This week on style, myrepublica brings you some of the summer fabrics which can replace the omnipresent cotton which you can DIY (design it yourself).
Linen This Summer
Linen surely is the new cotton for shoppers. The word, which once occupied space in a very few stores of the Valley, can now be seen raising its head in almost every other fashion outlet this season, mainly the linen trousers, which the valley denizens seem to be trying out like never before. But director of Linen Club, Durbar Marg, Avinash Agrawal has something enlightening to say, “Most of the ready-made linen clothes that are available in the Nepali markets are made out of linen dust.”
There is a misconception that linen is available in only colors such as wheat and khaki shades. Avinash’s Linen Club has an array of colors and patterns to offer for fabric-lovers. Even woolen linen is available to suit the customer’s taste during winter. Another rumor regarding linen is that, Irish linen is expensive but according to Shailendra Shankar, the proprietor of Wonder Fabs, Bishal Bazaar, “Irish linen is comparatively inexpensive here compared to Indian and Japanese linen.”
The fabric’s double moisture absorption capacity and easiness in the feel, makes it a suitable substitute for cotton but like everything, linen too has its downside. Avinash adds, “Linen can never be wrinkle-free but it does not hide its imperfection either.” Linens also lack elasticity. For tighter and stretchable dresses, blended linen such linen lycra or linen rayon is suitable.
Linen suits have always been the favorite attire around the world and the ideal replacement for the heavy business suit during hot and humid season. Besides the formal clothes, linen is used to stitch casual wears such as shorts, trousers and a good wrapper one-piece dress. For this season high-waist blended linen shorts are recommended.
Irish linen for summer clothing,
Per meter: Rs.550
Available at: Wonder Fabs, Bishal Bazar
Drapable Georgette
Unlike most of the other summer fabrics, the unique quality of georgette viscose is its drapability. This textile is suitable for almost all designs such as tunics, tops and one-piece dresses among others.
If maxi-dresses are what you want this summer, Republica suggests you to go for this fabric for the bounciness it has to offer. Additionally, the material is available in different prints and colors. And the best part is you can even experiment with the cut designs and your creativity. Don’t limit to the fancy retailers designs.
Per meter: Rs 300
Available at: Wonder Fabs, Bishal Bazar
Go Bananas
In Japan, using banana for making apparels has been the tradition since the 13th century but it still is a new fabric for Nepal. Except a handful of boutiques, this fabric is seldom in use. Tiatula Rongsen of Tiatula Dress Salon, Naxal prefers this fabric as it keeps the body cool during summer and does not absorb heat. Plus it is wrinkle-free.” Besides, the fabric possesses good features like high tensile strength, luster and is light-weight. Banana fabric is made out of the fiber extracted out of the banana stem. “Though the fabric could be 100% banana fiber a mixture of 60% cotton proves to be more durable,” says Tiatula.
It is odorless and colorless so it can be dyed to perfection and the color does not fade with washing and unlike cotton, the shrinking woes are done away with. Tiatula adds, “There are no specific suppliers for this fabric as it is not easily available, unlike conventional fabrics so one has to scout around in Nepal to find out the artisans who are now engaged in this business.”
The fabric is used to make Afghani shirt, long shirt and dresses but is unsuitable for tight-fitting trousers.
Per Meter: Rs 650
Available at: Tiatula Dress Salon, Naxal
Hemp, Bamboo & Nettles
Another rarely used fabric for clothing by Nepalis is hemp. Similar to linen and cotton, this natural fabric is also a cool choice for the hot and humid season. Hemp comes in various weights and easily blends with other fibers such as ramie, linen, silk, and cotton. Prakash Jha, textile engineer at Wild Fibers, Thamel says, “For summer clothing finer and softer hemp should be used.” Hemp can be used for all season depending upon its texture. In Nepal, the hemp produced is very stiff and 100% hemp is not preferred in clothing, so it is normally mixed with other fabrics such as cotton which makes a perfect combo for summer clothing. “If we need finer quality hemp, we import it from China,” adds Prakash.
Apart from being 100% organic fiber, the material also has another advantage that it can boast of. It absorbs moisture and breathes well, which makes it a favorable summer fabric and unlike many of its counterparts, hemp is more durable and on washing, it gradually softens leaving a cool feeling on the skin.
Kathmandu’s market which is dominated by artificial fabrics has still a long way to go to learn the significance that the natural textile carries.
In Wild Fibers such natural fabrics are dyed using vegetable dye and color extracts from plants. “Besides being eco-friendly such fabrics have positive effects on hygiene of a person. Indra Bajracharya of Smile Wear, Kupondole says, “People with oily skin should wear hemp clothes because the material is always dehydrated.” Apart from above benefit Prakash adds, “The fabric also helps regulate the blood circulation of the body.”
The only drawback of hemp is, according to Indra, “It requires comparatively more water to wash, which can be tough for Nepalis, as water is a scarce commodity in Kathmandu Valley.”
Bamboo
Another fabric for the hot season is bamboo fiber. It is a light fabric but compared to nettle and hemp, it has less moisture-absorbing capacity. It is ideal for shirting, summer coat but not trousers.
Nettle
Clothes made out of hemp and bamboo are nothing new to us but textile made from nettle, is unusual especially because it comes from the plant that we despise so much. Along with hemp and bamboo fabrics, Wild Fibers also has nettle fabric in store. Like hemp, 100% nettle is also not used to make clothes in Nepal so it is blended with cotton or bamboo.
“Cloths made out of such natural fibers are suitable for summer but due to lack of technological advancement we are not being able to bring out smoothness and refined version which are more suited for hot season,” adds Prakash.
Most of the natural fiber such as hemp and bamboo are ultraviolet (UV) resistant ensuring you are safe under the scorching sun these days.
Bamboo fabric per meter: Rs 500 (price depends upon the thickness of the fabric)
Per meter: Rs 400-1500 (70% cotton and 30% hemp or nettle)
Available at: Wild Fibers, Thamel
Silk Voile
This blended fabric is weaved out from the finest yarn of cotton and silk. Because pure silk is not strong enough, silk is often mixed with fabrics like cotton to add strength to the textile. And on blending these two fabrics, the dresses have more drapability and are cool and breezy.Observing the present scenario of Nepal, where power cuts are part of daily life, silk voile makes one of the most suitable fabric as “it doesn’t need ironing every other day like cotton” says Shailendra.
Maxi dresses, tops can be stitched from this material.
Per meter: Rs 250
Available at: Wonder Fabs
With the array of summer fabrics in the market, make sure to let your imagination flow like never before. And flaunt your self-designed apparels and be on the safe side of not meeting the person wearing same clothes like yours picked from stores in the Valley that has hundreds of similar clothes in offer. Make this summer the occasion to dazzle the world with your creativity.
All sketches by Jagat Khapangi (Fashion Designer)
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