Make Your Wardrobe Summer-Ready with These 5 Breathable Fabrics

Temperatures are soaring in the subcontinent and summer seems to be officially here. Well, in India, summer brings sweat, heat, dust and more. For those who commute daily to and from work, beating the late-morning sun, becomes a priority. Most afternoons, the streets in any city are virtually empty, because people hide indoors, hoping to escape the wrath of summer.

Well, summer may be cruel, but there are certain ways to beat the heat. Try sipping on some cool, hydrating summer drinks, and learn more about these tasty drinks here.

Another easy way to beat the heat would be to add a few clothes to your wardrobe! Summer demands natural, light fabrics. Wearing heavy clothing will only increase your suffering in the heat. So, ditch those dark tones, and bring out the pastel colours.

Read on, to learn how you can beat the heat this summer, and look fashionable and be sustainable at the same time!

1) Khadi:-

This humble fabric, which was associated with the freedom struggle for the longest time, has made its way from villages to the racks of famous designers like Sabyasachi, Wendell Rodricks and Rajesh Pratap Singh.Read why Khadi is an integral part of our culture, here.

This handspun, natural, skin friendly, and organic fabric is ideal for Indian weather conditions and keeps the wearer cool in summers. Khadi is a skin-friendly fabric that ‘breathes’ and uses no chemicals in manufacturing.

So, whether it is shirts, saris, kurtas or tops, get your quota of Khadi clothing for this summer, and feel cool, even in the heat!

2) Hemp:-

Often referred to as a wonder-crop because of the many benefits that it provides, hemp absorbs and releases perspiration with ease, making it extremely breathable.

Durable, lightweight and resistant to multiple washes, hemp retains its structural quality through the course of the garment’s life and will help you get through intensely hot summer days. Whats more, the fabric also contains anti-microbial agents! Read here, about how one initiative in Mumbai, is making clothes from hemp.

Hemp clothing is manufactured in a completely sustainable and eco-friendly manner, so, you will also ensure that you are leaving a minimal carbon footprint!

3) Linen:-

The fabric that is most sought after, linen is appreciated because of the coolness it provides. Thanks to the way it is woven, and its fibre specifics, linen fabric facilitates better airflow, and thanks to its structure, doesn’t stick to your skin.

Linen is highly absorbent and can absorb around 1/5th of its weight before it starts to feel damp or wet. It is also a great conductor of heat—allowing it to escape, which facilitates cooling. A wide variety of clothes, for men and women, are available in linen, so go, get some, soon!

4) Organic Cotton:-

The most well-known fabric around the globe, cotton is referred to as being “organically grown,’ when no chemical fertilisers and pesticides are used to grow the plant, and even the cloth is dyed, chemical free and natural colours are used. Read about an artist collective that is reviving the Ilkal cotton weaves of Karnataka, here. Organic cotton, for its comfort, is also sought after for kids wear. Read why, here.

Organic cotton clothes, are therefore non-toxic, environmentally friendly, and do not give out allergies. Some initiatives also ensure that the profits from customers go back directly to the farmers, so you can be assured of being sustainable indeed.

Organic cotton is good for summer as it is light-weight, and light coloured-the latter helps, as light will not be absorbed by the fabric, and will evaporate from its surface.

5) Chanderi:-

A century-old weaving speciality, with its origins in the Vedic period, Chanderi is a clever blend of cotton and light silk, and some zari.

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The fabric can be classified into Chanderi silk cotton, pure silk and Chanderi cotton, and is extensively used by fashion designers, who use it to create Indo-western dresses, tunics and tops. Movie stars like Vidya Balan and Kareena Kapoor have also popularised this handloom fabric. So, if you want your clothes to be comfortable, and also have a hint of tradition, Chanderi should be the fabric for you!

(Edited by Gayatri Mishra)

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