PJs: Natural vs. Synthetic?

Jammies have come a long way in recent times. The original pyjamas, a cultural import from the ancient Persians via northern India and the British Empire, have become something of a pillar of the British culture. Along with regular cups of tea, bad food and a propensity to queue properly unlike some cultures, we certainly view ourselves after-hours as sporting unstylish but comfortable slippers, PJs and (in times gone by) the legendary night cap which I for one lament the gradual disappearance of in recent times.

Of course, it is not just the full outfit that has changed. Our pyjamas have also changed quite a lot since they arrived on these fair islands on the ships of a now half forgotten Empire that once dwarfed every other empire in history. They were from the very start the two-piece affair with which we are familiar today, but buttons at the front are a modern addition, as are the elaborate designs with which many are now decorated. But it is not just a case of PJs having gained a few buttons and lost their nightcaps: even the 'classic' kids pyjamas I remember being given as a child now seem something of a quaint and disappearing garment.

Modernity has swept in like a wave. It has brought on its crest some treasures of flotsam: the ornate silks of Japanese robes, various delicate, provocative designs of aristocratic France and, most recently of all, the bright plastic or sewn-on faces of American cartoon characters. Buying yourself or your kids sleepwear has never been a more colourful experience. But along with the dullness and frigidity of our antiquated chequered or plain outfits, it must be said that the old garments were always made of natural materials, and along with the plethora of new styles comes a plethora of new materials which, one has to ask, may not be so good for us.

Those with sensitive skin especially may wish to stick to kinder fabrics. And what of the mantra which bad newspapers continuously bombards us: that anything more venturous than sitting underneath an olive tree rubbing rosewater into our temples whilst chewing a cud of raw broccoli will probably turn out to be carcinogenic? Is there something to be said for a general suspicion of the increasingly synthetic fibres that PJs – kids PJs in particular – are made from? One imagines that the overly shiny, glittery, stretchy, glossy fabrics of a lot of pyjamas might be full of nasties best avoided.

The truth is that they are probably not. There have been too many studies on the effects of these materials to mention, and no links with any sort of skin problems or worse has been found. What has been found, ironically, is a link between spending too much time worrying and a range of mental and even physical health issues. How much is too much? Well, considering there is almost definitely nothing to worry about with modern materials, there is very little reason not to eschew such unneeded stresses.

It will probably turn out, after many more studies, that having a bit more fun and choosing whatever you want does you more good than anything else. So let the march of PJs away from their humble beginnings as cotton bags with holes in continue!