If you’re a professional who’s constantly hopping between airports, meeting rooms and active sight-seeing, you know that your wardrobe needs to work hard. It has to be versatile, user-friendly and, most importantly, packable.
I’ve spent a considerable chunk of the last 5 years living out of a hand-luggage suitcase or a backpack – and, despite all the dreams and aspirations I did not turn into someone who has the energy to iron a dress-shirts at 5am in a hotel room. Like… no.
I’ve got no problems handwashing my clothes in the sink, but this is where it ends. If hanging something in the shower steam is not enough to get the creases out, it’s not “travel-friendly” enough. But it’s extremely rare to see actual explanations on what real life implications having “20% modal” in the composition might have, or at least these explanations are not available at the place of purchase. Which is why I (despite any formal knowledge of the topic) decided to summarize my findings in hopes someone gets to save a bit of time and a whole lot of money and stress.
Let’s talk about the good, the bad, and the downright wrinkly. I’ll break down what works, what doesn’t, and how to spot a quality garment that’s worth every penny so you can spend less time dealing with your clothes and more time doing whatever it is you travelled for.
Merino wool (the overall winner for me!):
Hypoallergenic, odour- and wrinkle-resistant, lightweight and packable, fits cold and warm weather, but expensive and requires handwashing.
Opt for thinner fabrics and mixed compositions rather than 100% merino. Best combos come from mixing merino with silk, Tencel lyocell and polyester. Remember that “all natural fibres” usually means more breathability (and merino is already very breathable!) at the expense of wrinkle-resistance and durability, so don’t be afraid of a bit of synthetics!
Weight matters: <170 GSM means it’s thin and meant for summer (and good for layering); >250 GSM means it’s warm and winter-ready (with >500 GSM being fit for layering in Arctic conditions). But all merino is temperature regulating and suitable for all seasons.
Common merino blends & their performance:
- 80% Merino / 20% Polyester → Adds durability, dries faster, but feels less “bouncy” than true merino. Common in hoodies.
- 60% Merino / 20% Lycra / 20% Tencel → Stretchy, breathable, and soft. Used often for base layers, joggers etc.
- 50% Merino / 50% Acrylic → Cheaper but pills faster (buyer beware).
- 40% Merino / 60% Tencel → Very smooth and soft to the touch, i.e. Icebreaker does this in their cool-lite line that almost feels silky to the touch
Quality check: look for 80%+ Merino wool if warmth is a key factor, or 40% merino if you want summer-friendly clothes with strength (blends with nylon, silk, or Tencel improve durability).
Tencel lyocell (if mixed with other fibres):
Smooth to the touch, has a nice drape – much like silk, if mixed with merino gives clothes a bit less sporty and a bit more office appropriate vibe. It’s breathable, moisture-wicking and wrinkle-resistant. And it’s eco-friendly to produce. But… shrinks like hell if accidentally thrown into a washing machine with “normal” programs (hot water in general is a death to it), and it is not very durable. If you’re looking for something for active wear, or to withstand continued rubbing, the garment composition needs to contain at least 20% synthetic fibres.
Btw, Tencel is (the upmarket) branded version of lyocell – softer to the touch and also more sustainably produced, both of which are reflected (fairly, if I may add) on the price tag.
Lyocell is often used to lend cotton a bit of wrinkle-resistance and a smaller, more packable footprint, and to give polyester products a bit more moisture wicking and temperature regulating properties. It is actually more breathable than cotton (though not a match for merino or linen!), so all in all a good fibre to be included in clothes you might wear in hot conditions.
Most common Tencel blends & how they fair:
- 70% Tencel / 30% Cotton → Looks crisp like cotton but resists wrinkles and packs smaller.
- 60% Tencel / 40% Polyester → Even more wrinkle-resistant, but may trap heat.
- 50% Tencel / 50% Wool → Soft, breathable, and temperature-regulating
Modal, a better alternatiive to cotton
Modal is very wrinkle-resistant, so if you’re short on space in your bag, you can pack the rest of your clothes nicely in packing cubes and then cram modal (and merino) items in odd crevices. It absorbs moisture way better than cotton and holds up better in wash than rayon or other ‘temperamental’ fabrics.
