Cotton or denim: choosing a fabric for the occasion and the weather in India
Weather decides most of it, the occasion decides the rest. Cotton for heat and humidity, denim for the months in between, and the heavier denim tailoring for the short cold weeks. How much room you want is a separate question from which cloth you want it in.
What separates cotton and denim?
Cotton is a family rather than a single cloth. We weave it five ways, and the five behave differently on the same afternoon. Denim is cotton too, woven heavier, so it holds a line instead of falling soft. For the cold weeks we weave it heavier again, in a houndstooth, so a jacket keeps its shoulder.
| Fabric | How it feels | When we reach for it |
|---|---|---|
| Cotton poplin | Thin, breathable, absorbs moisture | Humid days, long hours out |
| Cotton double cloth | Soft, lightly textured, natural drape | Dry heat, travel, work days |
| Kala cotton | Handspun in Kutch, soft rustic texture | Warm months, slow weekends |
| Cotton slub | Uneven weave, small knots | Year round, day into evening |
| Cotton chambray | Breathable, absorbs moisture well | Shoulder seasons, office days |
| Denim | Comfortable, breathable, durable | Cool weather, cold rooms |
| Houndstooth denim | Heavier weave, warm, holds a shoulder | The few genuinely cold weeks |
Which cotton suits which kind of day?
Poplin is the light one. It absorbs moisture, it is hypoallergenic, and it does not hold onto odours, which carries it from morning to a late evening without a change of clothes.
Double cloth has more texture and drape, so it creases less on a long drive and still reads as finished in a room. Kala cotton is an old organic variety grown in the arid land of Kutch, rain-fed and pesticide-free, handspun and handwoven. No two lengths are quite alike.
Slub sits between the two, its uneven weave leaving small knots that catch the light. Chambray takes up moisture readily, which makes it easy to wear for a full working day. All five are under cotton.
When does denim make sense here?
Once the evenings cool, and in an air-conditioned room at any time of year. Our denim is natural cotton, breathable enough for all day, and it takes hard wear without losing its shape. See denim.
What do you wear in the cold weeks?
The denim tailoring. Jackets, skirts and sets in a heavier houndstooth-woven denim, lined where a jacket needs it, warm and firm through the shoulder. Right for a cold evening, wrong for a warm afternoon. They sit with the rest under denim.
How do we care for each of them?
These are the lines that ship with the garments, unchanged.
- Double cloth, Kala cotton, slub and denim. We recommend washing this piece separately in a gentle machine cycle at normal temperature. Please avoid wringing, line-dry it inside out in the shade, and use a steam iron if needed.
- Poplin. Gentle wash, separately. Dry in shade on the reverse side, and steam iron if required. Please do not use bleach or any such laundry additives.
- Poplin with appliqué work. We highly recommend a first-time dry clean to preserve the intricate craftsmanship, then a gentle hand wash for the longevity of the patchwork. Machine washing may cause the raw edges to fray.
- Chambray. We recommend to dry clean for first wash. After care with gentle wash, dry in shade on the reverse side, and steam iron if required.
Shade is what runs through all of it. Sun pulls colour out of cotton faster than any wash cycle, so dry everything inside out and away from direct light.
Does the cloth change the fit you should pick?
It changes how the room reads. Nine inches of room moves in poplin and stays put in denim. The number is the same, the drape is not. Our four fits, measured over your body:
- Contour, 2 inch ease
- Classic, 6 inch ease
- Relaxed, 9 inch ease
- Oversized, 10 inch ease
Each half of a set carries its own size, XXS to 5XL. The measurements are in the fit guide, and the pieces are listed separately under tops and bottoms.
We cut only after an order arrives, which puts dispatch at 5 to 7 working days. Shipping within India is complimentary. Start at sets, read our story, or write to us through contact.
What else do people ask?
Can I wear denim through an Indian summer?
You can, though we would not. Denim is warmer on the body than poplin or double cloth. In May we wear cotton. In December we wear denim.
Will cotton shrink?
Wash it separately on a gentle machine cycle at normal temperature, avoid wringing, and line-dry it inside out in the shade. Hot water and a tumble dryer are what cause the trouble.
Is the houndstooth denim as heavy as it looks?
Heavier than our other denims, lighter than wool. It is the cloth we keep for the few cold weeks, and it sits out the summer.
Do you ship across India?
Yes, and shipping is complimentary. We are based in India, and every piece is cut once the order comes in, so dispatch takes 5 to 7 working days.
