Finding fashionable clothing that’s also comfortable can be a challenge. It’s common to come across an incredible sheer blouse, but against your skin, it feels scratchy and attracts static. Some clothing is just made better than others, and it has a lot to do with the fabric over the construction. To stay comfy in your clothes, choose these 5 fabrics for your outfits.

Do Fabrics Cause Skin Issues?

Some fabrics will naturally irritate your skin, like rayon, polyester, spandex, nylon, or rubber. Other fibres may only irritate your skin if you’re allergic to them, like wool. However, if your skin rash keeps appearing regardless of clothing, you may have a medical condition (eczema) or have dryness that could be controlled with the right skincare regime.

Moisturisers and hydrating products can help your skin repair from the winter cold or general dryness. For example, The Repairative Moisturiser, a product from luxurious skincare line Tata Harper, hydrates the skin and leaves a dewy finish. Keep a consistent skincare routine to prevent potential issues in the future like wrinkles, dullness, and acne.

Top 5 Skin-friendly Fabrics to Wear

Following are the top 5 fabrics that are best for your skin and will keep your skin healthy, refreshed, and cool. Ensure that your clothing isn’t too tight as well, or you’ll have a poor skin complexion regardless of fabric:

1) Cotton

Cotton is 100 per cent hypoallergenic and won’t irritate the skin of the person wearing clothing made from this fabric. Even when the weather is hot, cotton won’t react with sweat and cause rashes. Cotton lets the skin breathe and reduces the risk of skin rashes while also repelling dust mites, pollen, and other common allergens. Environmentalists will also appreciate that cotton is biodegradable and durable, even when abused by dirt, repeated washes, and climate.

2) Linen

You won’t find linen in clothing often, but you will notice bedsheets commonly use this material for its bacteria-resistant, filtering, and ventilating qualities. Linen has microscopic breaks throughout its structure, which subtly massages and exfoliates the skin. Renowned for its breathability, linen prevents you from overheating and wicks moisture from the body during exercise.

This fabric even helps retain the skin's natural pH balance, which softens the skin as you wear it. Anti-static, environmentally friendly, and durable, linen is the best fabric for sensitive or problem skin types. Despite its incredible list of qualities, linen is a relatively inexpensive fabric.

3) Silk

You’ve likely heard of silk pillowcases and how wonderful they are at rejuvenating your hair and skin but, is any of that true? Yes, it's true! This highly absorbent and low-maintenance fabric does a lot of heavy lifting to ensure your skin looks incredible by preventing wrinkles and keeping your skin soft and smooth. Dry-skin types will love how fresh they’ll feel in the morning after sleeping on silk!

Silk is cool and hypoallergenic, reducing night time sniffles when slept on. As another positive, silk is excellent for preventing frizzy and brittle hair because it keeps hydration in your locks.

4) Hemp

The hemp plant is incredible for its versatility and wearability. Hemp is toxin-free, fast-growing, and doesn’t need herbicides to prevent bugs. Hemp as a fabric is porous and absorbs water, while its UV-resistant qualities protect you from the sun. Hemp relaxes over time and becomes more wearable and comfortable after each wash.

One of the biggest draws for hemp clothing wearers is its softness, odour prevention, and hypoallergenic benefits. Without much effort, hemp clothing stays strong for years.

5) Wool

Wool has many positive qualities. It’s resistant to dust mites, dirt, and is remarkable at absorbing humidity. Wool sweaters are fantastic for keeping you warm, while wool furniture aids in reducing the number of allergens in your home that could lead to infections. While we could praise wool all day, it’s also a common allergy for humans and could be the source of your skin problems in the first place. If you feel scratchy while wearing wool, stop wearing it immediately.