The Luxurious Feel of Nature

The first attempts by humans to clothe themselves were probably the use of animal skins to protect them from extreme heat or cold. Later in the story of how humans moved towards more evolved methods of living and surviving, a clump of reeds, entangled at the edge of a stream, or a nest made instinctively by a bird to protect its eggs, would have given them the idea of weaving fibrous material into fabric.  It is always nature that offers protection - or even destruction – to affect the rhythms and processes of living. Man learned to live with it, cultivate the earth, grow plants and trees, or rear animals to provide themselves with clothing. Once the essentials were met, over time, clothes became representations of wealth, status, communities, countries and then of style. This brought in fashion, design and creativity of a different kind. It also offered pleasure by catering to human vanity. With that began a search for what others decided was luxury. There is another kind of joy - the joy of the pleasurable tactile sensation we get when we run our fingers over natural fabric. It is something we often fail to notice consciously, but we do consider and mull over the softness of fine muslin, the smoothness of silk, the glossiness of satin, the reassurance of velvet and the warm glow that emanates from soft wool cannot deny that always adds to our feeling of psychological comfort as do pleasant aromas, tasty food or a certain artistic aesthetic. Evolved and enlightened humans always want more than the physical sensations of pleasure. They also want a purpose, a higher re...