Best Fabrics for Indian Summer 2023

The Indian summer can be brutal and this year we are already hearing reports of heat waves hitting the country. And have we not all felt uncomfortable in our clothes in the summer? Having your shirt stick to your body and the visible sweat patches can be a real nightmare. It's important to stay cool and comfortable during summer, and choosing the right fabric can make a huge difference.

Read below to find out which fabrics you should have in your wardrobe this summer.

Linen

Summer is the time to remove your Linen clothes from the wardrobe. Linen’s reputation as the king of the summer is justified - It dries quickly, which helps reduce heat retention making it perfect for the hot and humid conditions.

Linen becomes softer on repeated washing. Care for linen is easy – it resists dirt and stains. It can be machine washed, dry cleaned or steamed. Linen has a tendency to wrinkle and thus requires ironing.

Bonus – Linen is considered a sustainable fibre since its water and pesticide consumption is far lower than cotton.

Read our blog on Linen to know more.

Lyocell

Lyocell is a fibre made from trees like Eucalyptus. Lyocell is a breathable fabric and is gentle to the skin while being one of the softest fabrics. It is wrinkle-resistant and hence doesn’t crease easily. Lyocell is one of the strongest man-made fibres and hence clothes last longer highlighting it’s durability.

Bonus – Lyocell is a significantly sustainable alternative to cotton since it requires less than 90% water and virtually no pesticides in production. The chemicals used for manufacturing are non-toxic and a closed loop process is employed which recovers 99% of the leftover chemicals.

Read our blog on Lyocell to know more.

Hemp

Hemp, produced from the Cannabis plant, is a very breathable fabric with very high moisture wicking abilities. Hence, it is ideal for hot climates, especially Indian summers. The fibres from this plant are long and sturdy making hemp fabric very soft and also highly durable. Garments made of hemp may last 2-3 times more as compared to a cotton garment.

Bonus - Hemp is considered a sustainable fabric since it requires 4 times less water to grow and little or no pesticides as compared to cotton. Hemp purifies soil as well as exterminates some types of weeds, thus enhancing the quality of soil.

Read our blog on Hemp to know more

Cotton

Growing up, I’ve seen my parents insisting to buy only pure cotton clothes. This preference is simply because of the breathability that cotton offers.
Khadi, chambray, flannel, muslin amongst others are varieties of cotton having different weaves and applications. Khadi is essentially cotton fabric that is hand-made and hand-spun

But due to the high demand for cotton and its water and pesticide intensive nature, cotton production has become unsustainable for the environment in a few parts of the world.

Tip – Opt for Organic cotton or Khadi or Handloom cotton which are more sustainably produced as compared to conventional cotton.

Read our blog on Cotton to know more

Avoid synthetic fabrics like polyester and nylon (unless you want to feel like you have just stepped out of a plastic bag). Polyester is not breathable hence it is difficult for the sweat to escape. If you sweat, polyester clothes will stick to your body and make it uncomfortable. Polyester also tends to retain odours and hence contributes to bacteria growth.