Breathable Fabrics for Summer: Linen, Cotton, Viscose and Modal

What does “breathable” mean? Five measurable properties

Evaporation of sweat from the skin plays a critical role in regulating body temperature, and the sweat rate rises as the air gets warmer. When clothing covering the skin reduces heat loss through evaporation, the sweat rate can rise further (Baker, 2019). A garment that holds on to sweat feels damp and clingy (Suganthi et al., 2024). The measurable version of “does this fabric make me sweat?” is the five properties below.

Turkish suppliers often use the everyday phrase nefes alan kumaş (“breathing fabric”) or the sales phrase terletmez (“does not make you sweat”). Neither is a test result, and there is no separate technical class behind them; what you can request is the numbers.

Linen, cotton, viscose and modal: what do the measurements show?

The studies in the table use small sample sets and are mostly knitted fabrics. They indicate a direction; they do not give a definitive ranking.

Linen

Linen stood out in a comparison published by an industry body. Four samples (linen, polyester, viscose, cotton) with equivalent yarn counts, knitted on the same machine gauge (18-gauge, E18), were tested at the CETELOR laboratory. Linen showed the best thickness-corrected air permeability (EN ISO 9237) and the lowest water vapour resistance (ISO 11092, 1993 edition), meaning the highest breathability (CELC, 2014). The study belongs to the linen industry body and the samples are knitted, so it is not a direct match for woven linen shirts.

Finishing matters too. Dalbaşı and Özçelik Kayseri (2021) studied enzyme, softening and crease-resistant (cross-linking) treatments on shirting linen fabrics. With all three applied together, water vapour permeability was highest; however, the finishes affected air permeability negatively because the fabric shrank. The authors judged the overall effect favourable for summer use.

Cotton

Cotton absorbs moisture well. That is an advantage, but if sweat stays in the fabric the garment feels damp and clingy. Cotton Incorporated’s TransDRY technology, presented especially for sportswear, makes some of the cotton yarns water-repellent to lower the total absorbency capacity and to spread moisture faster. This approach shows that the absorbency of untreated cotton is, for some uses, a property that has to be managed. Light, open-structure cotton is a reasonable choice for summer; which weight suits which product is covered in fabric weight by product.

Viscose and modal

Both are regenerated cellulose fibres. The EU fibre name list defines modal as a regenerated cellulose fibre obtained by a modified viscose process, with high breaking force and high wet modulus. Lyocell is also regenerated cellulose; it is made by dissolving cellulose in an organic solvent and spinning it (EU 1007/2011, Annex I).

The measurements are positive but limited. In the CETELOR study, the 100% viscose sample, together with linen, achieved the study’s best moisture-management result (AATCC TM195 grade 5; in CELC’s wording, medium-to-fast wetting and absorption, with fast and wide spreading). Suganthi et al. (2024) compared 21 samples produced on the same knitting machine: modal samples showed higher air permeability than cotton, bamboo and Tencel samples, and the authors found the best comfort properties in 100% modal single jersey. In blends of modal and Tencel with cotton, air permeability dropped. One caution: the modal single jersey weighed 120 g/m² (≈ 3.5 oz/yd²) and the cotton single jersey 150 g/m² (≈ 4.4 oz/yd²), so part of the difference may come from weight.

The fibre name is not enough: construction, weight and finishing

Suganthi et al. (2024) report that the main factors determining water vapour permeability are fabric structure, weight and thickness, and that low weight, low thickness and an open structure increase permeability. So even with the same fibre, weight and openness can change the result; the authors list fibre type among the determining factors as well. For the structural difference between knitted and woven cloth, see knitted vs woven fabric.

Fabric names can also mislead. The Turkish Language Association dictionary (TDK) describes poplin as a thin fabric densely woven from cotton, linen or silk, and şile bezi as a type of thin, washable cotton cloth used for nightgowns, shirts and napkins. Both are described as thin, but thin does not mean air permeability is high; that value has to be measured.

Polyester and blends

Polyester absorbs very little moisture: the EU regulation assumes a moisture allowance of 1.5% for polyester and 8.5% for cotton (EU 1007/2011, Annex IX). That does not mean “polyester always makes you sweat”. Cui et al. (2025) compared a specially profiled (hydrophobic) polyester filament yarn with combination yarns made by twisting that filament with a hydrophilic (moisture-loving) yarn. In the vertical wicking test, which relies on an unlimited water supply, the polyester filament came out ahead; in tests with a limited supply of drops (drop spreading and moisture management tests), the combination yarns spread liquid better. In other words, the ranking can change with the test condition.

Starting choices by product

The table below is a starting point drawn from the measurements above. It is not a standard or a product-by-product comparative study; make the final decision on measured sample values.

Test values measure the fabric sample. For lined or multi-layer products, have the layers tested together; EN ISO 11092 also covers multi-layer constructions.

Turkish terms on quotations and test reports

If you source from Turkey, you will meet some of these words on quotations, fabric cards and lab reports.

How to verify a “breathable” claim when sourcing fabric

1. Ask for the composition with percentages. Viscose, modal and lyocell are separate names in the EU fibre name list (1007/2011, Annex I); write them separately in the quotation and the specification. As of this article’s date, the valid EU text is the consolidated regulation on EUR-Lex. Labelling obligations differ by the market you sell in; check current rules for Turkey and your export markets with a specialist.
2. Write construction and weight together. For example “single jersey, 100% modal, 120 g/m²”; even within the same fibre, a difference in weight changes the result.
3. Ask for air permeability. The EN ISO 9237 result, with its unit and the state of the sample (raw, finished, washed).
4. Ask for water vapour resistance (RET). As of this article’s date, the 2026 edition of EN ISO 11092 has been published; in the record of the Estonian standards body EVS, the 2014 edition appears withdrawn on June 15, 2026. State the edition in the contract and on the test report.
5. For “moisture transfer” or “quick-dry” claims, ask for the test name. AATCC TM195 (liquid moisture management) and AATCC TM201 (drying rate) are the standard methods behind such claims. Cui et al. (2025) show that rankings change with the test condition, so ask under which condition the value was measured.
6. Ask for values after washing and finishing. The linen study by Dalbaşı and Özçelik Kayseri shows that finishing and shrinkage change air permeability. For shrinkage, see how to prevent fabric shrinkage.

Summary

No fabric is non-sweating; some fabrics simply manage sweat well. Linen, viscose and modal look strong in measurements, and light, open-structure cotton is also a reasonable option. Fibre, construction, weight and finishing have to be judged together, and any “breathable” claim should be backed by measured values. For a comparison of other fabric types, see our guide to fabric types. If you are looking for suppliers, browse the linen fabric, poplin, knitted fabric and woven fabric categories.