Choosing the ideal clothes to face the cold both indoors and outdoors is often tricky — but not with a few tips for perfect winter dressing and guidance on which materials are the warmest.
Dressing properly in winter is important not only to stay warm and avoid draughts. Knowing how to choose the right winter clothes to wear at home, in the office or in any other building is also useful for reducing the environmental impact of those buildings, because it allows the heating to be set at a stable temperature of between 18 and 20 degrees — the limit permitted by law — in order to keep CO2 emissions at acceptable levels.
Among the materials capable of retaining heat and insulating the body, the top spot belongs to wool, which possesses thermal properties that are indispensable for protection against the cold of the winter season. Not all types of wool are comfortable to wear, however, due to the itchiness they cause against the skin. The woollen garments to favour for their hypoallergenic properties are those made from softer, finer qualities such as merino wool, alpaca, cashmere, mohair, vicuña, angora wool and wool obtained from yak hair. As these are animal-derived fibres, it is always advisable to read the label of garments to verify the true origin of the fabric, the production of which has repeatedly been the subject of scandals involving companies targeted by Peta, the non-profit organisation for the defence of animal rights, including an investigation into Angora goat farms in South Africa, the world's largest producer of mohair. For this reason, the NewMerino certification was created, a byword for quality assurance when choosing a garment made from genuine, ethical and sustainable wool.
Another fabric capable of insulating against the cold in winter and the heat in summer is silk, for which the ecological and cruelty-free versions are preferable. Particularly recommended for winter clothing is also fleece, provided it is made exclusively from polyester certified as 100 per cent recycled by the Global Recycled Standard. Cotton, on the other hand, is best avoided, as it is not a warm fabric.
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The most suitable winter clothing is what is traditionally known as the "onion" method. Dressing in layers is essential to avoid sudden temperature changes which, by destabilising our body's thermoregulation mechanism, encourage the onset of seasonal ailments such as flu, sore throat, cough and cold. By wearing several garments from lightest to heaviest, it is in fact possible to add or remove layers according to the perceived temperature without the risk of feeling too hot or too cold.
It is also necessary to pay attention to certain areas of the body that are particularly sensitive to the cold. Since they disperse large amounts of the heat produced by our body, the head and neck are the first parts to protect with scarves and hats that also cover the forehead and ears on the coldest days. The same applies to the hands and feet, which tend to get cold easily, transmitting an uncomfortable sensation of chill throughout the rest of the body. This is why they must always be kept warm with gloves, socks and shoes heavy enough to retain heat.
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During the winter season, a number of common mistakes are frequently made that would be better avoided: the first of all is overdressing in enclosed spaces and then going outside into the open air, where the sensation of cold is felt even more acutely; the second mistake, on the other hand, concerns the bad habit of dressing lightly at home while setting the thermostat to temperatures above the 20 degrees permitted by law.
In both cases, the solution lies in layered winter clothing, which allows the cold season to be faced in the best possible way, preventing both colds and flu and the risk of reaching excessively high pollution levels. Because a simple gesture — such as choosing to wear warm clothes — is enough to bring a significant benefit both to one's health and to the environment.