The coolest fabric for summer: maake’s top choices for the best fabrics

We need cool fabric for summer. This summer it’s been scorching, and we’re all tired of being sweaty. Here’s our definitive guide on how to beat the heat by wearing the best and coolest fabric for the summer, so that even the hottest days are bearable. Here we offer our choice of materials from our exclusive collection

The coolest summer cotton fabric to wear

Natural fabrics

Cotton

The pros: Everybody knows it’s a great idea to wear cotton in summer, because this naturally sustainable fiber is breathable (air circulates freely through this fabric), durable, comfy and breathable. Aside from being the best textile for summer, it’s also easily hypoallergenic, available, lightweight and moisture-wicking.

The good news: It’s a real no-sweat, chilled customer. Printing on this light textile is a breeze – colours print bright and vibrantly. Also, the fabric’s so versatile – it’s available in so many different blends. And it’s easy to care for – just wash and sun-dry on the line.

The cons: If it’s really hot, you may find that your sweat doesn't dry, which means you'll be wearing a damp, creased fabric. You may also find sweaty patches at armpits and other spots, especially if the textile is in dark colors. Here’s some important information: don’t put this material in the tumble dryer or it could shrink – rather hang on the line so it dries in the sun.

Click here to explore our Cotton Range

Linen

The pros: It’s as light as cotton and just as breathable, making it ideal summer material for summer in Britain along with cottons, especially for a linen medium-length dress style or for a mini dress. Linen is a light, loosely woven natural fiber that is sustainable. In fact, linen requires less water to grow than cotton does. We make linen from the flax plant, which means it keeps you cool as heat escapes from the body and it dries fast, which is a major plus. Linen doesn’t stick to the body, which is great when it’s hot, and it’s anti-bacterial, too. And another important plus: the more you wash linen, the less it creases. You can always get the creases out by hanging the garment in your shower to steam. And let’s not forget – linen is very durable, too, which is why it’s chosen by men and women worldwide.

The cons: It’s a known fact: linen creases easily. Sometimes designers use the creases in their creations to make the garment unique, but it can be a problem. It may keep you chilled when it’s hot outside, but linen does retain heat. And here’s one of our tips: you shouldn’t use a tumble dryer on it: rather leave it out in the sun on the line for the air to circulate if possible.

Browse through our linen bases

Cotton blends

• Poplin: With its distinctively ribbed texture and tight weave, this cotton fabric gives a unique lustre that resembles silk. Previously we used to make this fabric out of silk and wool, but these days it’s a lightweight cotton blend that’s light, drapes beautifully and is great to beat the heat. It also doesn’t wrinkle or smell on a hot day. A major boon in the summer months. Sadly, it’s not that durable, and, like cottons, it’s prone to shrink in the wash.
• Chambray: This cotton fabric is like denim, but it’s cooler, softer and not as heavy. A plain weave textile, chambray’s made out of a mix of coloured and white yarns, much like denim. It’s very light, so it’s more popular in the hot months than denim. These fabrics have a higher thread count and a fine weave which is why they are such breathable fabrics. Ideal for pants, jackets and casual shirts in a variety of colours and designs.

Note: 

Linen and cotton blended fabrics are also very popular and combine the pluses of both of these natural fabrics.

Silk

Pros: It’s a fact, many natural fibers create materials that are fresh and comfortable in the heat. People often ask: is silk good for summer? Yes, it’s another great summer choice for light material for summer, created from harvesting the silk from silkworms’ cocoons. This luxurious, delicate and lightweight fabric adjusts to one's body temperature. So it breathes beautifully in summer and keeps you warm in winter. It’s the perfect year-round fabric.

Cons: Silk doesn’t absorb sweat well – you could land up with sweat stains as a result. Cleaning is expensive, as it’s best to dry clean this textile.

Wool and jersey fabric

Pros: Believe it or not, wool fabrics is actually able to keep you cool as well as warm. Made from natural fibers (from of sheep, goats, rabbits etc), it’s sustainable, very elastic and lightweight. It also keeps moisture away from the skin, so if you wear a light woollen garment in summer, it will make you less sweaty, not more. You’ll stay cool and dry all day long. Wool is also durable, strong and lasts long. It’s flame- and water-resistant, too, antimicrobial and antibacterial. It’s also easy to look after and hypoallergenic, too. And let’s not forget it’s also resistant to mould, dust and mildew, so it’s ideal for allergy-prone skin.

Cons: The fabric is relatively expensive, and we often ask questions about how people treat the animals during sheep shearing. Wool can also irritate sensitive skin, especially if it has coarse fibres.

Woollen blends

• Jerseyis a blend of wool, cotton and synthetic fibers. It’s a comfortable, flexible textile that we often make into summer clothing. Choose a 100 cotton blend for a really cool, sustainable garment. maake’s top summer fabric choices: cotton calico, chiffon, eco sprint knit, organic satin, faux silky

Semi-synthetic fabrics

Rayon

Pros: This is the first on our list of the best fabric choices for summer that are semi-synthetic. Rayon will keep you refreshed and is a very popular summer fabrics. It’s a blend of cotton, wood pulp, and other natural or man-made textile. We originally invented it as a less expensive substitute for silk. The fabric drapes nicely is stretchy, soft, delicate, and light. We make it with very thin fibers, so it’s a breathable fabrics and absorbs moisture, making it a great fabrics choice in summer. Because it’s light and comfy, we often use rayon for sportswear and summer wear. Wear these synthetic fabrics in the heat, not when it’s humid.

