Sarong Material: Opacity

When it comes our sarong fabric, we get a lot of this question: 'is this material see through?' We want to talk about opacity and help our customers understand the level of transparency when it comes to sarong fabrics. Most of our sarongs are the 'lightweight' top quality sarong rayon fabric and can be found throughout our store. 

We choose lightweight fabrics because they are easier to drape and tie. The lighter a sarong, the better it falls freely and gracefully on your body. The more breathable a sarong, the more wonderful it feels during those warm and breezy summer days. Not to mention the softer it feels on your skin! Some customers may ask, what is lightweight? 

To answer your question: No, our sarongs are not see through but are light weight and thinner and can allow more light to pass through. The opacity of a sarong fabric is dependent on the thread count, which is the number of threads woven into one square inch of fabric. The higher thread count there is the thicker a fabric is. We carry two styles and the best way to know the difference is in the code.

Most of our sarongs are the lightweight top quality rayon with a thread count of 70/42 or 68/38. These are denoted with a KD in the code, such as 'SARONG-KD-SOLID-BLACK'. Our other sarong fabric that we carry are the rayon fabric with a thread count of 80/60 which is a top quality heavier weight but still light enough to everyday wear. This sarong fabric has a PT in the code. For example 'SARONG-PT-DRAGON'.

Higher Opacity and More Coverage

Here are a few tips and tricks when it comes to sarong materials:

1) Pattern and Prints

If you like more opacity with sarong fabrics, we suggest pattern print sarongs for that extra opacity. The prints can help create an 'illusion' to 'blur' the edges of your body curves. The attention of the fabric will go to the beautiful patterns and not your body. 

2) Color Shades

The color of the fabric can also affect the opacity of a fabric. Darker color shade of sarongs are less see through than lighter colors. For example, a white sarong would be more see through than a black sarong under direct sun light. 

3) Thicker Fabric

Remember, it's all about thread counts! Try heavier materials like our cotton sarongs that are less see through than lightweight sarong fabrics like rayon. 

Check out our FAQ if you want more information. Next up.. we're going to talk about the sheerness of our other lightweight sarong fabric, sheer sarongs. Stay tuned!

The History and Origin of Sarongs

A sarong is a piece of fabric that is worn by men and women on the bottom half of the body. While the Scottish people wear kilts, many Asian regions wear sarongs. Even still, the sarong is a popular garment that is worn by many people in any different counties in a variety of ways. The sarong has a long history in the world, and its presence is one seen and felt. Sarongs have been worn for over 500 years now, and it seems that its popularity is only getting better by the day.

While men usually wear them only for religious purposes and special occasions, the same is not true for women. The term "sarong" comes from Indonesia. The Malay language from Malaysia, Indonesia to be more exact, is actually where the term comes from. The sarong is worn for religious purposes, as a fashion statement, and sometimes for other reasons not listed. The traditional sarong is created using a process known as Batik. It is this process that provides the astonishing overall look of the sarong. This look varies from a checkered pattern to circles or a multiple-prism of colors in various shapes and sizes.

Wearing a Sarong around the World

For example, in the United States, the sarong is popularly worn by women as a swimsuit cover-up. These sarongs come in various styles, designs, and colors, and are certainly head-turning pieces. Typically this type of sarong is very colorful and lightweight, and may even feature emblems or other stylish additions. They are not, however, similar in style to the traditional sarong. A traditional sarong is usually darker toned and may have a checkered or another type of pattern on it. The sarongs made for special occasions usually feature these additional emblems and rhinestones to add charm and appeal.

The Indonesian natives would use a technique to dye their sarongs called batik. This technique used to hand-dye fabrics with the use of wax and dye repellent is one that takes time and devotion, but the ultimate result being a beautiful sarong.  Wherever the wax was placed on the fabric, that piece of material would not absorb the dye. It is similar to the way that we put blue masking tape on a wall when we are painting stripes. The paint goes all over the wall, except where we put the tape. It is a pretty interesting process to say the least. Once his process was complete, the Batik sarong was the result. The sarong is very colorful and takes on different patterns. The sarongs worn by men are different in style than those worn by women.

