and waking are sewn from chintz.
• Calico fabrics are a group of weaving materials made like chintz from carded yarn with a plain weave. According to the nature of finishing (finishing) they are divided into muslin with a soft finish, muslin with a semi-rigid finish, and madapolam with a hard finish. Linens and linens for household use are made from calicos.
• By Russian standards, this is pure cotton fabric. Imported calico may contain a small amount of synthetic threads. They are created to different standards. The threads that make up calico are thick and tightly woven. There are several types of calico, which differ in density. In general, the fabric turns out to be rough. Costs less than other cotton materials.
• Carded satin is a dense fabric made from thicker threads than combed satin. Non-mercerized modifications of the material are also produced. A type of carded satin with a warp on the front side is called eraser.
• Creton is a dense material made from pre-dyed yarn, woven in a plain linen pattern. The result is patterns of stripes and cells. Used for upholstery.
• Tricot is a dense fabric made from thin carded yarn in a twill or delicately patterned weave. The warp often contains fine twisted yarn, while the weft contains coarser yarn. Cheaper tights are made from cotton. Wool fabric is more expensive. Primarily suits and trousers are made from tights.

Short-fiber varieties are used to produce yarn for flannel, flannel, and paper.

• Fleece is a very dense material, which is obtained as a result of a specific one-and-a-half-layer weaving. There is fleece on both sides of the fabric.
• Flannel is produced using plain, twill, and sometimes finely patterned weave. The material is brushed on both sides. The fabric density is less than that of a flannel.
• Bumazeya is produced using plain or twill weave. Usually there is a fleece on one side. The density of bumazea is comparable to the density of flannel.

Non-woven and artificial fibers are made from the shortest fibers with a length of up to 20 mm.

Classification by purpose of fabrics made from cotton raw materials

• Demi-season fabrics are made from carded and combed single-strand twisted yarn. The high density of the material provides thermal protection and the ability to retain shape. This group includes weighted garus with plain weave, all varieties of tartan, as well as fabric with crepe or finely patterned weave, which is called wool. In a group demi-season materials A large volume is occupied by shirt fabrics, which include poplin, reps, taffeta, and satins. Demi-season dress fabrics are varied in manufacturing methods and finishing methods.
• Summer fabrics are light, low density, and highly breathable. Lightweight materials for general use include voile, cambric, and volta.
• Winter materials have maximum density, brushed pile. These include flannel and flannel.
• A separate group consists of clothing fabrics, from which mainly industrial clothing is sewn. To increase strength, nylon fiber is added to cotton.
• Lining fabrics are an auxiliary material in sewing. These include calico, side and pocket fabric.
• Decorative materials for furniture are used for upholstery, drapery, sewing drapes and curtains. The canvases have great strength, resistance to stretching and abrasion.
• The group of piece products includes handkerchiefs and headscarves. They are made from pure cotton or with the addition of viscose. The types of weaves used are plain, twill.
• Cotton fabrics are used to produce lightweight and flannelette blankets. The fabrics of some types of blankets additionally contain nylon or lavsan threads.

– a large group of diverse products, differing in basic manufacturing methods and modifications of known technologies.

Differences between cotton and other fabrics

1. Combustion.
   • All natural materials are burning. Mixed ones burn with the formation of a larger or smaller drop of resin. Synthetic fabrics are melted.
   • Cotton burns well, giving off a burnt paper smell. At the end of the combustion it smolders.
   • It also burns well, but smolders much worse.
   • Wool burns without smoldering, emitting a specific smell of burnt hair.
2. Tactile and visual impressions.
   • When touched, cotton feels like a warm, soft, easily wrinkled fabric. It drapes well.
   • Linen is shiny, hard, cool, smooth. It drapes poorly and wrinkles very easily.
   • Silk is a pleasant, soft, flexible, lightweight material. Doesn't wrinkle.

Cotton fabrics are hygienic, practical, and beautiful. From a wide range of products, you can always choose a comfortable, durable material that meets the needs and aesthetic requests of the buyer. Prices for many types of cotton fabrics are in the range accessible to the mass buyer.

Production of cotton fabrics:

Which natural fabric is the most common? Many women who often purchase will answer that it is cotton. Then what kind of fabric is 100% cotton and how does it differ from cotton? It turns out that it’s absolutely nothing, since it’s the same thing. This fabric is often called nothing more than " white gold". And there is some truth in this.

Composition and properties of matter

Cotton is international designation cotton This fabric can be called not only the most used, but also the oldest on the planet. Previously, it consisted only of 100% cotton. But today some artificial and natural fibers can be added to it. This is done in order to improve its performance. For example, it could be 95% cotton and 5% elastane. In this case, the fabric will become not only more durable, but also elastic.

Pure cotton is very pleasant to wear, it absorbs moisture well and allows air to pass through. This fabric has many advantages:

• differs in hygroscopicity;
• due to the porous structure it allows air to pass through well;
• the material is completely hypoallergenic;
• easy to wash;
• paints well.

It is worth adding to this that cotton is not at all afraid of such pests as moths. But this material also has some disadvantages. For example, cotton is quickly destroyed by high temperatures. To prevent this from happening, the cotton should be ironed slightly damp. Does not like 100 percent cotton and ultraviolet sunlight.

Varieties of cotton

If we take into account all the types of fabrics that are used on the planet, then more than 50% of the percentage falls on cotton. This fabric is practical, but there are over a dozen varieties. It is almost impossible to fully describe this fabric, because cotton includes cambric and chintz, flannel and corduroy, satin, etc. The well-known denim fabric also belongs to 100% cotton. From this alone it can be understood that cotton is an all-season fabric.

