Why do we wear clothes?

Every morning we pick something to wear, but have you ever wondered why? Clothes protect our body from heat, cold, rain, wind, dust, germs and insect bites. They keep us comfortable and clean, and they also show who we are: our culture, our festivals and even our jobs. A doctor’s white coat, a soldier’s uniform and a bride’s bright saree all tell us something about the person wearing them.

Fibres: where cloth begins

All cloth, also called fabric, is made from very thin threads called fibres. Fibres that come from plants and animals are natural fibres.

• Cotton grows in the fluffy bolls of the cotton plant. It is soft, cool and soaks up sweat.
• Jute comes from the stem of the jute plant. It is rough and strong, and is used for sacks, bags and ropes.
• Wool comes from the hair of sheep, goats, yaks and camels. It is thick and warm.
• Silk is spun by the silkworm when it makes its cocoon. It is smooth, shiny and costly.

Fibres made in factories from chemicals are synthetic fibres. Nylon, polyester, rayon and acrylic are synthetic. They are strong, cheap and dry quickly, but they do not absorb sweat well and can melt near fire.

From fibre to fabric

Turning fluffy fibres into a shirt takes several steps. First the fibres are cleaned. Then they are twisted together into long threads called yarn; this is called spinning. Mahatma Gandhi spun yarn on a charkha and encouraged everyone to wear hand-made khadi. Next, yarn is turned into cloth. In weaving, two sets of threads cross over and under each other on a loom. In knitting, a single yarn is looped together with needles or machines, which is why sweaters and socks stretch. Finally the cloth may be dyed and printed, and a tailor cuts and stitches it into clothes.

Clothes for different seasons

In summer we wear loose, light-coloured cotton clothes. Cotton lets air pass and absorbs sweat, and light colours reflect sunlight. In winter we wear woollen sweaters, shawls, caps and socks. Wool traps air between its fibres, and this still air keeps our body heat in. In the rainy season we use raincoats, umbrellas and gumboots made of waterproof materials so that rainwater runs off.

Clothes for work and safety

Many people wear special clothes at work. Uniforms help us recognise police officers, nurses and pilots. Some clothes protect: firefighters wear fire-resistant suits, construction workers wear helmets, doctors wear gloves and masks against germs, and astronauts wear space suits with their own air supply. Schoolchildren wear uniforms so that everyone looks neat and equal.

Traditional dresses of India

India has a rich variety of clothing. Women wear sarees in many styles, salwar kameez, ghagra choli in Rajasthan and the mekhela chador in Assam. Men wear dhoti, kurta-pyjama, the mundu in Kerala and turbans in Punjab and Rajasthan. Famous fabrics include Banarasi silk, Kanchipuram silk, Kashmiri pashmina and the colourful phulkari of Punjab.

Taking care of clothes

Clothes last longer when we look after them. We should wash them regularly with soap, dry cotton clothes in the sun and woollens flat in the shade, and iron them to remove creases. Clothes must be completely dry before we fold and store them, or they may get mould. Woollens and silks are stored with neem leaves or naphthalene balls to keep insects away. Torn clothes can be mended, and clothes we have outgrown can be given to people who need them.

This Clothes We Wear worksheet for Class 4 brings all of this to life on WitKnowLearn with an online quiz, online activities and interactive games. Flip the cards, dress Riya in the Clothes Lab, play the games, do the fabric labs, take the challenges and then test fabrics and weave a mat in the Virtual Lab.