Natural Fibres vs Synthetics: Why We Build Our Collections Around Wool, Silk, Cotton and Linen
Turn over the care label of almost any garment sold today and you will find polyester, nylon, acrylic or elastane — often more of them than anything else. They are cheap, easy to work with and make a garment look good on the rail. The question is how it looks, feels and behaves after two years on your body. That is where natural fibres pull away.
How they feel
Natural fibres are hygroscopic — they absorb and release moisture — which is why a wool sweater feels warm without being clammy and a linen shirt feels cool in July. Synthetics are hydrophobic: they hold moisture against the skin, trap heat, and hold on to odour. Wool, in particular, is naturally odour-resistant and can be worn many times between washes, which is better for the garment and for the water it would otherwise be washed in.
How they age
A well-made wool coat, silk blouse or cashmere sweater ages the way a good leather bag does: it softens, settles, and becomes yours. Polyester does not age — it pills, goes shiny at the friction points and then simply looks tired. Natural fibres can also be repaired, re-blocked, re-pressed and re-dyed; most synthetics cannot.
What happens when you wash them
Every wash of a synthetic garment sheds plastic microfibres that pass through most water treatment and into rivers and oceans. Natural fibres shed too — but what they shed is protein or cellulose, which biodegrades. At the end of its life an untreated wool, silk, cotton or linen garment returns to the soil. A polyester one does not, for a very long time.
A short guide to the fibres we use
- Wool. Warm, breathable, naturally elastic and odour-resistant. Fine merino is soft enough for next-to-skin knitwear; heavier wools build structured coats and tailoring.
- Cashmere. The fine underhair of cashmere goats — exceptionally soft and light for its warmth. Quality varies enormously with fibre length; long-fibre cashmere pills less and lasts far longer.
- Silk. Strong, lustrous and temperature-regulating. Drapes like nothing else; the right silk crêpe or twill makes a blouse that moves.
- Cotton. Breathable and easy to care for. Long-staple cottons are smoother, stronger and hold colour better.
- Linen. Spun from flax, one of the least resource-hungry fibre crops. Cool, textured, and stronger wet than dry — it softens with every wash.
What to look for on a label
Read the composition line before the brand name. A high natural-fibre percentage is the first sign of a garment worth keeping. A small amount of elastane in a trouser is a reasonable compromise for comfort; a “wool” coat that is mostly polyester is not. Then ask where the fabric was made — an Italian mill is a good answer — and how the garment should be cared for.
Why DAÉIN chooses natural fibres
We build our collections around natural fibres because they are kinder to wear, kinder to the water and soil, and because they let a garment become something you keep. It is the quietest form of sustainability we know: buy less, choose well, and wear it for years. Read more about our approach to sustainability.