Cotton in Vaping – What It Is & Why It Matters
Definition
Cotton is the fibrous wicking material that carries e-liquid from the tank or drip-well to the coil in a vape device. When the coil heats up, the saturated cotton releases vapour without burning. High-grade vaping cotton is pure, unbleached, heat-resistant and flavour-neutral, ensuring efficient juice delivery and clean taste for both mouth-to-lung and cloud-chasing styles.
Technical Details
Vape cotton must be 100 % pharmaceutical or organic fibre, free of pesticides, chlorine and dyes that could carbonise or off-gas. Popular formats are:
- Cotton pads/balls: ~2–4 mm thick, density 150–200 g m⁻², easy to tear to size.
- Cotton shoelace: Pre-twisted 3 mm–6 mm ribbon, quick wicking for rebuildable dripping atomisers (RDAs).
- Agleted cotton: Fine plastic tip for threading through Clapton coils or tight ceramic coil housings.
Optimal saturation rate is 400–600 % of fibre weight in e-liquid; break-in time is 5–10 puffs. Thermal ceiling sits around 230 °C before singeing, so TC or mid-wattage power curves are advised.
Usage & Tips
Strip outer layers to leave fluffy core, then roll gently—tight enough to move the coil but loose enough to “see-through” when held to light. Thin the tails in RTAs to prevent flooding; fluff and angle ends toward juice flow channels. If you taste dryness, stop firing—the cotton is collapsing and may burn, permanently tainting flavour. Replace every 3–7 days, or when colour darkens and absorption slows. Australian vapers: keep spare cotton sealed to avoid dust and insects common in dry regions.
History & Context
Early vapers in 2008–2010 used boiled supermarket cotton or even silica rope. As rebuildables gained ground, U.S. brand “Japanese Organic” sheets set the purity benchmark. Today, specialist cottons such as Cotton Bacon and Native Wicks are mainstream, reflecting the global shift toward DIY coil building and flavour chasing.