The Benefits of Natural Fabrics

In our eco-conscious world, it's become very popular to tout natural products as being good for the environment. That's very true of natural fabrics as well, but there's another simple fact about natural fabrics that doesn't get said as often, and it is this:

Clothing made from natural fabrics simply fit the body better.

The fibers have a natural give that lets the cloth drape in a way that synthetics just cant do. Top clothing designers, who have always preferred to work with natural fabrics, understand the benefits of working with wool, cotton, silk, linen and ramie.

Natural fabrics feel good when you wear them - and the more you wear them, the better they feel. They don't wear out, they wear in as the fibers both soften and toughen with each wearing and each washing.

Every natural fabric has its own unique advantages and qualities. Wool, for instance, is a natural insulator. It's naturally water resistant and fire resistant, and it traps your body heat in tiny air pockets. Cotton and linen are 'cool' to wear. Their fiber structure wicks moisture away from your body, keeping you dryer and more comfortable on hot days. The natural wicking action is also what makes 100% cotton and 100% linen sheets so wonderfully refreshing and cool against your skin. Take a look at the special qualities that make particular natural fabrics such popular choices:

Wool, naturally heat and fire resistant, absorbs up to 30% of its own weight in moisture before it even begins to feel damp. It holds its shape, and easily returns to its natural shape after being stretched out. There are literally dozens of varieties of wool, from lightweight challis to thick, warm tweed.

Natural cotton breathes with your body, wicking away perspiration and drying quickly. It's the single most used fabric in today's world both for clothing and for furnishings and accessories. Cotton takes dyes very well, and is very easy to care for. In a recent Womens Wear Daily survey, 80% of the respondents named cotton as the fabric they most like to wear in the summer, and over 60% named it the fabric they wear most in the spring. Cotton is also an excellent material for plus sized clothes, with the natural fiber creating a smooth outline and the organic texture helping the skin to breath.

Silk is one of the oldest fabric fibers known to man, and throughout its history, it has been synonymous with luxury. Silk is naturally absorbent, which makes it warm in winter and cool in summer. It is stronger, fiber by fiber, than steel, but its smooth, soft drape makes it the most sensual of all fabrics to wear. Yes Clothing produce a range of romantic style women's clothing in stunning natural silks. Its lustrous shimmer and easy, sensual drape make it one of the most popular of all natural fabrics.

Linen, like silk, has been known for millennia. Made from the fibers of the flax plant, linen is strong and durable, but its smooth finish makes it luxurious to wear and use. Linen tablecloths, napkins and bedding have been handed down from generation to generation, becoming softer and more lustrous as they are used.

Hemp and ramie are made from the stalks of plants, much like linen is. They are strong and durable, and have the same natural sheen as linen. Both fabrics absorb heat and release moisture, making them cool and comfortable to wear.

Natural fabrics, created from organically grown cotton and flax, hemp and ramie, or harvested from sheep, silkworms and other animals, are renewable, sustainable resources. Unlike synthetics, which are largely produced from petroleum and mineral sources, cotton and wool and silk do not deplete the earth of its natural resources.

There's a growing trend toward fabrics that go beyond natural to organic. Organic fabrics are those made from plants that are grown using all natural, organic methods of farming. They use no chemical pesticides, herbicides or fertilisers, which guarantees that there is no chemical residue on the fabrics. Organic fabrics offer the additional benefit of being hypoallergenic and kind to even the most sensitive skin.

Natural, organic fabrics are the wave of the future - the only wave if we are to have a sustainable future. In a world where so many of our 'green' choices feel like deprivation, isn't it nice to know that opting for luxury is doing the best thing we can do for Mother Earth?