very thin cotton

[Morgana]

OK this is way off topic, just putting it out there on the off chance that someone in this far-flung group might have a lead.

I have looked in vain (both online and in brick-and-mortar stores) for shirts or blouses made of really really thin cotton. I have a couple of older items but they don't appear to be on the market anymore.

Looking for something to replace, or more likely supplement, sunscreen if I'm going to be outdoors for a long time. (Also just a sleeved garment that's tolerable to wear in hot weather.)

I swear it seems like there's almost only synthetics available any more. How anybody wears that stuff in the heat is beyond me. Don't know if it's a fashion trend or a supply-chain issue, but ick.

Thank you and I now return you to your regularly scheduled programming.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

The lightest I've been able to find for a long time is 136 gm/sq. meter jersey material.

BTW: if you are using it for sunblock you need to find unbleached cotton (uncommon). The bleaching process removes the natural lignins that act as UV absorbers.
https://www.skincancer.org/skin-cancer-prevention/sun-protection/sun-protective-clothing/

 

[BelgianPup]

Look for "voile".

 

[WanderingRose]

Check out WalMart, also TJMaxx sometimes has linen and 100% cotton items at a good price.

 

[GypsyJan]

Look in thrift shops for summer cotton pajamas. We used to wear those over our bathing suits in the Florida Keys to prevent sunburn...or at least slow it down some.

 

[jacqueg]

I like really cheap cotton sheets. You are looking for those with a thread count of 100 or less. Getting harder to find these days, though...

As someone mentioned above, look for cotton voile. Or gauze.

 

[JDub]

I'd recommend Kahala Shirts but you're probably not into loud Hawaiian prints (even though they were the ORIGINAL Hawaiian shirt maker).

 

[maki2]

Voile is a very thin..sheer fabric meaning see through.

Cotton "lawn" is most likely the weight you are looking for. It is fairly thin (but not see through thin) and has been historically used for summer weight blouses and dresses.

Getting just the right keywords will unlock the doors for finding things on the internet. Happy hunting, your new wardrobe is out there

 

[Morgana]

Loud Hawaiian prints would be fine, JDub, but alas I'm looking for long sleeves... and yeah, GypsyJan, even cotton (woven) pajamas don't seem to be available in regular stores anymore -- when did cotton go away? [insert geezer rant here]

 

[maki2]

When the labor cost of growing, harvesting, cleaning out the seed, spinning, weaving, dyeing, printing designs on it and sewing it into gaments went up. Also because of the long droughts which have made it difficult to grow crops. Top that off with the COVID 19 crisis making labor shortages in warehouses and clothing factories a big issue. Topped off with the major crisis of shipping goods in from overseas. Then there is the completion for cotton goods as in the market for all natural cotton sheets which are a lot less labor intensive to sew versus making a blouse or pair of pants.

I spent a lot of years in manufacturing so I have the ability to see the whole chains of events for what it takes to get from a seed in the ground to a finished product. Known as cradle to grave, the full life cycle. Cotton is not a cheap fabric and cotton clothing is not in high demand as synthetics are easier to launder.

 

[Morgana]

Cotton is not a cheap fabric and cotton clothing is not in high demand as synthetics are easier to launder

Ah, so ... the fact that synthetics make my skin crawl in the heat is not what other people experience?

How Princess and the Pea of me. And not very convenient for my beer-bottle budget (and otherwise beer-bottle tastes, at least in clothing).

Still, good to know!

 

[AJ452]

A search for cotton UPF shirt on Amazon reveals some of the sun protection rated shirts are cotton blend at least, if that helps.

 

[D'L]

I get everything like that at the thrift stores, mostly the Goodwill. In some places they have a "Goodwill Outlet" where everything is sold by the pound. If it doesn't sell in the regular Goodwill, it gets sent there. Clothing is something like $1.50 a pound (I am not sure, they just raised it).
You can imagine, a lightweight cotton shirt won't weigh much, cost you less than a dollar. Most of my clothing except for shoes comes from one of those stores. I've found Patagonia, Columbia Sportswear, Eddie Bauer, and Polartec jackets and blankets, even brand new sheets, all in perfectly good shape. I have always done this because it's what I can afford, but these days I am glad also that I am recycling clothing.

I was recently backpacking, needed specific clothing, very lightweight for my pack, and found everything I needed there. Of course you can't just walk in and always find what you want, sometimes it takes a few times so planning ahead when possible is good. I just go every now and then to see what's there. It's like a treasure hunt. No fitting rooms, but the risk is pretty low at that price. If you find one of these outlet stores, you will suddenly think that the regular Goodwill is expensive!
Even if you don't have an Outlet nearby, the regular Goodwill stores have very good deals.

 

[MGfromBC]

I have a short list of things to look for whenever I wonder through the isles of a thrift store. Two of the things at the top of the list are True North, 100% Merino Wool, long sleeve pull-over shirts and long sleeve button up silk shirts. Light coloured silk shirts, just a bit larger than I need, are wonderful in summer.

 

[user 16179]

Merino wool, for the win.

 

[maki2]

When visiting Hawaii my friend told me something important. Silk is a hot fabric, hotter than cotton. that is why it gets used for long underwear! The coolest natural fiber is not cotton or silk, it is rayon. So you might want to rethink your natural fiber, summer wardrobe and look for rayon clothing.

 

[Morgana]

I've tried rayon, doesn't work for me. (I think it's considered a "plant based" but not "natural" fiber?)
(And where I am now is a furnace compared to Hawaii.)

Here's an article, I don't know how expert, that suggests that while silk is not actually cooling, it does have some qualities that are good in the heat: https://www.yorkshirefabricshop.com/post/is-silk-cooler-than-cotton.

I have merino wool socks for hot weather; I'm always surprised that that works, but it does. (Dang, they were expensive, too.)

 

[lauratheexplorer]

I have a wool shirt I wear in the summer, it’s cooling and light.

 

[maki2]

Of course I don't worry about such things. I go to the thift stores or dollar stores and get what is lightweight and easy to wash.