A Quick Guide to Insulating Properties of Clothes and Fabics
This quick summary was provided by the Tumblehome Outdoor Clothing and Equipment store in Burlington.
Visit their web site for more: www.tumblehome.ca
| FEATURE ARTICLE: All things Warm! | |||
| What should you wear to stay warm this winter? There are lots of options but the real answer lies in the fibre. Here is a close up of how different fibres work to keep you warm. Down  Down is an amazing insulator....the best! Down comes from the fluffy under-coatings that keep geese and ducks warm. It has millions of filaments that interlock and overlap to create pockets of air. Your body heat gets trapped in these pockets creating more warmth per ounce than any synthetic. It also breathes really well but watch out... if it gets wet, the air pockets disappear and so does your warmth! Tumblehome example: Canada Goose Wool
The Merino Wool fibre (middle) is twice as fine as traditional wool (left) making it softer and more pliable. Individual fibres are hollow allowing the fibre and not just the fabric to breath and retain warmth. It also keeps you warm when it gets wet and does not hold odour. Merino is nature's perfect solution for an active outdoor person. Tumblehome example: IceBreaker Fleece  Fleece is made from polyester, a plastic compound that can be treated many ways to create different fabrics. To make fleece, polyester fibres are spun and woven into a fabric and then it is brushed so hard that some of the fibres are pulled up to create loft which traps warm air. The result is a very lightweight, durable and breathable fabric. Tumblehome example: The North Face TKA 100 Quarter Zip. Primaloft  PrimaLoft is a very high performing synthetic as it offers warmth, wicking and softness. PrimaLoft is an ultra-fine microfiber insulation that is most like down in terms of being lightweight and compressible but unlike down, it does not lose all its ability as an insulator when it gets wet. Tumblehome example: Manzella Gloves
Omniheat  Omniheat is a reflective technology that helps to regulate your temperature by reflecting and retaining the warmth your body generates, while dissipating moisture and excess heat to keep you comfortable. It can boost heat retention on average by 20%. It is a "Columbia" specific technology, new on the market this year. Tumblehome example: Kaleidascope Jacket by Columbia
You may have already guessed that there is no right answer to the question of what is the best insulator. It depends on the type of garment, how and where it is being used and of course, the nature of the user. We'll discuss it more when you come in to buy a little warmth this winter. | |||