Sarongs are also worn in many other ways in addition to a swimsuit cover-up. Sarongs make beautiful dresses, scarves, turbans, and tops, and sometimes they’re used to decorate different furnishings around the house.  A sarong makes a beautiful fabric cover for a chair, and that is just one of the many possibilities for the sarong. With a bit of creativity, the many uses of the sarong are endless. It is beautiful enough that you want to use it in a multitude of ways. Since the color combinations and designs are endless, you never have the same look twice, which allows you to create a unique look wherever you go.

Sarongs are quite comfortable to wear, especially if you live in a hot or humid climate because they let a breeze in. They are so comfortable, lightweight, and easy to wear that they are worn in Indonesia, Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, and Asia and other parts of the world where the temperatures are sometimes very hot and humid. It is the heat, perhaps, that originally started the idea and later the popularity of the sarong. It is for these reasons that the sarong has become such a popular garment adored in all regions of the world.

What is interesting to know is that the sarong is not called a sarong in all parts of the world. If you’ve been reading this thinking that it sounded familiar, but the name didn’t sit right, this is probably why! For example, in Tahiti, Hawaii, and the Cook Islands, the sarong is known as a Pareo. In South Asia, the sarong is known as a Lungi or Mundu. In Africa, the sarong is called a Macawiis. No matter the name, the sarong is just as beautiful from one region to the next. 

Final Thoughts

It is easy to understand the popularity of the sarong for both men and women with the information in this article. Although the sarong originated in the Eastern World many, many years ago, it is a piece that quickly went versatile and is now enjoyed by individuals across the world. There are traditional sarongs, as well as not-so-traditional choices, giving everyone the perfect sarong to cater to their needs and tastes. 

So tell us, what's your perfect sarong? :) We'd love to hear from you.

Batik Sarongs: Learning More About This Art Form

No one can ever question the amazing artistry offered in Indonesia. The country is one that is full of treasures and treats for not only those who call it home, but also to those who choose to visit the country each year.  More than 269 million people reside in the country, and millions more visit annually. More than 150 active volcanos can be found throughout the country.  A number of animal species also exist in the country, perfect for nature and wildlife lovers. But the real claim to fame is the Indonesian batik sarongs. Of the many treasures found in the country, these are by far and wide one of the best. These sarongs have been made popular all around the world, including the United States. They’re bright and colorful, as well as fun and fierce. You can easily wear them to a formal event, to cover-up a swimsuit, or even wear it to work. Indonesians proudly wear their sarongs as a symbol of respect and power.

The Art of the Batik Sarongs

Now, let’s learn more about this art form. The history of batik goes a long way. First we must answer an important question many people ask themselves. That question? What is batik? Batik is a method of color dyeing. In this process of color dyeing, wax is added to only those areas of the fabric, which are to absorb the dye. This batik process of adding wax and dyeing only those waxed areas repeats itself. The wax can be taken off and re-applied many different times to make attractive and complex designs. To judge whether the fabric is machine dyed or not, you need to look for some difference in design & color over the dyed fabric. This indicates that the fabric is not machine dyed, but it is a batik.  The history of batik goes a long way.

Sarongs are made from rayon fabric and this type of fabric is viscose. One of the many qualities of rayon is that it drapes and swings exquisitely. Another quality is that this rayon is very soft, even softer than cotton and bouncier than silk. Lastly, what can we say about the experience of wearing a batik sarong? They are tremendously comfortable and lightweight. There are a few tools used in the creation of this artistic sarong, however, they are mostly created by hand. The creator will also have several choices when it is time to pick the type of wax that is used in the process of making a batik sarong. These factors all play a part in the overall look and design.

Wearing Batik Sarongs

Batik sarongs are indeed beautiful. The fabrics take lots of attention to detail, time, and effort to create. Each sarong that is created represents exquisite craftsmanship and defines art in its best form. Wearing a batik sarong can help you feel good from the inside out, while also helping you achieve a great look for most any occasion. You will find many different ways to wear it, and as long as there are no religious beliefs or restrictions in place, there is no reason that you cannot wear it and experiment with it as well. Who knows what kind of awesome look you can create?

As mentioned above, sarongs can be worn as bathing suit cover-up. Those in the western world predominantly use them for this purpose. With the sun glistening down, you will certainly shine brightly with a batik cover-up, or you can wear it as a skirt. It is easy to play around with this beautiful accessory, easily creating numerous skirts of differing types and lengths. Show a little or show a lot –it is all up to you and your creativity.

