Which Material Provides Warmth Even When Wet? (No, It’s Not Fleece!)

Keeping ourselves warm during cold days is important and is by far a crucial part of our survival instinct as a living being. Over the years, a wide range of materials has been discovered to keep us warm. Both organic and man-made materials have become available for us to use for this purpose. You may often encounter them not only in clothing but also inside our homes. In this regard, it is but important to determine which of these materials provide warmth even when we're wet.

Cotton, Wool, Fleece, Silk - these are some of the familiar materials that are used to keep you warm during the cold days and nights. The fancy term given to them are "insulators." They have different properties and qualities that provide warmth. However, there may be a time that you get curious as to which among these materials can provide warmth even when wet. Providing warmth is a given for these materials but can they still hold up to their purpose when exposed to water? We will try to answer that question for you in a little while. For now, let us learn more about insulators and what they do.

The flow of heat is always constant. It flows from a higher temperature to a lower temperature. The job of an insulator is to block the flow of heat from a hotter object to colder ones. This simple process is the fact that you're kept warm using materials such as cotton and silk which are some of the known insulating materials in clothing.

When broken down, small particles in objects are always moving and are held together by bonds. Small particles of an insulator have very intrepid bonds and they do not move around quickly. This makes minimal heat transfer from one particle to another, thus making an insulator able to minimize or block the transfer of heat to colder objects. A simple example is seen in winter clothing with insulating materials to it. Heat is kept inside thus keeping you warm.

We have named some of the best insulators or materials that keep you warm earlier. However, which of them can still have significant insulating capabilities even when exposed to water? We have found out that the answer to that curious question is wool. Let's learn more about wool and what makes it such a great insulating material even when we're wet.

What Is Wool And Can It Keep You Warm Even When Wet?

Wool is an amazing fiber that is obtained from sheep and other animals. It is used in clothing, blankets, rugs, upholstery and many others. The use of wool for different purposes dates back many years ago.

Wool is also known to be the best insulator. As such, it is the best material to provide warmth. But there is more to it than that, aside from providing heat during a cold day. It also cools you down during warm days.

The surprising secret to this is with the wool's ability to attract water or moisture called hygroscopy. Due to this, it cools the temperature down. It sucks up the moisture without making you feel wet. And having that ability also allows it to be fire resistant. When exposed or lit with fire, it can self-extinguish. Wool is also known to be a very durable and flexible material.

Aside from being flame-resistant, it is also odour-resistant. It repels mold and mildew and is a renewable product as well. More importantly, wool fiber also has a hydrophobic capability. The exterior of the wool fiber repels water making it the best material to provide warm even when exposed to water.

Watch this video to see how wool is made.

Wool As A Practical And Useful Fiber

Wool is also considered to be an efficient fiber. It's easy to clean because the dirt would just usually sit on the surface of the fiber and can be removed that swiftly. In this case, there is no need for you to perform some heavy washing or laundry. Wool is armed with a natural anti-allergenic feature that allows it not to collect static that attracts dust and dirt.

As such, wool is ideal for those who are veering away from dust or house mites. Today, many users who struggle from asthma or eczema are preferring to buy wool duvets, pillows, and beddings to alleviate their condition.

Meanwhile, wool is difficult to challenge when it comes to its sustainability. It is because it grows as the hair on goats, sheeps, llamas, and rabbits and that it occurs naturally and is also renewable. When wool finally dies down, it is rendered as a bio-degradable soil component, gradually releasing its nutrients in it. Ironically, when you buy a wool blanket, the fabric lasts that long that you can even hand it down to your grand daughters, I kid you not!

Final Thoughts

It is a given that there are many ways to keep yourself warm and that you can find reliable materials to serve this need. However, by using wool as a material to provide warmth, it not only does a fantastic job but offers a lot more too. And as it can aid us even when we're wet or exposed to water, this fiber is a plus!

Did this article satisfy your curiosity over which material can provide warmth even when wet? Do you have other ideas or suggestions regarding this topic? If you want to share your thoughts with us, you can leave your comments below. We hope to hear from you soon!