07-13-2010, 10:32 AM
If we're gonna get into the geekery of things here, I'll tell you that coats/suits don't necessarily have to be hot to wear. It really depends on the type of fabric (cotton, wool, linen, etc) used and its weight, measured in ounces (how packed the weave of the fabric is).
Trousers, ideally, should be made of wool. Wool drapes in a flowy way and resists creases whereas cotton is somewhat stiffer and creases much more easily.
Wool doesn't necessarily have to be hot. It's sometimes even cooler than cotton. Quoting from somewhere:
Cotton absorbs moisture inside then wicks it out whereas lightweight wool just lets the moisture go through it. There's this natural oiliness to wool that makes it somewhat water resistant.
And then there're the synthetic fibers, most common of which is polyester. Like wool, it's very crease-resistant, though polyester doesn't drape quite the same. Most trousers or 'office pants' that you'll find in stores here are made of it.
Polyester is essentially plastic fabric and it's cheaper to manufacture. You ever had a piece of clothing turn shiny after being ironed? That's melted polyester. And being the 'plastic' that it is, it just isn't very absorbent nor breathable so your skin feels all sticky and shit under the fabric when you sweat. But hey, it's usually really cheap.
There are also there the cotton/poly or wool/poly blends. Obviously not as good as all natural, but better than something 100% polyester. 80-cotton 20-polyester, 60-40, 50-50 etc.
So kids, you see that it pays to actually look at the tag of a garment to see what it's made of. It gives you one indicator to quality and whether what you're buying is worth its price tag.
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Trousers, ideally, should be made of wool. Wool drapes in a flowy way and resists creases whereas cotton is somewhat stiffer and creases much more easily.
Wool doesn't necessarily have to be hot. It's sometimes even cooler than cotton. Quoting from somewhere:
Quote:Lightweight wool can be woven very thin and open, allowing for much breathability. Cotton this light is also quite cool but wrinkles badly and is prone to stretching. Consequently, most cotton clothing is much heavier.
Also, cotton absorbs perspiration, cutting down on air exchange. Wool absorbs very little perspiration. This is also why cotton must be washed far more frequently than wool.
Cotton absorbs moisture inside then wicks it out whereas lightweight wool just lets the moisture go through it. There's this natural oiliness to wool that makes it somewhat water resistant.
And then there're the synthetic fibers, most common of which is polyester. Like wool, it's very crease-resistant, though polyester doesn't drape quite the same. Most trousers or 'office pants' that you'll find in stores here are made of it.
Polyester is essentially plastic fabric and it's cheaper to manufacture. You ever had a piece of clothing turn shiny after being ironed? That's melted polyester. And being the 'plastic' that it is, it just isn't very absorbent nor breathable so your skin feels all sticky and shit under the fabric when you sweat. But hey, it's usually really cheap.
There are also there the cotton/poly or wool/poly blends. Obviously not as good as all natural, but better than something 100% polyester. 80-cotton 20-polyester, 60-40, 50-50 etc.
So kids, you see that it pays to actually look at the tag of a garment to see what it's made of. It gives you one indicator to quality and whether what you're buying is worth its price tag.
[/geekery]
