Tonal — The fabric check

The Tonal quality rating

Every piece on Tonal gets one of three ratings based on its fabric composition. We don't guess — we read the label, check the percentages, and rate it honestly.

Excellent

Pure natural fibres

The best your money can buy

100% natural fibre composition — wool, cashmere, silk, linen, or high-quality cotton. These pieces are investment-grade: they feel better on the skin, age beautifully, and last years with proper care. They're temperature-regulating, biodegradable, and worth every penny.

100% Merino Wool 100% Cashmere 100% Silk 100% Organic Cotton (GOTS)

Great

80%+ natural blend

Excellent quality with smart engineering

Predominantly natural fibres with a small percentage of synthetic for practical reasons — like elastane for stretch, or polyamide for durability. The natural fibre is the star; the synthetic is the supporting cast. These offer the best balance of quality and everyday wearability.

94% Organic Cotton · 6% Elastane 80% Pima Cotton · 20% Polyamide 90% Cotton · 8% Linen · 2% Elastane

Good

Solid everyday quality

Honest quality at an honest price

Good quality construction with either a mostly-natural blend or a functional reason for synthetic content. Think structured trousers where polyester helps hold the crease, or affordable basics in heavy-weight cotton. Not investment pieces, but solid wardrobe workhorses that do their job well.

100% Organic Cotton (340gsm) 97% Cotton · 3% Elastane 43% Wool · 54% Polyester · 3% Elastane

What we skip entirely: If a product is predominantly synthetic — polyester-dominant, acrylic, or misleadingly named — it doesn't make the cut. No matter how beautiful it looks. We'd rather recommend fewer pieces that are genuinely worth your money.

The 60-second label check

You can do this in any shop, on any website. It takes less than a minute and saves you from buying clothes that pill, overheat, and fall apart after three washes.

How to read any fabric label

Find the composition. On a website, look for "Materials," "Composition," or "Details." In a shop, check the sewn-in label. It's usually listed by percentage, highest first.

Read the first fibre listed. That's the dominant material — the one that determines how the piece feels, drapes, and ages. If it's polyester, acrylic, or nylon, proceed with caution.

Check the percentages. 80%+ natural fibre = genuinely good quality. 50-80% = acceptable depending on the blend. Under 50% natural = the name is misleading you.

Know the exceptions. 2-5% elastane is fine (that's just stretch). Polyester lining in coats is standard. Acetate in occasion wear gives a beautiful drape. Context matters.

Know your fibres

Not all fabrics are equal. Here's what to look for — and what to avoid.

Merino Wool

Temperature-regulating, soft, doesn't itch. The king of natural fibres for everyday wear.

✓ Always worth it

Cashmere

Incredibly soft and warm. Lightweight but insulating. Look for 100% — blended cashmere rarely delivers.

✓ Investment piece

Organic Cotton

Breathable, soft, durable. GOTS-certified means genuine organic farming. Check the gsm for weight — higher = better.

✓ Great staple

Pima / Supima Cotton

A step above regular cotton — longer fibres mean softer hand feel, better colour retention, and longer life.

✓ Premium everyday

Linen

Perfect for warm weather. Gets softer with every wash. Wrinkles are part of the charm, not a flaw.

✓ Summer essential

Silk

Luxurious drape and sheen. Temperature-regulating. Requires careful care but nothing else feels like it.

✓ Special pieces

Viscose / Rayon

Plant-derived but chemically processed. Drapes beautifully but can shrink. Fine in blends, avoid as the sole fibre.

⚠ Depends on blend

Acetate

Plant-derived, gives satin-like sheen. Common in occasion wear. A practical alternative to silk at a lower price.

⚠ Good for occasion

Polyester

Doesn't breathe, traps odour, pills over time. Acceptable in structured tailoring for crease resistance. Avoid as dominant fibre.

✗ Caution

Acrylic

Cheap wool substitute. Pills aggressively, doesn't regulate temperature, looks worn after a few washes. Always skip.

✗ Always skip

Don't trust the name

Brands use product names to imply quality that the fabric doesn't deliver. Here are real examples from our curation process:

Real examples from real brands

Arket

"Alpaca-Wool Blend Jumper"

Polyester 35%, Alpaca 31%, Wool 31%, Elastane 3%

✗ Didn't make our cut — mostly plastic despite the name

vs

Arket

"Pure Brushed-Cashmere Jumper"

Cashmere 100%

✓ Excellent — exactly what it says

COS

"Twist-Detail Jersey Top"

Cotton 48%, Polyamide 44%, Elastane 8%

✗ Nearly half synthetic — will pill and trap heat

vs

COS

"Clean Cut T-Shirt"

100% Organic Cotton, 340gsm

✓ Good — heavy organic cotton that holds its shape

Both products from the same brand, similar price. One is mostly plastic. The other is pure natural fibre. The label tells you everything — if you know where to look.

Why this matters

For your skin: Natural fibres breathe. They regulate temperature, wick moisture, and don't trap bacteria the way synthetics do. If you've ever felt clammy in a "nice" blouse, it was probably polyester.

For your wardrobe: A £45 merino top that lasts 5 years costs £9 per year. A £25 acrylic top that pills after 3 months costs £100 per year to keep replacing. Quality is cheaper in the long run.

For the planet: Synthetic fabrics shed microplastics every time you wash them. Natural fibres biodegrade. Choosing quality isn't just good for your wardrobe — it's good for the world.

The fabric check