This fabric has the following characteristics:

• weaving threads;
• weaving density;
• processing method.

The general name of this material in Russian is cotton fabric. Most often, mercerization is applied to cotton. For example, when we're talking about about the famous Ivanovo knitwear, up to 3% of synthetic fibers are used in cotton. In this case, the fabric becomes less wrinkled, durable and has a small percentage of shine. Due to this, cotton becomes unusually smooth, has the shine of satin, as well as the softness of silk. Using a combination of fiber weaves, different thicknesses of cotton fabric are achieved

Our online store offers a wide range of men's, children's and 100% cotton!

The online store Narodny Len offers wholesale and retail purchase of high-quality natural fabric in a wide range of models presented. High-quality cotton jersey is 100% material made from plant fibers (in some cases, a small amount of polyester or lycra may be added to improve the characteristics of the fabric). Knitted cotton fabric used for sewing clothes, bedding and bath accessories, tablecloths and curtains. Cotton fabric is also actively used for sewing children's clothing, including for the youngest infants.

Characteristics of inexpensive cotton fabric

Cotton is a common natural material, actively used for the production of fabrics. IN pure form the raw material is a kind of cotton wool, from which the thread is formed and the fabric is created.

• Strength and lightness of the material;
• Softness and ease of use;
• Good heat exchange functions, removal of excess moisture from the body, warming during the cold season;
• Durability, the ability to withstand repeated periods of washing, retain its color and original shape.

Why is it profitable to buy cotton fabric inexpensively in an online store?

Purchasing goods on online resources is always more promising and profitable. The potential client gets the opportunity to have a larger selection of goods at a more attractive price. Price per meter of cotton fabric slightly exceeds that of synthetic materials, but in many qualitative characteristics it significantly surpasses them.

Delivery of goods in Moscow and the Moscow region from 1 to 3 days (5 in various ways), cost from 180 rubles, depending on the volume of the order and the remoteness of the region. It is always preferable to buy natural fabrics if the goal is to obtain a high-quality and durable item.

Cotton-linen fabric involves the use of exclusively natural fibers for its production. Such materials are in high demand because they do not cause irritation, do not stretch after washing, and do not fade when exposed to sunlight. In natural fabrics a person feels more comfortable, and the item itself retains its original attractiveness for a long time.

Modern synthetics are good and practical, no doubt about it. But still, 100% natural fabrics are more pleasant for many people. Cotton items are hygroscopic, do not accumulate charges of static electricity, and do not cause irritation to the skin. But they also have disadvantages: cotton gets dirty quite quickly, wrinkles a lot and is not very durable, especially if handled incorrectly. But if you know how to wash cotton correctly, your favorite items made from natural fiber will last you a long time and will delight the eye with bright colors and the touch with pleasant softness.

1. Be sure to sort your laundry before washing it. White cotton items are washed separately using powder with a bleaching effect. White 100% cotton can be washed at a temperature close to boiling - up to 95°C, but usually 60°C is sufficient. High temperatures It’s better not to get carried away, as cotton items shrink.
2. Colored linen can fade in hot water, so it is washed at an average temperature - about 40-50°C, it is better to limit it to 35-40°C, even if the color is permanent. Fading cotton items are washed in cold or slightly warm water without soaking. It is better to take powder for colored products, or with enzyme additives. Enzymes perfectly remove organic contaminants at temperatures up to 60°C. If you need to remove your heel, choose products without chlorine. White items with colored embroidery are also washed.
3. Wash cotton items separately from synthetic items. Synthetics cause an unpleasant phenomenon: the cotton fibers seem to be ruffled, which causes the appearance of untidy pellets on the surface.
4. Clothes should be turned inside out and buttoned before washing. Turn duvet covers and pillowcases inside out and shake out accumulated dirt from folds and corners. If you wash duvet covers in special bags, you will avoid the familiar situation when all things get inside the duvet cover in a tight knot. This accumulation is less easily washed, is distributed unevenly during spinning and can damage the machine. It is also better to wash small items in mesh bags, so as not to look for them later throughout the pile.
5. Terry towels, made from 100% cotton, become softer when washed and dried at moderate temperatures. Another way to achieve fluffiness and softness of terry cloth is to put wet items in the freezer for several hours. The resulting ice crystals push the fibers of the fabric apart, restoring its softness and hygroscopicity.

How to remove heavy stains

Many reference books recommend a variety of remedies related to the use of borax, salt, turpentine and other substances that our grandmothers used in the absence of effective ones. detergents. Today, any hardware store or supermarket will offer you such a selection of all kinds of household chemicals that hardly anyone will bother with old-fashioned cotton washing technologies. Unless it is absolutely necessary, if the body is extremely sensitive to the components of ordinary powders and, willy-nilly, you have to wash it with natural products.

Thus, it is recommended to soak handkerchiefs in saline solution at room temperature, like things with blood stains. Bleaching is carried out in a hot solution of hydrogen peroxide and ammonia, with its already pungent odor and harmfulness - how, I wonder, can this be done without an extractor?

It is easier and more effective to use the achievements of civilization, which are freely sold in any store for little money:

• for soaking, take powders with bioenzymes and use ultrasonic washing devices;
• to combat stains, use special stain removers, among which there are those intended for white things and for colored ones, without chlorine in the composition;
• For softness, do not rinse in saline or vinegar, but pour a capful of any rinse aid into water.

No extra hassle. Just take it out of the machine and hang it carefully. By the way, it is best to dry cotton clothes on hangers, spread out in all directions. This way you won't have to smooth it out for a long time.