Why not take it one step further and turn your sarong into a gorgeous dress? You can create many different styles that you can wear almost anywhere. Add a pair of matching shoes and you will look beautiful all night. Wrap it around your neck and use it as a shawl. You will appreciate the provided warmth for your neck, but will also love the gorgeous and bold look that you create.

As you can see, the possibilities for wearing a sarong are endless. Put your creative juices in gear and you will have no problem at all using this beautiful piece of fabric to help you express your unique personality. Batik sarongs are a piece of art that you can wear. Now all that is left to do is for you to rock the look!

19 Ways to Tie a Sarong

Sarongs can be a great accessory that you can wear in dozens of ways. Check out these 19 ways to tie a sarong to make it into a wardrobe must-have. 

So what are your favorite styles? You can get more information on how to tie your sarong here.

Calling All Bloggers or Product Reviewers!

Hi friends and family,

How is your summer going? We've been busy laying by the beach and enjoying the warm summer breeze and working hard to get our new collection launched (keep a look out!). By the way, if you are a blogger or know of anyone who'd like to review our products, please help us by spreading the word to them. We're on a look out for bloggers to collaborate with and so we'd really appreciate your help. Thanks in advance!

Wishing you a beautiful summer ahead.

With love and peace,

1 World Family

Weekend Beach Getaway Packing List

If you are going on a weekend beach getaway, you want to be sure that you have everything you need to have a good time. Here are the bare necessities to make any weekend beach getaway relaxing and fun. 

What do you usually pack as your travel essentials? We would love to hear your suggestions.

Browse our collection of beach essentials and get ready for your next beach escape!

Cool Ways to Wear a Scarf

Whether you're wearing scarves or half sarongs, check out our collection of sarong scarves for your next holiday getaway. Scarves are like the sisters to sarongs, where both play a versatile role of fashion and function throughout the seasons.

Sheer sarongs are perfect for those warm summer days because they're cooling, lightweight and feels great on your sun kissed skin. Half smoked sheer sarong in pink

Long gone are the days when scarves are only used during winter times, these days you can learn to wear your scarves in so many different styles and even in summer time! Here's a tip: The best scarves to wear for summer are the ones that are made with rayon fabric or sheer sarongs.

For those windy & chilly nights by the beach. Dark Green Leaf Gauze Scarf and White Sundress

You can throw a colorful scarf over a dress or wear it as a shawl for a night stroll at the beach or tie your scarf as a tube or halter top and pair it up with denim shorts or tie it as a short beach skirt. What's your favorite way to make use of your scarves?

Cover up your swimsuit while you go and get ice cream at a store. Dragonfly mini sarong.

If you're the type of woman who never leaves the house without a scarf in your handbag or who never travels without a sarong in your backpack, check out these different ways to style up your outfits. If you have more fashion ideas that you'd like to share, we'd love to hear from you! Just leave us a comment below and we'll get in touch with you.

With peace and love,

1 World Family

4 Ways To Spring Into Your Sarongs

Are you excited for warmer sunny days? Get into spring with these outfit ideas and put your sarongs to good use. Let's think out of the box and explore different ways to use our sarongs aside from the usual beach cover ups, sarong skirts and beach dresses. Whether you're at the city or on a tropical island, here are some cool ideas that we felt you might enjoy:

1) Wedding with Nature

Forest Green Sarong

How pretty is this? Imagine having a forest or garden themed wedding. If it gets cold outside, get your bridesmaids to cover up in the same green sarongs as shawls.

2) Casual Jeans with Orange Sarong Skirt

Abstract Top Quality Sarong in Orange

We've never thought of this and liked the idea of tying a sarong around your hips just to give an edge to a casual look!

3) Minimalist Twist

Charcoal Grey Smoked Sarong

When smoked sarong meets plain top - why not mix and match your smoked sarongs and wear them as long skirts paired with solid colored tops?

4) Bright & Colorful Sarong Tops

Lime Green Sarong

Just like flowers that bloom, pick out your brightest colored sarongs and express your personality! We love the idea of pairing a sarong tube top with long pants.