The cons – durability (the fibres are less durable than merino fibres, but it comes down to a knit). Again, it needs to be blended with polyester or other strength-giving fibres to withstand rubbing. Not odour-resistant per se (but outperforms cotton, so, let’s say, about the same as linen), and about 30% lighter and smaller than cotton. Not my favourite unless it’s there to “aid” cotton t-shirts 🙂 (you’re starting to see a pattern of me not liking cotton, yes?)
Common blends & how they do:
- 50% Modal / 50% Cotton → A comfy, easy-care fabric that resists wrinkles better than 100% cotton.
- 40% Modal / 40% Polyester / 20% Spandex → Stretchy, durable, and resistant to creasing.
Lycra (spandex/elastane) – a good “companion” material
While it’s not abrasion-resistant, Lycra holds up well to little snags and tears, hence why it’s beneficial to have a bit of Lycra in compositions – to lend them some flex and stretch. On its own, it’s shit 😀 It does not breathe, it stinks up FAST, it wicks no moisture, it degrades with heat and has almost zero temperature regulating properties. Over 20% of Lycra in a fabric and I’d walk away, but add Lycra to some linen and you get pants that bend with your body!
Common blends (and for real, stay away from anything “much Lycra”):
- 95% Cotton / 5% Lycra → Just enough stretch for movement
- 80% Polyester / 20% Lycra → meant for activewear and wrinkle-resistant travel pants, that don’t need to be worn for several days without washing
- 50% Tencel / 40% Wool / 10% Lycra → Combines softness and breathability with structure and durability.
High-quality polyester & performance blends (before you gasp, hear me out)
Some years ago, there was a big push for “all natural” regardless of the loss – and while polyester is in no way “good” for the environment, if it extends the lifetime of an item it helps to reduce waste and consumerism. It has an overall similar production footprint to wool (though a much worse “afterlife”). There is also a massive (!!) difference between cheap polyester used for fast fashion, and high-end polyester that does not constantly shed micro-plastic into water.
We’re only talking about quality polyester here – which is light-weight, quick-drying, very wrinkle-resistant, packs small, adds strenght and can triple or quadruple a lifespan of a product thanks to extended durability. Poly blends can mimic natural fabrics (poly-rayon and poly-spandex, for example) in their look and feel, too. On the downside: it’s not breathable, it traps odours and can look, well… cheap regardless of the price tag.
Because it does not absorb any water and dries incredibly fast, and is resistant to rubbing and tears (and if combined with stretchier fibres offers unmatched durability), polyester is often used for performance blends.
I am not an athlete, so I feel that me using too much polyester would be ecologically unfair. Opting completely out of polyester, however, would be financially irresponsible: 20% of polyester can triple the lifespan of a merino item… So I use it where it serves a purpose.
Most commonly used polyester blends:
- 80% Polyester / 20% Elastane → Stretchy, wrinkle-resistant, great for travel pants.
- 60% Polyester / 40% Cotton → Looks natural but wrinkles more than pure poly.
- 50% Polyester / 30% Tencel / 20% Wool → Balances softness, warmth, and durability.
Final thoughts: packing smart starts with fabric choices
When it comes to building a travel-friendly wardrobe, materials matter as much as the style. Even the chicest outfit will become too much to carry if it’s always wrinkled, stained or only fit for a very very narrow temperature range. As a plus size traveller (like me), packability and versatility matter even more: if I can only fit 5 plus size tops instead of the 10 petite people can bring along, those 5 need to perform double duty.
I’ll try to do a dedicated long article for each of the materials mentioned here, with links to some of the products I enjoy (and link to those from here, too).
In short, opt for mixed composition fabrics to minimize the downsides and maximise on benefits. Make sure there is a bigger share of the fibre that fits your personal needs the best.
For me, odour and wrinkle resistance and temperature regulation matter the most – so merino it is. Yours might be different – it might be looks (the drape and a feel of luxury) or performance and durability, or you might be travelling to extremely hot and humid climates (where clothes tend to not dry out) where quick-drying and moisture-wicking become a priority.
Regardless of the purpose of your trip, I’d stay clear of pure cotton and linen (fine for home, shit for travel) and flimsy viscose.
