Wool and silk are fibers that keep you both warm and cool. How do they know when to do which?
Wool is a natural insulator, and can absorb almost a third of its weight in water while still feeling warm and dry.
Fine, tightly crimped wools like Merino and Corriedale can make lightweight, yet warm, fabrics. This is because the fiber allows more air pockets in the yarn than the heavier long, wavy wools like Wensleydale and Lincoln.
Also, fabrics made from carded fibers woolen-spun will be warmer compared to the dense and smooth, cooler-feeling fabrics made from combed worsted-spun fibers.
Surprisingly, a well-prepared high quality wool can be comfortably cool in summer because it insulates against the heat and draws perspiration away from the body.
Silk is an even warmer fiber than wool.
Also, carded silks are warmer than combed or reeled silks.
Silk can also be made into sheer, cool fabrics using fine yarns and more open structures which allow body heat to pass through.
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