Cotton or synthetic

The difference is moisture

Cotton takes up to a quarter of its own weight in moisture before it feels wet. Polyester absorbs almost nothing and pushes moisture along instead, which is what you want in sportswear and the opposite of what you want on a cracked nipple.

Washing is not a detail

A nursing bra gets washed often, several times a week. Cotton takes 40 degrees, and 40 degrees is what actually removes milk and ointment residue. Some elastic fibre stays in the mix regardless: without a little elastane no bra would hold.

What synthetic does better

Being honest: seamless microfibre shows less under a tight top and dries faster on the line. If you need both, keep a synthetic bra for going out and a cotton one for the night. We sell the second.