From Stagnant to Grounded: The Fabrics We Live In
When we start looking at holistic wellness and spirituality, we often focus on our diet, our home and beauty products, and the things we watch and listen to. But there’s one thing we can easily overlook – the fabrics that we live in.
Our clothing is in contact with our skin for hours every day, yet how often do we stop to consider what it’s made from and what it may be doing to us?
Synthetic fabrics such as polyester, nylon and acrylic are widely used in modern clothing. While convenient and often affordable, they’re plastic-based materials that can contribute to pollution and, depending on how they’re made and treated, they can also contain toxic chemicals that may be irritating to sensitive skin and our deeper bodies. If you understand frequencies, these are some of the lowest vibrational fabrics, so if you’re aiming for high vibes, I’d be putting them in the ‘to be avoided’ pile.
Natural fibres such as linen, hemp, organic cotton and wool offer alternatives that can benefit your body and your energy too. Depending on the fabric and its construction, they can provide breathability, moisture management and comfort, plus higher vibrational frequencies that can bring you up with them.
That said, it’s not just about what we wear during the day. Think about how many hours we spend wrapped in our sheets, supposedly resting and recharging. What bedding we choose can have a direct impact on the quality or disruptiveness of our sleep.
There’s also a deeper, more personal side to this journey. For those of us who approach wellness energetically, the textures and materials we surround ourselves with can influence how connected and comfortable we feel in our bodies. I’ve found myself becoming much more aware of how different fabrics feel against my skin and how I feel in them (plus noticing what fabrics give me the literal ‘ick’).
Unfortunately, not everything labelled natural or sustainable is that straightforward. Some are marketed as natural, eco-friendly options, but many plant-based textiles are produced using toxic chemical processes that transform the original plant material into workable fibres, losing the goodness it got from nature, while still being marketed as ‘nature-based’, ‘plant-based’ or better for you and the environment. That’s why it’s important to understand how a fabric is made so you can make better choices for you and your family’s wellbeing.
The good news? You don’t need to throw out your entire wardrobe and start again.
Begin with one area (I recommend your bedding). Look for quality natural fibres, certifications such as GOTS and OEKO-TEX, and remember that buying less and choosing well can be just as important as what you buy.
It doesn’t need to be perfect. It’s about becoming more conscious of our choices and finding practical ways to support ourselves and our environment. Sometimes, the most meaningful changes begin with the simplest things: what we choose to surround ourselves with, and how those choices make us feel.
If you’d love to learn more about natural versus synthetic fibres and where to begin your own fabric transition, visit my blog on my website, where I have already done the deep dive.
About Alana Donohoe
Alana Donohoe writes about natural fibres and how everyday choices shape the spaces we live in.