We hope that you got some inspiration from these different ways to wear your sarongs. If you like some of these styles, get your sarongs out and start styling up for this season. You can follow us on Pinterest to browse for more 'sarongspiration'. 

Valentine's Gift Ideas for Him & Her

Valentine's Day is tomorrow! We got inspired by this list of most romantic island getaways and began imagining a beach holiday with our loved ones. If you're heading for a beach holiday soon, be it to the Caribbean islands, Hawaii or Costa Rica, check out our top picks catered for your romantic escapade:

Matching Hawaiian themed shirt and long dress for couples

'Be my Valentine' beach cover ups like pink or red sarongs

 Keep your sarongs tied securely with the symbol of love

'Love sets you free' men's black Sulu or hot pink men sarong

Elegant scarves for your romantic dinner date

Whether your hanging out with your best friends or going on a date or spending quality time with the family, have a wonderful Valentine's Day!

A Mission Statement Focused on Sustainability

Happy New Year! 1 World Sarongs is 15 years old this year! We are proud to say, in 2013 and 2014 we had a healthy increase in our business, we introduced many new products successfully and our customers continue to praise us for our great service and the value we provide to them. We believe that it's a good practice to look back at where we have been and where we are going.

We have been thinking about our mission of creating sustainable businesses. We strongly believe that together with our combined ideas, energy and actions - we can have a much greater effect on our mission! Every day we ask ourselves - How do we be Earth friendly and people friendly and have fun doing it?

Our mission statement is to create a sustainable business by focusing on these points:

• Be gentle on earth - what is our impact/ footprint on our planet? 
• Utilize technology - print only if necessary, so no printed catalog or printed materials – internet only
• Recycling materials - create uses for excess material
• Use less material - maximize fabric cutting
• Efficient shipping methods - sea cargo verse air cargo
• Earth Friendly - create and source products that are Earth friendly and renewable (coconut, bamboo, etc)
• Donate to charities such as Union of Concerned Scientist, The Amazon Foundation, American Red Cross and the Rotary and Oceana, etc.
• Create a product that benefits a certain cause
• People Friendly
• Fair wages / Fair trade
• Healthy working environments
• Support educational programs
• Give back to the community by getting involved with causes that help local communities 
• Get involved with beach clean-ups
• Art Friendly - music, dance
• Supporting and respecting cultural traditions - Create and source handmade items like batik, embroidery, beading, tie dye, fringing, hand screen printing, hand dyed etc. 

So let's think about:

1.    How do we contribute to the solution of creating a better world and yet maintain and increase our living standard?

2.    What are the problems and solutions?

3.    How do we create value that is long lasting?

4.    How do we create relationships that have meaning and provide growth and value?

5.    How do we make it better for all that are involved?

6.    Who has a thought, idea or suggestion on how to accomplish our mission?

As we once heard, “Be the change you want to see in the world”. We truly believe we can make a big difference together. All ideas, thoughts and comments are very much appreciated! We're always happy to hear from you and so you can drop us an email.

Thanks for reading!

With love & peace,

1 World Family

Batik Talk: The Spirit of America in the Heritage of Batik

~ Art is seen as a part of life and it's important to appreciate the feeling of Indonesia that is manifested through Batik ~

What is Batik? And what happens when Indonesian heritage of Batik meets American contemporary art? This fascinating video made by The Embassy and Indonesian Societies in Washington DC showcases the cultural fusion of Indonesian Batik culture and American modern designs. "The media of Batik is of great interest as an object of cultural collaboration", says artist Agus Ismoyo.

We are in the age of modernization where technology becomes a part of Batik. How does it affect the final product? These days, Batik designs are being created digitally and computers are used to form electronic designs. Following the history of Batik, a batik painter would typically hand draw & paint on a big white fabric in free motion. The question is - how would electronic designs be adapted into the natural process of Batik making?

The challenges for Batik production is to make sure that the art stays true to its aesthetics. When creating new sarong prints on a computer program, it's easy to have control over the designs according to taste, shape and color. The challenge for sarong makers is to emulate the exact design and colors from a digital artwork using a natural process. The technique of coloring on a piece of cloth is subjected to variables that are hard to manage in comparison to say, having color codes to key in from a universal color chart.

Watch this video to understand these challenges better and to enjoy the American contemporary designs in Batik form.

