Polyester is a very common material, especially in sportswear. This synthetic fiber offers a lot of favorable properties for precisely that area of application, which meanwhile makes it almost indispensable for the sports industry. This fiber is also in mountain and cycling sports clothing. But, does polyester keep you warm?
Does Polyester Keep You Warm?
It makes no difference whether you use the clothing for warm or cold days. Due to the respective processing, garments made of polyester, or only with a certain polyester content, usually offer what you expect from them.
Polyester Transports Moisture
As already mentioned, polyester is used mainly for sportswear. The respective sport tends to play a subordinate role. Because the demands are mostly the same. The fabric should not make the athlete sweat too much, keep moisture away from the body, and, of course, warm on cold days without overheating.
In contrast to cotton, polyester has only a low absorbency. That is why the sweat, which arises during exercise-intensive sports, is automatically directed outside. That means that there is no waterlogging inside the sportswear. Therefore, causing an unpleasant chill after sports or even with small gusts of wind. The wetness, however, is on the surface of the sportswear and can evaporate there unhindered.
Since the fibers do not absorb the sweat but instead direct it to the outside, harmful bacteria can not arise. They are, therefore, preventing an unpleasant smell of sweat. If the clothing regularly cleaned, it has a particularly hygienic property.
Another advantage that also has to do with moisture is that polyester dries particularly quickly. After a strenuous run, an arduous mountain climb, or a demanding run over the trails, the shirt or pants promptly dry again. Even after washing, it doesn’t take long for the garment to be fully dry and useable. And it usually doesn’t have to be ironed to look good again because polyester has very few creases.
Polyester Can Warm In The Cold Season
Polyester is not only used for sweat-conducting jerseys and sports pants. When used as a lining and/or filling, polyester can help[ to keep you warm. That is why you will find it in the lining of winter jackets and sleeping bags. The use of polyester in tents and outdoor blankets is now widespread. The mountaineer, hiker, or expedition participant is thus optimally protected at all times and can reach their destination without being restricted by external influences.
However, body warmth is always necessary for the warming properties of polyester. As with neoprene, a warm protective film forms between the body and clothing. Cold air from outside, however, can hardly get to the body. This property is also of great advantage, especially for blankets and sleeping bags, if you are planning to spend the night on the mountain or in a bivouac. Then every degree is not only pleasant but often also extremely important to prevent hypothermia.
Disadvantages Of Polyester
As with almost every fiber, there are advantages and disadvantages that you need to consider. The most significant downside of this synthetic fiber is likely that many people can be allergic to it. It is not as easily tolerated as, for example, cotton. As with sheep’s wool, itching and reddening of the skin may appear in some wearers. But usually, the athlete knows about this allergy before using sports clothing made of polyester.
Other Uses Of Polyester Than Keeping You Warm
polyester is great for other things, too in addition to clothing. With thermoset, for example, you will find it in hard plastic parts, such as plastic parts in the sports sector are polyester. So it is often processed in various equipment stands and sports equipment itself. Another area of application for polyester is its use as fiberglass. This material impresses with its enormous strength and rigidity. Therefore, you will find it in the manufacture of sports equipment and articles that are incredibly robust and resistant, but at the same time have to be very light. Fiberglass is also found in boat building and also appears in helmets, sports bows, and many other objects.
Polyester is a popular material because of its different processing options and its wide range of properties. Nonetheless, it is touted as a cheap and low-quality alternative to other fabrics. However, if you consider that this synthetic fiber is in almost every jersey, racing suit, and sports equipment in professional sports, it is obvious that this statement is not true.
Does Polyester Keep You Warm? The answer is relatively warm, yes. However, we have found that it is better when used in conjunction with other layers of clothing.
Which Fabrics Are Suitable For The Cold Season
Warm clothing is essential in winter if we want to venture outside. However, some items of clothing that give a plump, warm impression turn out to be icicles in practice. But: A quick look at the label can clarify how the jacket or sweater does in freezing temperatures.
These fabrics work well for warm clothing:
Down
The first representative when it comes to warm clothing: down. Down is the lower plumage of geese and ducks. Concerning their weight, down traps a large amount of air and thus forms a very cold-resistant layer. It is often much better at keeping you warm than polyester. Please make sure only to buy warm clothes that use the down of animals killed: Live-plucking is extremely painful for the animals!
Advantages:
- Warm. – Down has a significant cuddle factor outside (jacket) and inside (duvet).
- With proper care, you can wear a high-quality jacket for decades.
- You can wash down jackets in the washing machine. When drying, include two tennis balls in the drum. The feathers are shaken up again and do not stick together.
Disadvantages:
- Loses its warmth and gest stuck together when wet.
- Feathers are obtained from dead and living animals. Animal welfare organizations repeatedly point out the painful plucking, which means stress and pain for the geese. If you choose a garment with down, you should inquire about the origin and keeping of the animals, and treat your clothing with care so that you can benefit from it for many years. With the eider duck, you collect your already lost feathers from the nests.
Keep warm factor: very high.
Animal Fur
People have been using animal fur as clothing for thousands of years. However, what goes beyond the real benefits should be carefully considered. Because the production is often associated with significant pain for the animals
Properties:
The oldest form of clothing is the fur of animals. Even in the Stone Age, people covered themselves with fur for warmth. Nowadays, there is an association between the manufacture of clothing with fur and terrible tortures of animals.
