80/20 vs 100% Cotton Batting: Which Should You Buy?

Updated September 2026 · By the ThreadWorks team, a family sewing business since 1977

80/20 vs 100% Cotton Batting at a Glance

What Is 80/20 Batting?

80/20 batting is a blend of 80% cotton and 20% polyester fiber. The cotton gives it the familiar hand, breathability and matte finish quilters expect. The polyester adds resilience: it helps the batt recover after being compressed, keeps a little more body between quilting lines, and makes the batt slightly lighter for its thickness.

80/20 is the default batting in many longarm studios for a simple reason: it gives a predictable, pleasant result on the widest range of quilts. It isn't the best at any single thing. It is very good at almost everything.

What Is 100% Cotton Batting?

100% cotton batting is made entirely of cotton fiber. It is the most traditional quilt filling. Quilts made with it lie flat, drape heavily over a bed, and, once washed, take on the gently puckered texture people associate with antique quilts. Cotton is also the choice when a customer asks for an all-natural quilt.

Our ThreadWorks Simply Cotton is 100% natural long-staple cotton in its unbleached, natural color. It is needle-punched with scrim, so it can be quilted farther apart than an unstabilized cotton batt.

The Differences You Will Actually See in the Finished Quilt

1. Texture after washing

This is the biggest visual difference. Cotton fibers relax and draw in slightly when a quilt is washed and dried, which puckers the fabric between quilting lines into that soft, crinkled, vintage look. 80/20 does this too, but more subtly, because the polyester resists shrinking. If you love crisp, defined quilting, lean 80/20. If you love a cozy, crinkled quilt, lean cotton.

2. Drape and weight

A washed all-cotton quilt is supple and drapes heavily. An 80/20 quilt is still soft but holds its shape a bit more. On a bed you'll notice it most at the edges and corners: cotton hangs straighter down the sides.

3. Warmth and breathability

Both are cotton-dominant, so both breathe well and neither traps heat the way an all-polyester batt can. For summer quilts, hot sleepers or warm climates, 100% cotton is the most comfortable. For an everyday four-season bed quilt, 80/20 is a comfortable middle ground.

4. Quilting definition

Because 80/20 has a little more body, stitched and unstitched areas contrast more, so feathers and motifs look more dimensional. Cotton keeps the quilt flatter and lets piecing and fabric carry the design. If you want much more dimension, choose a heavier batt such as Perfect Blend 6 oz. 80/20 (see below).

5. Shrinkage

All-cotton battings are where you tend to see the most shrinkage and crinkle, and the polyester in an 80/20 moderates it. Always check the manufacturer's rating. Both ThreadWorks Soft & Elegant 80/20 and Simply Cotton are rated at less than 5% shrinkage in the supplied product information. For a quilt that must stay exactly to size, see our guide on whether quilt batting shrinks and when to prewash it.

6. Durability and washing

Both hold up well to regular washing when quilted at the recommended density. Scrim, a thin stabilizing web the fibers are needle-punched into, is what keeps a batt from shifting and bunching inside the quilt over years of use. Both ThreadWorks rolls are needle-punched with scrim and can be quilted up to 10 inches apart per the supplied product information.

Which Batting Handles Better on a Longarm?

On a frame, 80/20 is the more forgiving batt. It floats and lays out easily, it tolerates a little extra tension, and minor variation in quilting density is less obvious after washing. That is why many longarm businesses keep one reliable 80/20 on the rack as their standard option.

100% cotton quilts beautifully on a longarm too. It is flat and stable, and the scrim in Simply Cotton keeps it from stretching as you advance the quilt. Just remember that washing magnifies the difference between densely and lightly quilted areas more with cotton, so keep your density consistent.

Whichever you use, keep the batt a few inches larger than the quilt top on every side. Most longarm quilters ask for about 4 inches extra per side. For the full sizing math, see What Size Batting Do I Need? 96" vs 120" Explained and our guide to the best batting for longarm quilting.

Which One Should You Choose? Project by Project

What About a Heavier 80/20?

