Perfect Summer Fabrics
In anticipation of the nearing summer season, we’re dreaming of shedding the heavy, protective winter garb for cool, light weight materials that let us embrace the gorgeous weather elements.
Here are four cool, lightweight, easy to care summer fabrics that are perfect to use in summer collections:
One of the most comfortable fabrics to wear in the summer, linen is an extremely breathable, natural fabric that absorbs moisture readily and keeps heat away from the body – keeping the wearer cool and dry. Linen fabrics are made of plant fiber, specifically a bast fiber called flax, which makes it very strong (even stronger than cotton!) and gives it a subtle luster. Linen fabric is very soft and cool and is also quite durable. Linen is perfect for daytime wear, men’s and women’s summer suits, shirts, dresses, skirts, blouses, and beach attire.
A classic American summer fabric, seersucker fabric is a puckered, striped (usually white and blue), lightweight cotton fabric that is great for summer because the irregular structure keeps the fabric off the skin. The crinkled look (obtained by having one warp yarn tighter than the others) rids the need for ironing, making it the perfect travel material. The very thin vertical stripes of the seersucker weave are always made of one white and one colored stripe – pastels have been popular lately. Seersucker is generally found in men’s slacks, shorts, jackets and suits but has also made its way to women’s shorts, skirts and suits as well.
The lightweight cousin of denim, chambray fabric is made with colored warp yarns and white filling yarns in a plain weave construction making it durable, but not heavy. Usually woven from cotton or linen but sometimes also silk, synthetic fibers or blends, chambray is a popular, casual summer fabric often used in men’s shirts, tops, pants and shorts, women’s dresses, tops and skirts.
The light and airy cotton of eyelet fabric is a girl’s best friend on the hottest, stickiest days of summer. The super breathable cotton fabric is so thin it is practically transparent, and the decorative eyelet holes keeps a constant flow of air circulation, giving a near feeling of wearing nothing at all. Eyelet is perfect for beach cover-ups, as it dries almost immediately and is often used in summer dresses, tops, skirts and even shorts.