"100% cotton" is the most over-relied-on promise in the Indian shirt market. It tells you almost nothing about how a shirt will feel at noon in May. Two shirts, both 100% cotton, can behave like completely different materials — one breathes, one traps.
It's the weave, not the fibre
Cotton fibre itself is decent at wicking moisture, but the weave decides how much of that ability actually reaches your skin. A tightly packed high-GSM cotton sateen traps heat almost as effectively as polyester. A loosely woven low-GSM cotton poplin or linen-blend lets air move through freely.
The math that brands won't teach you
- Plain weave + low GSM (140–160) — airflow, breathability, cool hand-feel. Great for 38°C+.
- Twill weave + mid GSM (160–200) — structured, slight warmth retention, excellent durability. Velaro's everyday shirts sit here.
- Sateen or high-density cotton (220+) — dressy, drape-heavy, but warmer than cotton's reputation suggests.
What to look for instead
Don't trust the fibre label alone. Ask for the GSM. Ask for the weave. If the brand can't tell you, they don't know — or they don't want you to know. Velaro prints both on every tag for a reason.