In the search for the perfect onebagging packing list there are some materials that will make your life easier and some that will make it much harder.

Cotton

Our old friend Cotton, cool and breathable, easy to find, and chances are a lot of your day-to-day wardrobe is made up of cotton rich clothing.

Great! Except it’s not that good for travel since it is highly absorbent and takes forever to dry. This can mean if you are in a hot, humid country you can easily become drenched in sweat that stays with you all day.

It also means that you run the risk of your clothes not being dry in the morning if you need to hand-wash them in the evening.

Ideal for: Budget Travellers, Short Trips, Cooler Climates

Polyester

Another easily available fabric, especially in technical sports and outdoor clothing ranges. Polyester clothing can also be bought on the cheap so great for one bagging on a budget.

It easily wicks away sweat but unfortunately it can easily get stinky so will need washing frequently. This isn’t necessarily bad considering synthetics dry really fast, so you can wash your outfit in the evening and it'll be ready for you in the morning.

You can also look out for items that have anti-odour treatments such as Polygiene. These garments have a permanent coating that inhibits bacterial growth which stops your clothes from getting pongy too quickly.

Ideal for: Budget Travellers, Hot/Humid Climates

Where to buy?

  • Decathlon
  • Sports Direct
  • Most Sport Brands (Nike, Adidas etc)

Merino

The holy grail of one bagging fabric, it’s natural, sweat wicking, dries quickly, doesn’t smell but can cost a fortune.

Ideal for: Long Trips, Gear Enthusiasts, Lazy Travellers

Where to buy?

  • Icebreaker
    • Popular but expensive. Large range of merino and technical blend items. Can usually be found cheaper from other retailers.
  • Decathlon
    • If you want wool on a budget then Decathlon should be where you look. They stock merino baselayers under their own brand 'Quechua Techwool'. Tee's from £14.99.
  • Howies (UK)
    • Cycle-wear brand that sells merino henleys (£60) and underwear (£20).
  • Rohan (UK)
    • Large range of travel inspired clothing including merino items. Slightly expensive but quite often has previous colour-ways in the sale.
  • Wooly Clothing (US)
    • Reasonable priced tees, vees, henleys, polos, tanks etc.
  • Wool & Prince (US)
    • US producer of merino buttoned shirts
  • Hardvark
    • UK producer of merino buttoned shirts, unfortunately only a few colours available.
  • Outlier (US)
    • Popular ultra premium brand producing eye-wateringly high priced gear. Apparently great if you've got the money to spend.

Rayon

AKA Tencel/Lyocell/Modal/Viscose

Magic plant fibres! Rayon is made from cellulose fibres processed from plants such as bamboo, beech, soy and sugar cane. Clothing made from these fabrics are usually known for being silky smooth with a good drape. They also keep you cool and are easy to dry.

Tencel is a brand name of Rayon fibres that are created using the Lyocell process. If you are looking to be more environmentally conscious then Tencel/Lyocell is the way to go as the process is far less harmful than that of Viscose.

Modal is often used in underwear and pyjamas and can usually be found more in women's clothing than men's.

Ideal for: Long Trips, Hot Places, Medium Budgets

Where to buy?

  • H&M Conscious Range

    • Shirts, trousers, jackets & tees for men and women at wallet friendly prices. The Conscious range uses Lyocell and so is slightly more expensive than the usual H&M fare but they also do items made of Viscose if you are on a tighter budget.
  • MeUndies (US)

    • A range of underwear made from modal, they come in funky colours and patterns for men and women. They also do a subscription service so your smalls will always be on trend.
  • Howies

    • As well as their merino undies, they also do a range called 'Stevie Knickers', which are a modal/cotton blend.
  • Sloggi

    • The 'Feel Natural' range of underwear for women is made from 90% modal.
  • Marks & Spencers

    • M&S usually have modal or viscose pyjamas for sale. They are silky soft, stretchy and comfortable and some of my favourite pyjamas to wear.