In Jainism, the difference stems from the two main traditions, Svetambara and Digambara, and how they interpret ascetic practice for men and women.

• Svetambara tradition (the “White-Clothed” group): Both monks and nuns wear white clothes as part of their renunciation. Male monks wear white robes; female renunciants (sadhvis/aryikas) also wear white clothing. Their approach allows clothing as part of austerity, while still pursuing complete renunciation.

• Digambara tradition (the “Sky-Clad” group): Male monks practice naked-renunciation, showing complete detachment from all possessions, including clothing. Female renunciants in Digambara are not admitted to the same form of monastic ordination as men and traditionally do not become Digambara monks; instead, they have a separate monastic path (often described as aryikas) and generally wear simple white or minimal clothing, depending on sub-tradition. Digambara emphasis on ordered monastic rules leads to a stricter stance on renunciation for women in their system.

In short:

• Men in Svetambara are clothed; men in Digambara are naked.
• Women in Svetambara dress modestly in white; Digambara women follow a different path and do not become Digambara monks, with attire corresponding to their own tradition.

There are other nuanced doctrinal differences between the traditions about liberation, the role of women, and the exact rules for ordination, but the clothing difference mainly reflects the Svetambara-Digambara split and how each tradition defines renunciation for monks and renunciants.