Our Materials
At AYWA, we believe that what we put on the body should be good. Similar to the concept of putting good into the body, through food intake.
We are passionate about textiles and strive to source the finest materials to create wholesome collections. There are two main areas that we focus on when it comes to materials; natural fibres and heritage textiles. We believe that these are better for the people and the planet.
We source all our materials from independent suppliers that we trust and very selective on what gets approved. We are working hard to improve our fabric sourcing and as we make better discoveries and new learning, we implement these into the collections. It's a working progress and we have made the intention to always search for what's good for the body and the environment.
We only use in the collection what we would love for ourselves.
"I ask myself the question - would I use this fabric for myself, my family or loved ones? If the answer is no, then we won't be be using it at AYWA" - Waqaas Ahmed, Founder and Creative Director
COTTON
HEMP
COTTON
Cotton is a natural fibre from the seed of the cotton plant. It is naturally breathable, with a soft handle and good drape. What we love about cotton is that there are many fabrics available to help us create a variety of abayas across different collections and seasons.
Cotton Corduroy
Corduroy is a ribbed cut fabric that is brushed and creates a lovely, soft handfeel making it perfect for the cooler temperatures. The cords may be fine (needlecord), medium or broad (jumbo). The broader the cord, the heavier it becomes, but still perfect to create comfortable abaya coats.
The corduroy used in our collection is 100% cotton, and we have incorporated a variety of corduroy scales in to our collections to display our love for texture.
Natural Cotton
Write about cotton used for pascale
Indian Block Print Cotton
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IKAT
Ikat is an ancient fabric making technique that has been practised throughout the world, however it is most prevalent in India, Indonesia, and parts of Central Asia. Authentic ikat is expensive to produce as it can take months to make the fabric, which is an entirely manual process.
The pattern of the fabric is designed on the yarn before it is woven. The cotton threads are dyed before weaving using resistant dye methods. After the threads are dried, they are then handwoven to form the pattern. It is a highly skilled technique, which is like putting a puzzle together - hence ikat has a distinct blurry pattern finish.
The Ikat used in our collection is 100% cotton and handmade in India.
LINEN
Linen comes from the flax plant. It is the most natural fibre with a short growing cycle of about 100 days.
Europe is the largest producer of linen, and the best flax comes from between France and Holland, where the climate and soil conditions are ideal. It’s a strong, durable and long-lasting fibre, which can be produced to have both a stiff weave and a finer and more drapey finish.
Linen is a biodegradable and recyclable fibre, with dirt-repellent and anti-microbial properties.
Growing flax requires no irrigation and very little use of chemicals. All of the flax plant is used when making the fabric so there is no waste during the production, which aligns with our ZERO WASTE initiative. Impact on the environment is minimal throughout the process, therefore making it a sustainable choice.
We love using linen within our collections and over the years we have selected only the most beautiful qualities from Europe, North Africa and Asia - including France, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Lithuania and Morocco.
We consider linen to be a healthy fabric for the mind, body and soul and so it secures a place here at Aywa and one of our forever-favourites.
WOOL
Wool comes from the fleece of the sheep. It's naturally breathable and a great insulator enabling the human body to regulate the body temperature. With the beauty of creation, sheep grow wool to keep them warm and dry outside, so naturally wool is good at keeping us warm because that's its purpose in nature.
Wool is a strong fibre, due to its natural characteristics of having scales called cuticles. The cuticles provide a tough exterior, providing the fibre from abrasion and damage.
Wool is a complex fibre with a robust structure and flexibility, making it a resilient fibre. It can absorb up to 1/3 of its weight in water without feeling wet and the water has to go through so many layers within the fibre, before it reaches the skin, therefore keeping the body drier for longer, and naturally fire resistant.
We love using wool in the collection as it has a frequency of 5,000, providing energy to the body. Wool production typically has lower carbon footprint compared to synthetic fibres. It's biodegradable and recyclable, making it a better choice for the environment.
Since 1990, wool has suffered a decline in consumption, particularly with the increased production of polyester, which is a cheap alternative with no benefits to the human body.
We use 100% wool in our collections.
Lambswool
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