Natural fibers as skincare
I recently completed a course in skin care at our local college of Ayurveda. Ayurveda for those who are not aware quite literally translates to “knowledge of life” and is a philosophy encompassing holistic health with origins in India.
In the course we learned all about the skin which is actually our body's largest organ made up of protein, fats and minerals. Our skin has many functions but most importantly it acts as a barrier keeping bacteria and germs from entering the body and bloodstream. Another function of the skin is its ability to absorb! Just like a sponge. Think about those hot days when you rub a little oil on the skin… it soaks right in! Leaving the surface smooth and soft. Additionally, when we jump in water our skin becomes wet and cool to touch.
Well…. The same facts apply to our skin's reaction to the clothing we wear. Clothing is something most of us wear all day everyday. It's part of our modern lives and so much more! This being said, that means that throughout most of our lives there is some sort of fiber coming in contact with our skin almost 24/7! Without consciousness we might never consider that the fiber on our skin is overtime being absorbed into our body and ultimately altering our health.
So! If we wear fibers on our bodies almost everyday what kind of fibers are going to benefit us the most health wise?
Well… Definitely NOT plastic! Sure there is a time and a place where some plastic clothing is necessary (and by plastic I'm referring to anything with the name polyester, spandex, lycra, acrylic and nylon) such as a bathing suit or certain sports equipment. However, these are clothes we wear for a short period of time and not all the time. When we wear clothing of this type often what's happening is the item is actually shedding micro plastics onto/INTO the body and skin! So we are actually ABSORBING plastic! I'm sure those who are sensitive have noticed irritation over time when consistently wearing synthetic clothing. Symptoms can look like skin rashes, bumps, itchy skin, discomfort and much more.
The solution? The solution is wearing NATURAL fibers! Natural fibers include: cotton, linen, hemp, bamboo, wool, silk, cashmere and alpaca. In my opinion what else do you need? These materials can keep you warm, cool and comfortable in just about any climate. The best part is natural fibers come from the earth and just like eating good whole foods will nourish your skin and health to optimal form. Better yet, choose organic fibers if you can! These fibers are grown without pesticides or yucky additives into the soil, making it extra good for your skin and health. (pro tip! Linen and hemp are almost always organic naturally due to their growing style so keep an eye out for these).
Integration…. So before we freak out thinking about how much a new organic wardrobe is going to cost, let's take a deep breath! Yes.. you can buy a whole new organic natural wardrobe from Sparrow Co :) but also!!! Natural, even organic clothing is super readily available at thrift stores world wide! Get in the habit of checking the inside tag to see what kind of material the item is made from. A lot of modern clothing is natural fiber blended with synthetic fiber and this is still a no go. We want 100% natural fiber like 100% cotton or linen or even a blend of two natural fibers like cotton and hemp or cotton and linen is common. Just be aware! If it's cheap it's probably plastic if it’s natural and cheap it's probably from a sweatshop… The more we can educate ourselves on these sorts of things the better off we will be! I hope this little bit of text can help you in making future decisions regarding clothing because you and your skin are SO WORTH IT! Be kind to it, dress it with love and intention and in turn your skin will shine for you.
Xx
-Sparrow
