Polyester is a very popular fabric in the clothing industry. It is a cheap option to produce clothes and it is also utilized for the production of sleeping bags and sleeping pads.
A lot of you might have started planning vacations and outdoor trips. One of the things essential to correct planning is purchasing the right equipment and clothing.
You might have noticed people mentioning the pros and cons of wearing polyester clothing in venues like hiking, camping, hunting, etc.
With that, we now take a look at the polyester fabric; whether it does provide warmth and whether or not it stays warm when wet.
Polyester is a substance that has a crystalline appearance. It is made up of long strings of carbon that are bound together via strong chemical bonds.
Polyester clothing usually consists of around 85% to 90% polyester and the remainders are basically other man-made fibers. When compared to natural fibers like cotton and wool, polyester generally gives better insulation when wet.
At a microscopic level, polyesters have many small spaces between the molecules which trap air within these interstitial spaces. These trapped pockets of air create layers of warm traps that keep the clothing from being affected by weather conditions or body fluids.
Can Polyester Keep its User Warm?
The short answer is yes. Polyester is able to keep you warm especially when it is combined with fabrics like cotton and wool. However, the fabric is also breathable enough to allow the breeze to pass through.
Polyester is made using a tight weave. When this weave is designed into clothing, escape routes for heat are limited. This means your body will be able to create and regulate its heat – keeping you warm in the process.
In addition to this, polyester doesn’t really drape. The fabric will stay quite close to the body. This is a good thing in this scenario as you will be warmer the closer it is to your skin.
Clothes with loose draping normally keep the body cooler by allowing body heat to escape while ensuring cool air gets in.
Polyester tends to stick tightly to your body – trapping all the heat it can. This means that even if cold air strikes your body directly, there are no gaps for cold air to get inside and to cause the cooling effect.
Is polyester suitable for snow?
Polyester is absolutely suitable for snow. This is not only because of its thickness and weave style. Snow carries moisture and more often than not, bacteria and germs. These germs and bacteria can get on winter clothing.
Polyester can fight these bacteria and germs while also rapidly drying off the fabric so mildew or mold doesn’t get on it.
It can also resist abrasions, stretching, shrinkage, and even rot. This means it is suitable for snowy conditions, unlike some other fabrics.
The ability of the polyester fabric to dry fast ensures that the moisture that forms through melting snow won’t last that long on the fabric. This ensures germs and bacteria don’t remain on the fabric.
Polyester’s weave is a strong one and it does not tear easily. It also hardly stretches. This means that you don’t have to worry about the fabric ripping or stretching too much under the pressure of snow.
Is Polyester Suitable for Wet Conditions?
In conditions where moisture abounds, polyester is able to do well thanks to its ability to keep a body warm in wet conditions.
Moisture does not cause the fabric to stretch or become rough and rigid. Polyester is also able to fight bacteria and germs, unlike other fabrics that might pick up these nasty things from the moisture.
In this case, polyester clothing does stay warm when wet because it also dries quickly, and its weave ensures that moisture does not cause any problems.
Polyester fabric in wet conditions is definitely suitable because it stays warm when wet. It is also easier to wash, maintain, and iron than other fabrics. For these reasons, it ticks all the boxes for a good piece of clothing for winter activities.
An excellent fabric for activities such as skiing, snowboarding, hiking, and camping – polyester is a good choice for wet conditions.
Will polyester remain warm when it becomes wet?
Polyester fabric is one of the best options when it comes to clothing for winter activities. This type of fabric is able to stay warm when wet, making it an ideal option for wet conditions.
It is also breathable, which means you will not feel too hot or too sweaty when wearing it. In addition, polyester is durable and does not easily tear or stretch. This means it can withstand the wear and tear that often comes with winter activities.
So, the answer to the question “will polyester remain warm is yes. The reason for this is that polyester is a hydrophobic fabric. It will repel water as opposed to absorbing it.
This ensures that polyester is still able to insulate when it becomes wet.
The absence of absorbing moisture ensures that the fibers of this fabric can stay dry for a longer period. It will take quite a while before polyester reaches its saturation point. This is because the fabric is also drying itself during that time.
Insulation is still possible during this process. A host of polyester materials have been designed to withstand moisture. This design makes it very hard for water saturation to occur.
One major advantage of polyester’s artificial creation is that the material is pliable enough to be designed in different ways.
During the manufacturing process, different customizations can be carried out to ensure that the fabric will insulate when it is wet. This is an option most natural fabrics don’t have the luxury of implementing.
Manufacturing companies have taken advantage of this and designed polyester clothing that is perfect for winter activities. When it comes to winter sports, polyester is a great fabric to wear. It will keep you warm when wet and is resistant to abrasions, stretching, and shrinking. In addition, the fabric is very easy to wash and maintain
So, the next time you are caught in the rain or snow, don’t worry – reach for your polyester clothing and you will be good to go!
