6 Cooling fabrics you should wear on unbearably hot days

Breathable Materials: 6 Light fabrics that will keep you cool on hot days

Lim Han

02 May 2017

updated the 3 May 2019 à 06:14

Abysmally hot and sweaty? These fabrics should do the trick!

1/6
Cotton
Bah, this is a no-brainer. Cotton is a widely used and worn material, and with its name for top-notch comfort, it really comes as no surprise. Allowing air to unleash its carefree nature and circulate in and out of the fabric, cotton works like an impeccable ventilator for your body. Plus, it absorbs all your sweat like a sponge, leaving you as dry as a raisin. Say goodbye to sticky clamminess!

Photo: @marymood_fabrics
2/6
Chambray
A sister fabric of cotton, except its threads are woven together in a different manner, Chambray will relieve you from the unbearable heat as well. Not to mention, its appearance resembles that of denim, thus, allowing you to achieve the same look without the dense thickness of the material itself.

Photo: @thyme_clovelly
3/6
Linen
Woke up to sweltering weather and abhorrent humidity? Linen will save the day. A natural fibre made from the stalk of a flax plant, linen was manufactured to combat hot and sweaty days. Its light and flowy weave will lavish you with maximum breathability and comfort. With its excellent coolness and freshness, you’ll be feeling like you’re wearing a portable air-conditioner.

Photo: @cicimoller
4/6
Merino wool
Now, we know what you’re thinking. You’re probably visualising a gargantuan sheep draped in a thick suffocating coat of dense wool, and then picturing yourself wearing that same coat in the scorching heat. Trust us, it’s nothing like that. Years of crafting and adjusting to suit the needs of those who live in hot humid weather has gone into the making of this ingenious fabric. And, the result? Candy-floss-thin fibres that are ideal for immense sweat absorption, granting you with impeccable breathability and ventilation.

Photo: @st.sebastian.studios
5/6
Rayon
With this fabric, you’ve got a 4-in-1 package of silk, wool, cotton and linen. This man-made fibre created from cellulose in trees can be manipulated to imitate the texture and feel of any one of the four materials. But, it is but a mere imitation which gives way to minor incongruities. For instance, rayon is a slightly thinner thread than cotton, making it more lightweight and flowy. However, it loses out in the humidity department as it doesn’t wick moisture away as well as cotton.

Photo: @hoda_london
6/6
Summer blends
As the name suggests, summer blends involve a mix of different fabrics such as cotton, polyester and nylon. But, you can bet this mix wasn’t randomly thrown together and concocted. Summer fabric blends are carefully curated to target moisture absorption, making them warriors in the fight against the humid weather. Not only that, they keep their shape extremely well, so you can gladly hold off your clothing irons.

Photo: @ts14plus

Ugh, summer, summer, summer. Don’t you just wish our climate had different seasons to offer us a respite from the sweltering heat? Whether it’s the breezy autumn or the chilly winter, I think we could all use a breather from the scorching temperatures. But, life’s unfair, and we just need to suck it up and get used to it.

Since we can’t be cooping ourselves up in air-conditioned rooms and gulping down iced sodas forever, we just need to find a way to beat the heat in terms of the type of fabric we clad ourselves in. Selecting the right clothing material plays a monumental role in elevating our comfort, however minimal, in this tropical climate.

We’ve rummaged through the world of fabrics and dug out 6 of the best kind of materials to wear in hot and humid weather. With these fabrics on, you’ll be strutting down the sunlit streets feeling as cool as a cucumber. Head over to our gallery!

Lim Han

17 Eye-catching ways to style your daytime outfits for hot weather

Silky Smooth: 10 Hand creams for humid climates

Frizzy Frustrations: 10 Tips & tricks to humidity-proof your hair

Dream Job: 6 Ways to craft the perfect resume for the...