Advantages:
- It keeps you warm and has all the functional properties that animals benefit from in nature. That means: fur is insensitive to dust, dirt, and water.
- Fur dries quickly.
- It is expensive to buy, but with proper care, it can last a lifetime.
- Fur never goes out of fashion in winter.
Disadvantages:
- Although fur dries quickly, it often leaves a strong smell.
- Depending on which fur you use, you should be aware of the production. Often animals are cruelly tortured and killed for their fur. To avoid that, you should pay attention to the origin of your fur. For example, you can buy fur from sheep that have already died, which is morally justifiable.
Keep warm factor: very high.
Does Polyester Keep You Warm Compared To Wool?
About 85 percent of wool is air. Therefore, it is well suited as a cold buffer and heat storage. It can absorb moisture without feeling damp. So wool is also a guarantee for warm clothing.
Properties:
Wool keeps us warm, stores warmth in the body, and is also breathable. Because it is a natural product and mostly comes from living sheep or from the (cashmere, Angora) goat, camel, or (Angora) rabbit, it is the perfect choice of material for winter. The plucked wool from Angora rabbits is sweat-absorbent and warm. The wool of the Angora goat is called “mohair.”
There is a quality mark for pure wool, “pure new wool” seal. Information such as “pure wool” or “wool” can indicate poor wool quality.
Advantages:
- Wool will keep you very warm, compared to polyester.
- It absorbs moisture without feeling damp.
- It hardly wrinkles, you don’t necessarily have to iron it.
- In contrast to synthetic fibers, it does not accept odors (sweat, fat, smoke, etc.) as strongly.
Disadvantages:
- If the yarn quality is poor, small pods and lint (“pilling”) can occur when rubbing through jackets or bags – for example, on the hem or under the arms.
- High-quality wool clothing is not only expensive to buy, but also to look after. We recommend dry cleaning wool instead of a washing machine.
Keep warm factor: very high.
Fleece
Fleece is synthetic wool made from polyester. It provides excellent insulation against the cold, is also resistant and durable. It feels nice and soft on the skin and has a water-repellent surface. Conclusion: Polyester fleece is ideal for warm clothing in winter!
Polyester And Other Fabrics Less Suitable For Warm Clothing
Cotton
Cotton is a plant-based, natural product. It is skin-friendly and comfortable to wear. However, since it cools rather than warms, cotton is unsuitable for warm clothing in winter.
The cotton plant grows mainly in the USA, India, and Pakistan.
Properties:
Clothing made of cotton fibers has been around for millennia. The cotton plant is planted and picked mostly in China, India, Pakistan, and the United States. The well-known white cotton ball appears after the seed has matured in a capsule, and it bursts. Basic shirts and sweaters, jeans, and underwear are primarily cottons. However, the natural material is more suitable for summer than winter, as it is airy but not warm.
Advantages:
- Cotton is a common material in the industry because it is a relatively cheap and renewable raw material.
- Cotton clothing is suitable for allergy sufferers.
The material is particularly suitable for casual clothing.
Disadvantages :
- Clothes take a long time to dry and crease strongly.
- Often has chemical treatments.
- Cotton is not very warming.
Keep warm factor: low.
Does Polyester Keep You Warm?
Polyester is a synthetic material and is mostly used as a surface material or as a component in blended fabrics. The fabric is tearproof and water-repellent but has few warming properties.
Properties:
Polyester is plastic for textiles as well as plastic bottles and packaging.
Advantages:
- Clothing made of polyester keeps you warm in combination with other fabrics. Therefore, you often find it in the inner lining in jackets and sleeping bags.
- The fabric is cheap, easy to care for, does not wrinkle, and, unlike cotton, dries quickly after washing.
Disadvantages:
- The production of plastics is not environmentally friendly because of the use of petroleum.
- You sweat a lot in polyester clothing and bedding.
- Although polyester clothing dries very quickly, it is not breathable. The result: the moisture can build up and produce an unpleasant smell and skin irritation.
Does Polyester Keep You Warm? Factor: medium.
Viscose
The semi-synthetic fiber viscose is comfortable on the skin, but does not have excellent insulating properties and is not suitable for.
Advantages:
- Thanks to its industrial production, when compared to natural fibers, viscose is particularly uniform and pure.
- It is soft and smooth.
- Compared to natural fibers, it can absorb significantly more moisture without feeling wet. All of these properties are beneficial for clothing, but also home textiles.
Disadvantages:
- The excellent moisture absorption of viscose has the problem that the tissues swell and let hardly any or no air through.
- Viscose is also not very water-proof, and you must, therefore, wash it carefully. The material can shrink during the washing, and you can only dry clean some.
- Viscose is only moderately hard-wearing, and you must protect it against substantial mechanical stress. Fabric softeners make that situation worse.
- Viscose is prone to creasing, and you can only iron it at a low temperature. Also, it is generally highly flammable.
Conclusion
Polyester can keep you warm in certain situations. However, there are better materials that you can opt for to keep the heat in. We have found that the best way to use the material is actually to keep you cool while in hot climates of the world.
