The Best Breathable Fabrics For Summer

With summer right around the corner, many people are planning their warm-season wardrobes in advance. The typical summer wardrobe consists of lots of tank tops, denim shorts, and perhaps some cute sarongs for the beach. However, your summer wardrobe shouldn’t only be based on specific product types but also the fabric they’re made of. Because if your trendy tees and tanks aren’t made of a breathable fabric, you’ll probably be sweating anyway. So, here’s a list of the most breathable fabrics which are perfect for a cool summer!

If you take a look in your closet, chances are that you’ll find plenty of garments made of cotton. From vintage t-shirts to your favorite pair of jeans, cotton is one of the most versatile fabrics used in the fashion industry. It’s super soft and breathable, making it one of the best choices for summer clothes. Another thing that’s great about cotton is its durability – meaning that you can throw those jeans in the wash 1,000 times and their condition will stay pretty much the same. Just don’t plan on sweating too much in cotton, as it absorbs sweat rather than repelling it.

Due to its high price point and reputation as a deluxe fabric, you might not think you possess any silk in your wardrobe. However, silk is often used in undergarments, so it’s very possible that you do have some silk in your closet after all. One of the softest fabrics around, silk is not only delightful to the touch but its also breathable and super lightweight. However, there are a few downsides to this luxurious fabric. For one, it absorbs sweat. Also, due to its fragility, it typically calls for hand washing.

Linen is made of the stalks of flax plants. One of the things that makes this material one of the best fabrics for summer is its wonderful breathability. Also, since linen has relatively large fibers, linen garments are super easy to care for. These factors alone make it one of the most popular fabrics for light, casual wear. However, like cotton and silk, linen absorbs moisture, meaning that if you plan on breaking a sweat, better stay away from linen clothing. Also, it wrinkles quite easily.

Clothing fabrics that are labeled as rayon, viscose, or lyocell, are typically plant-based materials but also highly processed ones. The properties of these fabrics vary and are regularly blended with other fabrics to achieve different styles and textures of clothing. One of the best things about rayon is its silky texture, which drapes luxuriously almost the way silk does. It’s also a relatively breathable fabric that dries quickly. On the cons list, rayon doesn’t repel moisture very well, and like linen, it wrinkles quite easily.