Sayyiduna Ubayy bin Ka'b (may Allah be pleased with him) says that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) gave people a concession in the early days of Islam because of the scarcity of clothes; then he (peace and blessings be upon him) commanded ghusl and forbade that. (b) It is also narrated from Sayyiduna Sahl bin Sa'd (may Allah be pleased with him) with an authentic, connected chain.
Hadith Referenceالسنن الكبرى للبيهقي / كتاب الطهارة / 776