Velvet vs wool warmth

[Steve Ashton]

A scientist will tell you that what determines how warm or cool a fabric will feel on you, will depend on how fast heat will pass through the fabric.

Wool passes heat slower than cotton which is slower than synthetics or silk. So wool retains heat better, for a longer period. It is a better insulator.

But if you were to turn velvet inside out, the loops would trap air which is a great insulator, and inside out velvet would be very warm.

The thing about wet fabrics being better insulators is counter intuitive. But like a SCUBA wet suit what you are actually doing is trapping a layer of water next to the skin, which you warm up, and that warm layer is now an insulator. You feel colder at first and then warmer.

Then you have to take into account the bodies natural heat regulating system. A well insulated body will slow down producing heat. And then sweat to give off heat. This is why you do not (normally) overheat in a wool kilt in Texas, in August.