Better Fabrics

What does fabric have to do with health? More than you might think! 

Whether people realize it or not, fabric is very much part of our daily lives. Things like, sheets, bedding, blankets, bath towels, hand towels, dish towels, wash cloths, clothing, underwear, socks, and pajamas are items that most people use on a daily basis. All of those are made with some type of material. 

How does fabric have an affect on health? 

All fabrics are made from either natural (God made) fibers or synthetic (man made) fibers. (sometimes, fabric is made from both) All fabrics have a certain frequency to them - something I did not know until several years ago. Science has shown this to be a fact. (watch an interesting YouTube video about this here)

In His Word, God told His people not to mix wool and linen together. (Leviticus 19:19 and Deuteronomy 22:11) Why shouldn't we mix those two fibers together? 

Science has now shown something about both of those fibers that is rather astonishing! Both linen and wool have a high frequency that are equal to each other. One of them flows one direction, and the other one flows the opposite direction. Both of them are wonderful, amazing, natural fabrics! When mixed together in a garment though, linen and wool cancel each other out causing a frequency of zero. (which has a negative affect on the human body) Wow! Who knew?! Only God could understand something like that thousands of years ago. We now have the science to prove that. God, out of love, wanted to protect His people from something they could not fully understand. That is why God specifically told His people not to mix linen and wool together.  

  

In general, natural fibers allow your skin to breathe more, whereas synthetic fibers do not allow your skin to breathe as much.

As I already mentioned on this blog, our skin is our largest organ. Our skin not only absorbs what we put on it, our skin also breathes.  

For this reason, items like clothing and bedding are important because we live and sleep in them.

Have you ever noticed that people often enjoy relaxing or lounging in a comfortable pair of pajamas or sweats? Why is that? Sweat shirts and sweat pants are not only loose, they are usually made from 100% cotton - fabric that is natural (God made), comfortable, and breathable. Whether people realize it or not, that is often why they love their pajamas or sweats so much.   

When I was growing up, we always dressed nice for church. The clothing I wore for church was only for church, and the clothing I wore during the week was only for every day. When I got older, I began sewing my own clothing for church and for every day wear. 

After years of sewing my own dresses, I discovered that I liked purchasing 100% polyester fabric to make for church dresses because that fabric looks more dressy to me. That is something I still like to do when I sew a new dress for a nice occasion. For every day wear though, I prefer to wear either 100% cotton or a poly/cotton fabric blend. I very much prefer cotton over polyester. Why? Because cotton is more comfortable and breathable - and it's also much healthier. Cotton is a natural fiber. 

I enjoy dressing up for nice occasions. I love the feeling of walking out our front door, all ready for church or a nice occasion! 

Though I enjoy getting ready for church or other nice occasions, quite often, after several hours, I can hardly wait to take my nylons off! I also enjoy changing into one of my comfortable, every day dresses. Why? My skin cannot breathe in nylons or in a polyester dress. I'm serious. Years ago, I didn't understand what I know about different fabrics now, but I always loved that "ahh!" feeling when I put one of my every day dresses back on with a pair of comfortable, cotton socks. My skin can finally breathe again. (the only time I wear a 100% polyester dress is for a nice occasion) I know people who wear 100% polyester dresses and nylons all the time, and I honestly don't know how they stand it. It is not healthy. 

I used my personal illustration to make a point. This is real whether people realize it or not.   

Below is a screenshot of a book that I recently came across, one I would enjoy reading sometime. This book (which can be purchased on Amazon) shares the truth about different fabrics (and other items) that people wear and the effects it can have on their health. 

I'm not the only one sharing this truth. I've learned this from others and was happy to discover this book. In a nutshell, this book appears to encourage people to wear more natural fabrics instead of synthetic fabrics. 

What are some natural fabrics to look for? 

Natural fibers are fabrics like: cotton, linen, and wool. These fabrics allow your skin to breathe, and some of them (like linen) can also energize the body. 

Synthetic fibers are fabrics like: polyester, nylon, spandex, and acrylic. These fabrics, unfortunately, do not allow your skin to breathe as much, and can even put a negative strain on the body. 

As mentioned above, what you purchase for towels and wash cloths isn't a huge deal because you aren't wearing it or sleeping in it. However, I think you'll discover (as I have) that cotton towels and wash cloths tend to absorb water much better, and quite often, cotton just feels a million times better. 

For sheets and pajamas, I highly encourage people to purchase 100% cotton. Your body recharges itself when you sleep, so what you sleep in matters. Thankfully, 100% cotton sheets are easily available at stores like Walmart or online through Amazon. I would also encourage purchasing 100% cotton blankets and comforters/ bedspreads/quilts as much as possible.

Many years ago, I remember needing a new set of regular sheets for my bed. I had a set from Walmart that were 100% cotton, I think, but I had completely worn them out. While shopping in our local Kmart one day, I noticed that they had a sheet set on sale for a very cheap price, so I decided to purchase them. It was summer, and I didn't notice that the sheets I'd purchased were 100% polyester. Bad idea. Because polyester is a synthetic material and doesn't breathe much (if at all), I could hardly sleep in them on those warm, August nights. I was so hot! When I changed the sheets to wash them, static electricity was heard throughout them. That was it! I decided that I’d had enough, and after washing them, I donated them to a local thrift store. (I feel bad for the person who purchased them) From then on, I always made sure to look for 100% cotton sheets. (for the winter, I like to use 100% cotton flannel) 

The same is true for underwear and socks. As much as possible, purchase 100% cotton! What you wear next to your skin is especially important. 

To all you mothers who purchase sheets, pajamas, and underwear for your children - look for 100% cotton!

Ideally, linen fabric (which is made from flax) is the best natural fabric that you can wear or sleep in. Linen is what we will be wearing in heaven. (Revelation 19:8) Linen is also the fabric that the Lord Jesus was wrapped in when He was buried. Linen has phenomenal health benefits! Check out this website here for more info. about linen fabric. This website also sells linen sheets and other items made from 100% linen. Unfortunately, linen is often harder to find, and it is usually very expensive. However, linen is the best fabric anyone can wear! Linen (flax) is an amazing gift to us from God! 

Wool is also an amazing fabric, but is also very expensive. Before man made, synthetic fabrics were available, most people likely wore wool coats and wool socks in the winter. 

Today, polyester is used for so many different things! It is used in clothing, underwear, socks, pajamas, sheets, bedding, blankets, fleece jackets, and winter coats. It's almost impossible to avoid it. I own some things made from polyester (jackets and coats especially), and I'm thankful for those things because they help to keep me warm in the winter. However, wearing polyester for clothing and underwear is not such a great idea. Choose cotton instead! 

Have you ever wondered why so many men and women enjoy wearing t-shirts or sweatshirts? Quite often, t-shirts and sweatshirts are made from 100% cotton. There are also some nice cotton blend fabrics and clothing for men and women. I’m thinking of dress pants for men and dress fabrics for women. 

I understand why so many people love cotton. Cotton is comfortable. Cotton is breathable. Cotton is a natural fiber given to us from God.

Choosing to sleep in and wear a natural fabric, like cotton, will have a positive affect on your health. 

Disclaimer: I am not a medical doctor, and I have no medical training. The things I share on this blog are simple, practical things that I've learned help with good health.