A standard 80/20 and a heavier 80/20 are not the same product. ThreadWorks Perfect Blend 6 oz. uses the same 80/20 fiber blend but is a heavier batting, chosen when you want the quilting itself to be a bigger part of the look. It suits feathers, ruler work, custom motifs and display quilts. For everyday bed quilts, most quilters are happier with a standard 80/20 like Soft & Elegant. For what the “oz.” number means, read Batting Weight vs Loft: What “6 oz. Batting” Actually Means.

Making Just One Quilt? Buy a Packaged Batt

A 30-yard roll only makes sense if you quilt often. For a single quilt, buy the same fiber pre-cut to size:

Check the batt is at least 8" longer and wider than your quilt top before you order. All sizes are in pre-packaged batting.

Cost Per Quilt: Why Quilters Buy These by the Roll

Buying batting by the roll brings the cost per quilt down sharply compared with packaged batts. The cost per linear yard at ThreadWorks prices at the time of writing:

Example: a 50" × 65" throw needs about 58" × 73" of batting with 4" extra per side. Lay the 73" side across a 96" roll and you use only 58" of length. That's roughly $12.62 of Soft & Elegant or $13.16 of Simply Cotton, and every ThreadWorks roll ships free and boxed. A queen quilt with 4" extra per side needs a king-size packaged batt ($67.99 in Quilters Dream 80/20); a 120" Soft & Elegant roll ($264.99, 11 queens) costs less from about the 4th queen. To run the numbers for your own quilt, use the quilt batting calculator. For worked examples from crib to king, see our complete guide to buying quilt batting by the roll.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 80/20 batting warmer than 100% cotton?

Slightly, in most comparisons of similar weight, because the polyester adds a little loft that traps air. Both are cotton-dominant and breathe well, so neither sleeps as hot as an all-polyester batt.

Does 80/20 batting shrink?

Yes, a little. The cotton content relaxes and draws in when washed. The polyester moderates it, so 80/20 usually crinkles less than all-cotton. ThreadWorks Soft & Elegant is rated at less than 5% shrinkage.

Which is better for longarm quilting?

Both work well. 80/20 is the more forgiving everyday choice and the most common standard batting in longarm studios. Choose cotton when the customer or the quilt calls for an all-natural, flatter, traditional finish.

Can you hand quilt 80/20 or cotton batting?

Yes. Both ThreadWorks rolls are listed as suitable for hand quilting. Softer, lower-density batts needle more easily by hand. If hand quilting is your main method, work a small test sandwich first.

What does “needle-punched with scrim” mean?

Scrim is a thin, lightweight web. The batting fibers are mechanically needle-punched into it, which stabilizes the batt so it can be quilted farther apart without shifting. Both Soft & Elegant and Simply Cotton are needle-punched with scrim and can be quilted up to 10" apart.

Will polyester fibers “beard” through my quilt?

Bearding is when batting fibers migrate through the quilt top, and it is most visible on dark fabrics. It's more often linked to high-polyester batts, loose fabric weaves and damaged needles. With a cotton-dominant, needle-punched 80/20 and a fresh needle it is rarely a problem.

What batting should I use for my first quilt?

A packaged 80/20 in the size of your quilt, such as Quilters Dream 80/20. It is forgiving to quilt on a home machine and washes well. Move to a roll once you are finishing several bed quilts a year.

Should I choose 96" or 120" wide?

A 96" roll covers quilts up to about 88" wide with 4" to spare on each side. A 120" roll covers up to about 112" wide, which suits most queen and king quilts without piecing. See 96" vs 120" batting for the full chart.

Is ThreadWorks batting made in the USA?

Yes. Soft & Elegant, Simply Cotton and Perfect Blend are all made in the USA, and every ThreadWorks roll ships free inside a protective box.

The Bottom Line

Choose 80/20 for a soft, forgiving, all-round batting that suits most quilts and most longarm workflows. Choose 100% cotton when you want the flat, crinkled, traditional look or an all-natural quilt. Choose a heavier 80/20 when the quilting itself is the star.

Keep Reading

• Quilt Batting by the Roll: The Complete Buying Guide
• Batting Weight vs Loft: What “6 oz.” Means
• Does Quilt Batting Shrink? Should You Prewash It?
• Bamboo vs Cotton vs 80/20 Batting
• Best Batting for Longarm Quilting