PS: Do check out our collection of hand painted sarongs and Batik sarongs!

Sarong Fabrics: Rayon, Cotton, Polyester or Silk: PART 2 COTTON

We've once talked about our first choice of fabric being rayon sarongs. Next, we want to talk about the most popular traditionally used sarong material – cotton fabric.  Various cultures in South East Asia used cotton sarongs also known as “Batik” for their traditional women attire known as “kebaya”. The combination of a "kebaya" top and batik sarongs are historically worn by women in Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, Burma, Singapore, southern Thailand, Cambodia and the southern part of the Philippines. 

Baba nyonya Kebaya traditional attire for women in Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei (Image via Pinterest)

Kebaya style women seen in Bali culture (Image via Pinterest)

..before that, what is Cotton? Cotton is a white, natural fiber cultivated from the seeds of cotton plants, they are made in threads and used to make soft, breathable-like textile when it comes to fashion. 

Cotton plants (Image via agrodaily.com)

If you’re a big fan of soft, fluffy and comfy wraps, then cotton sarongs are perfect for you. And why would you choose cotton Sarong over other fabrics? Well, they make a great beach wrap if you like the exotic look and makes an ideal wrap for windy days at the beach. Batiks are handmade via batik stamp or hand stamp and so each batik sarong is a unique piece of its own! We feel that it makes a great picnic mat too, its durable fabric makes it easy to lay out in the sun and you can even get the whole family in because our traditional sarongs comes in a larger size of (74 x 42 inches) compared to our regular sarongs that are usually measured (66 x 44 inches).  

Traditional Batik Wraps by 1 World Sarongs

If you like to think out of the box, try using your cotton sarong for home ware such as curtain drapes, table cloth cover, bed throw and so much more. Have you ever thought about using your cotton sarong at home? That aside, we always feel that sarongs make a great travel companion because they are so reliable in all situations. We think that cotton sarongs would work great as your temporary travel bed sheet (soft on your skin!), a portable blanket (nice, thick and warm!) and a towel (the fabric absorbs water very well!).

Not to mention, cotton sarongs can be worn and used for all seasons – be it spring, summer, fall or winter! Some of customers use their cotton sarongs to wrap up their necks, head or shoulders for the cold season. Some even take it with them on date night at the movies when it gets chilly with air conditioning. Cotton is thick and solid enough to keep you warm than say polyester or rayon fabric.

By the way, have you ever wondered where does Cotton grow? Cotton is usually harvested in warm climates and some of the main producers in the world are countries like the U.S., Uzbekistan, China , India, Brazil, Pakistan and Turkey.

Image via thehindu.com

Fun Facts about Cotton:

• Absorbs up to 27 times its own weight in water
• Has a comfortable, soft hand
• Easy to wash
• Is durable and strong
• Conducts heat well
• Resists graze & chemicals impacts
• Resists pilling and moths
• Easy to handle and sew

How to care for your cotton sarong?

• Do not overexpose your cotton sarong under the sun for longer durability.
• Due to its low resiliency, after a quick wash, avoid squeezing it dry for fewer wrinkles on fabric.
• Keep your cotton sarong washed with the same color clothing to avoid color spill over.
• Do not use hot water, stick to cold wash

We also got a cool tip to share, how can you tell if our sarong is made of cotton or other fabric?Scrape the fabric with your finger nail and if the threads separate, then the fabric that you have might be low grade cotton or mixed material because good cotton sarongs won’t separate that easily.

Cotton sarong by 1 World Sarongs

In a nutshell, why do we use more of rayon sarongs than cotton fabric? Well, cotton as sarongs doesn't really drape as well as rayon and they are higher in cost and since we try to run our business with sustainable practices, we want to be efficient and would rather produce more with rayon material than cotton.  While cotton can be more durable and gives a feeling of breath-ability but in our experience, rayon seems to flow better on a body and have more breath-ability which makes it great for the tropical weather. Plus, it's allows us to offer you fair prices and good quality sarongs at the same time, which is why it’s our primary choice of sarong fabric. That doesn't mean we don't ADORE our cozy cotton sarongs though!

Up next, we’ll be talking about polyester sarongs in Part 3. Stay tuned and if you have any questions or feedback that might help us in our research, please leave us a comment below:

Peace & Love,

The 1 World Family