Fabriculture

Formal wear during the summer can be a tad bit stuffy, unless you choose the right fabrics that “air” you out, Sanchita Nambiar finds, on speaking with industry experts

- Sanchita Nambiar

Summer is here and so is the heat. As the day progresses, stepping out of an air-conditioned room for even ten minutes can leave us feeling sweaty and uncomfortable. While it would be ideal to be in loose, airy, single-layered clothing, our corporate set-up hasn’t evolved to allow this yet. So, to save ourselves from this dripping misery, thankfully fabrics have evolved, thereby letting us “breathe” in a formal outfit that is made from material suited to hot climates.

SUMMER FABRICS

When picking the right fabric, one must first understand which material is comfortable for you, of good quality such that it is durable, and finally, lends a good fit. Pratha Sinha, head designer at Louis Philippe and Luxure says, “Fabrics suitable for corporate wear depend on the kind of garments. For business formal shirts, cotton has been the most suitable fabric. A liquid ammonia finish on the same with a moisture cure treatment makes it a wrinkle-free product with the added comfort of moisture wicking.” He further says that while these have been popular materials, New Age cotton blends with lycra and tencel are preferred by millennials.

Cotton-lycra is breathable like cotton, and due to the use of lycra, it is mostly wrinkle-free and durable. Tencel is a material by itself that can be an alternative for cotton. It is just as soft and airy, with the added benefits of being less prone to wrinkles and having the ability to absorb moisture, thus leaving the fabric feeling dry. It is, however, much more expensive than cotton due to the technology used in regenerating it from wood cellulose.