Cotton vs. Acrylic Yarn

Dear users and authors
what do you see as the pros and cons of each when crocheting, knitting, knooking, or combining crochet and knitting?

The biggest advantage of cotton over acrylic is, of course, that cotton is breathable against the skin.
It is a natural fiber, very absorbent, skin-friendly, and has a low allergy potential 

Acrylic, on the other hand, is a chemical fiber, meaning it is artificially produced.
It is very durable, lightweight, soft, and warm, and moth-resistant, but it is not breathable. It is and remains a chemical material that you wear against your skin. 

I would always prefer cotton.

Michaela is absolutely right, but I’d like to add that there are now some really high-quality polyester yarns available!

Plus, there are also blended yarns.

Pure cotton is usually more expensive than pure acrylic. That’s why I understand any beginner who starts with polyester. 
However, I think most people realize relatively quickly that, especially when it comes to clothing, yarns that are too cheap often ruin the project.
Even good polyacrylic yarns are relatively inexpensive these days. And those few euros are well worth it.
With amigurumi, you can of course see and feel the difference, but in my opinion, it depends even more on the intended use.
  Do I want to make a cuddly companion that I’ll have to wash often, or should it be an elegant decorative piece? Will the future owner still put the toy in their mouth?
The bottom line is that I think all types of yarn have pros and cons and are suitable for different purposes. 

It’s a different story when you use microfiber.
Although this yarn is also synthetic, its fine fibers make it breathable and allow moisture to escape very well.
It retains its shape and doesn’t shed fluff.
I once read that it’s great for making chemo caps, for example.

Hi, girls!
When I first started crocheting, I also used acrylic yarn because it was simply cheaper... But as I learned, I realized that you can crochet and knit very well with it.
Little by little, I started collecting all kinds of different yarns and quickly noticed that cotton is just great <3
  I found that amigurumi made from cotton held their shape much better and looked sturdier and prettier than those crocheted with regular acrylic.
Still, I like to crochet with acrylic every now and then :) I especially think Turkish yarn is really awesome <3 If you’re not familiar with it, I highly recommend it :) Alize, in particular, is absolutely fantastic <3

Best regards, Crisa 

I’ve always had trouble with damp hands, and pure acrylic yarn on the needle squeaks like a poorly oiled bearing. That’s really no fun.

That’s why I prefer natural fibers. However, I also prefer working with animal fibers or a blend of animal fibers and cotton, because the yarn simply has a bit more volume that way.

I found the blend of cotton and kapok (myboshi No. 2) interesting, because kapok fiber also adds volume to otherwise rather stiff cotton.