Cons: Rayon shrinks when you wash it in warm water, so it’s best to dry clean it. You can handwash it in cold water, but it may still shrink a little. It’s not a very durable textile and we need to take care of it.

Rayon blends

• Modal or Micromodal: This is a type of rayon, a semi-synthetic fabric made out of beech or hardwood tree pulp. It’s cool and lightweight and has become a popular alternative and is one of the best summer fabrics. It’s soft, breathable doesn’t shrink and is easy to clean.
• Tencel:This is another popular Modal blend, a mix of Modal and lyocell. This is a soft, cool textile that we often use to make fashion and other clothing items. We say It’s eco-friendly although it’s not as sustainable as natural fabrics like cotton. It’s versatile and absorbs moisture, so we often use it for active wear as it’s breathable and repels odours. It’s an expensive material.

Synthetic and recycled synthetic fabrics

Polyester

Pros: Although it’s a synthetic textile that we knit or weave from polyester thread or yarn, polyester keeps sweating at bay, so it’s very popular for athletic wear. Because of the latest technology, this textile is extremely durable and water-resistant, which is why we use it for gym wear.

And now we also regularly wear this fabric in summer, too, because it dries fast and stays cool when it’s hot. It’s very durable, doesn’t crease and is stain-resistant, all major pluses.

Cons: Unfortunately, polyester can irritate sensitive skin and if you’re prone to get sweaty, it isn’t a great choice in the heat. So it’s not great for one’s health.

Polyester blends

Recycled polyester

We generally make this textile, which we call rPET, from recycled plastic bottles and containers that people discard after use. The plastic we use includes cold drinks, take-away items, plastic straws etc.

We find recycled polyester an excellent alternative compared to virgin polyester. In fact, we need far less resources to produce this textile than many other synthetic fibres. And its production generates fewer CO2 emissions.

The chemical recycling process is more expensive, but has longer-lasting effects. We create it chemically by dissecting plastic molecules and then building them up again into polyester yarn. 

The method we use to process chemically recycled polyester seems to maintain the thread's quality so that we can recycle the textile over and over again.

Nylon

Pros: This is another lightweight synthetic textile that has become a popular choice for athletic wear. We have designed it to keep sweat away from the body. Thus it’s very cool in the heat, especially in hot and humid climates.

The textile is light and stretchy, making it ideal for sportswear and athletic shoes. It’s flexible, durable and can withstand bad weather conditions, especially rain and snow. It also dries fast, another plus for sports people.

Cons: Nylon retains smell, can cause chaffing and isn’t very breathable.

Hot picks of cool fabrics for summer

Our picks of the coolest fabric for summer

Calico Plain Cotton

This traditional fabric is ideal for clothing and home wear. The plain woven, lightweight textile is a great value option for first time textile printers. It’s one of our most popular and versatile fabrics.

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Organic Satin

An organic version of our Satin material, it’s popular for elegant garments and accessories. Organic Satin is soft to touch with an excellent handle. The satin weave textile has a smooth print face and luxurious feel. It’s a stable textile that is easy to work and sew with. The edges will fray so it’s best to finish it with a binding or overlock stitch. The matte finish produces stunning bold print colours on this natural fabric.

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Note on printing on cotton fabric

We print our cotton textiles in one of the most eco-friendly ways possible, using Digital Pigment inks. We use no water when we print with this method, which uses around 95% less energy than traditional screen printing.

Our best polyester picks 

Chiffon

This textile base is slightly thicker than Georgette. It has an excellent structure for blouses, a dress and other fashion garments and is great for pairing with other textiles as an overlay. It has a slightly grained, sandy texture which adds depth to the print. It is very sheer, so you may need a lining if using it for entire garments. Prints are visible on the reverse of this textile but appear duller and lighter in shade. The white polyester base achieves vibrant printed colours.

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Eco Sprint Knit

Perfect for dresses, sweatshirts, hoodies and kids clothing, this rPET (recycled polyester) textile is 140cm in width.

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Faux Silky Satin

This ultra-lightweight fabric is the perfect alternative to natural silk. It’s popular for luxury garments, scarves and accessories. It’s a crease-resistant textile with a fantastic drape and smooth, silky print face and subtle sheen. The textile is slightly sheer. so prints in light colors may need a lining if used for garments. Textile reverse is matte white and just as smooth as the print face. Prints are visible on the reverse of this textile but appear duller and lighter in shade. The white polyester base achieves vibrant printed colours

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Note on printing on polyester fabrics

We use no water in the printing process of our polyester materials. The inks we use meet Oeko-tex requirements. They also pass EN71-3 certification.

Handy go-to guides

Read some of our informative guides about fashion fabrics, swimwear, men’s summer shirts and textile certification.