With winter comes the time of single-digit temperatures and dark days. Therefore, warm clothing is a basic item during these months that should be given great importance. In this case, you should pay attention to fine, natural materials when buying clothes, as these ensure particularly warm clothing. However, natural fibers also differ in their fineness and thus in their insulating properties. That is why we want to explain the four highest quality, rarest and above all warmest fabrics in more detail below.
1. The fine twisted cashmere: Warm clothing made from fine wonder wool
The coveted fabric is known worldwide for its delicacy and heat retention in luxurious sweaters, scarves and hats. In fact, the soft noble hair is one of the most precious natural products in the fashion industry. Because every year a goat only releases around 200mg of the estimated cashmere wool. It also needs icy heights with bitter cold winters and dry summers so that its fur grows healthy and at the same time. Therefore, she feels most comfortable in the Central Asian highlands, where she has been living since around 1000 BC. Chr. Gives the inhabitants their precious hair.
In a tedious combing process, the fine hair of the undercoat is separated from the outer coat. This has a length of just 15 to 19 micrometers, which is the reason for the supple feel on the skin.
The properties of cashmere wool:
- The goat's thick fur is the reason that it can easily survive the freezing temperatures. Therefore, the precious commodity is also best known for its extraordinary heat storage. It is said that it should store heat up to 6 times better than ordinary sheep's wool. This makes it one of the best fibers for warm clothing.
- Cashmere is very soft and therefore hugs the skin perfectly. It is therefore also suitable for sensitive skin because it does not scratch and is a purely natural product that is free from chemicals. The noble fibers are also very moisture-repellent, which is why you rarely sweat in a cashmere sweater.
- A piece of clothing with cashmere wool is also very easy to care for, as it absorbs a heavy odor and also hardly creases - it always quickly returns to its original shape.
- Despite its delicacy, cashmere is also a very strong and tear-resistant material.
It is not for nothing that a cashmere sweater is a recognized classic that never goes out of style. Thanks to its outstanding properties, it warms in winter and repels moisture in summer. In addition, the noble appearance of a cashmere sweater is not only evidence of your sense of quality and traditional craftsmanship. You also show that you value long-lasting aesthetics.
2.Vicuna: the "fabric of the gods"
With a size of around 1.5 m, the vicuna lama is the smallest representative of the camels. Like the cashmere goat, the vicuna lama lives at an altitude of about 5000m in the Andes of South America.Even back then, the Incas considered vicuna wool to be the finest among the llamas. It is said that only the high nobility used this rare fabric at the time. Traditionally, wild animals are rounded up, sheared and then released every two years. Because of this, there is just 150g of the fine wool per animal, which has been carefully separated from the outer hair.
The properties of vicuna wool:
- The warming wool of the alpacas was and is an essential good for the people who live there. She makes especially warm clothes that hold back wind and weather and keep you warm even on the coldest days.
- Vicuna is the rarest and finest fabric in the world and therefore a symbol of luxury.
- Vicuna has a very low tendency to crease, which is why warm clothes rarely need to be ironed
- The noble hair has a very luxurious appearance due to its naturally shimmering shine. Everyone recognizes that this has to be a very special material.
A sweater made from pure vicuna is by far the most expensive and rarest item of clothing in the world. The price per kilo for the raw material is currently around € 530. However, the value increases to up to € 10,000 after washing and spinning. So it is very clear: Vicuna wool is the finest thread in the world.
3. Merino wool: the protective fabric on cold days
A particularly high-quality form of new wool is merino wool, which is obtained from merino sheep. Much of the population of these particular sheep graze in Australia and New Zealand. In contrast to ordinary sheep's wool, merino wool is much finer, which is why it does not scratch. Merino can therefore be processed in a similar way to cashmere and results in wonderfully soft, high-quality and warm clothing.
The properties of Merino-wool:
- Like all the fabrics presented, the merino wool is very warm and therefore ideal for winter. Merino fibers are very crimped and have a wave-like structure. This creates air chambers that trap and hold back body heat. Merino wool is therefore the perfect material for warm clothing.
- The comfortable wool cools in warm temperatures because it regulates the moisture balance and thus the body temperature.
- The scaly surface makes it harder for bacteria to hold onto, which means that the garment gives off less odor.
The fineness and softness of the wool make it extremely comfortable to wear. Therefore, it is ideal as a base layer in a layered winter outfit. This is not only more comfortable than a normal thermal vest, but also looks much more stylish and elegant at the same time.
4. Down: The softest filling material for insulating warmth
The fine plumage of ducks and geese is mostly found in sleeping bags, pillows and blankets. But they are also popular in jackets because they store body heat particularly well. Basically, the quality of the individual feathers depends on the animal and its habitat: geese that were native to northern areas have particularly dense feathers and thus produce very warm clothing.
Properties of down:
- Due to its numerous, extremely fine branches, down encloses a lot of air and thus stores body heat. The down feathers are therefore very suitable for warm clothing, especially for jackets.
- The elasticity of the down enables the so-called puff effect. This means that the small springs immediately return to their original shape after being compressed. This makes them particularly suitable as a filling material in jackets and pillows.
Down is mainly only suitable as a filling material, but hardly any other material can match its insulating properties. You should only be careful with moisture, because the small branches clump together. It is therefore advisable to have warm down clothing professionally cleaned.
In general, natural materials are not only the most sustainable, they are also the best for warming. However, you should pay close attention to the origin and make sure that no animal had to suffer for your warm clothes. If a piece of clothing meets all the criteria, you can be sure that it will enrich you with style, warmth and joy for a lifetime.
Written by Ingrid Wirth
The collection of fine fabrics
DARIO’S Couture V-Neck Sweater Köln 100% Cashmere in Darkgrey
€ 930,00
DARIO’S Couture 100% VICUÑA/VIKUNJA SCARF (180 X 30 CM) FROM PERU
€ 3.250,00