Stay comfortable!
Winter
Clothes Materials
When dressing for the winter, certain fabrics will be more
successful than others at keeping the wearer sufficiently warm. Paying
attention to what material your clothes are made of will go a long way to
making sure you stay comfortable when spending time outside during the colder
months of the year. With some tips and know-how, keeping warm during the winter
will be easy and stress-free.
Wool
Wool is one of the most insulating fabrics, making it ideal for
winter clothing. Some wools are tightly woven, making it a good fabric for wind
resistance, and it releases moisture slowly. This means the wearer can sweat
from the warmth of his or her clothing without the wool causing a chill.
Popular wool items include sweaters, scarves and mittens. Wool is characterized
by an elastic, woven fiber, and is taken from animals of the Caprinae family,
usually sheep.
Fleece
Fleece is a synthetic fabric, typically made of a plastic material like
polyester. It is a good insulator, and dries very quickly, making it a good
option for those who will be exposed to snow and ice, like skiers or mountain
campers. Fleece can be made thin, so it is a good layering fabric, though it is
not the best wind resistor. Because of this, fleece clothing is sometimes backed
with a more wind resistant fabric. Popular fleece items include scarves, gloves
and jackets.
Cashmere
Cashmere's makeup is similar to wool, but a popular substitute
as it can sometimes feel softer and less itchy than wool, though it is
typically more expensive. Cashmere typically comes from the cashmere goat.
Though cashmere is lightweight, it still acts as a good insulator, as its
fibers are tightly woven. Many different types of winter clothes can be made
out of cashmere, including scarves, sweaters and dresses.
Silk
Silk can sometimes be associated with warmer months, as it is
sometimes used for light clothing like camisoles, but is also useful in the
winter as an insulator. Though a thin fabric, silk is one of the most tightly
woven fabrics, and when worn close to the skin, can act as a good warming
fabric. Silk is a protein fabric, usually made from the cocoons of moth
caterpillars. In the winter, silk clothing can include long john underwear,
pajamas and scarves.
Down
Down is
often thought of as a good choice for pillows or comforters, but is also a
successful fabric for winter clothing, especially coats. Down feathers are a
natural insulator, and are commonly used inside a quilted fabric for
cold-weather clothing like ski outfits. One factor to consider is that down
feathers tend to stick together when wet by snow, so it's important that down
is protected by a water resistant fabric, typically a synthetic material.
