9 Essential Winter Fabrics for Men

When talk turns to winter style, it’s often the topic of layering that comes up first. And, yes, it’s true that strategically stacking clothes for warmth and visual impact is one of the cornerstones of cold-weather dressing, but there are other more basic principles you should wrap your head around first if you want to be able to do it like a pro. First and foremost, winter fabric choice.

Good winter fabrics serve several purposes. Firstly, they insulate, sealing out cold or trapping body heat underneath them. Secondly, they add visual texture that can bring outfits to life and increase the sense of depth within layered looks. And last but not least, they bring tactility, feeling soft and cosy against the skin, or smooth and silky to the touch. These three factors combine to make the right fabrics perfect for the cold weather.

So, what are the winter wonder fabrics? There are the obvious ones like merino and flannel, but there are tons of others you might not have thought of that can help take your winter wardrobe to the next level.

Below, you’ll find a comprehensive guide to the ones you should know and the reasons why you should incorporate them into your life this season.

Flannel

Soft cotton brushed to create a light fuzz that traps residual heat. This stuff, as you probably already know, is one of the shirting materials of choice during the cold months, but it’s also great for things like trousers and pyjamas thanks to its soft feel and cosy nature.

If you’re going to add just one flannel piece to your wardrobe, a shirt is the way to go. This is a true winter classic that can be layered endlessly and dressed up or down with ease.

Go for one with a dark check pattern, and you’ll be leaning on it for many winters to come.

Moleskin

Soft and luxurious to the touch, moleskin is actually a heavy cotton fabric that’s woven tightly and then sheared on one side to create a short, soft pile. Again, it traps heat well, but it also adds a unique texture that offers an alternative to some of the more common winter layering materials.

Our favourite vehicle for moleskin is a simple overshirt. Think workwear-inspired, three-pocket versions in deep, rich colours. It also works great on a pair of trousers – a less common substitute for corduroy or twill.

Merino

Merino is a real miracle fabric that will genuinely make dressing for winter easier in all sorts of ways. It’s a natural thermoregulator, meaning it’ll keep you cool when you’re working up a sweat and warm you up when the cold bites. It’s also incredibly soft, comfortable, and doesn’t need much washing thanks to its excellent odour resistance.

Merino works well directly against the skin where its moisture-wicking properties are most noticeable. Think socks, base layers and T-shirts, but it’s also excellent in knitwear.

A simple merino crew-neck sweater is one of the easiest and most versatile ways to bring this fabric into your life, and you can maximise its potential by sticking to neutral, versatile colours for greater wearability.

Shetland Wool

With a light, fuzzy texture that creates what is often termed a “halo” around the garment, Shetland wool is one of the softest and finest wools the UK produces. The fact that there’s a very limited supply at any given time adds to its appeal. It’s also surprisingly strong and durable.

Classic knitwear is the way to go here. Think cardigans, crew necks and roll necks. Use it as a statement texture – something to become the focal point of a layered outfit, drawing the eye in not through bold colours or loud patterns, but through the fabric’s unusual texture alone.

Corduroy

Everybody knows about corduroy, yet it’s criminally overlooked by many. Somewhere along the line, it gained a reputation for being stuffy or boring, but that possibly has more to do with who was wearing it than the fabric itself, because in truth, corduroy is actually pretty interesting as far as fabrics go, bringing a completely unique texture to winter outfits that works as well on its own as it does as part of a heavily layered look.

The wale count dictates the texture of the corduroy; wales are the fuzzy strips that run the length of the material. The more wales, the finer and more velvety the texture, while a low wale count means thicker wales that give a distinctive look and a soft, fleecy feel.

It works best for overshirts, unstructured blazers and trousers.

Sherpa Fleece

There’s fleece, and then there’s Sherpa fleece. This is the thickest, cosiest, most heavily textured of all the fleecy fabrics, making it perfect for the winter weather. The high-pile fabric is designed to trap body heat, and it looks great, too.

A classic fleece jacket is your best bet here. Look at Patagonia’s iconic high-pile fleeces for a first port of call, but there are lots of other options out there. We tend to gravitate towards light neutral colours like ecru and oatmeal, which look great with some pops of bolder colours on bits like zippers and pockets for contrast.

Waxed Cotton

When it comes to staying dry in wet winter weather, the most common advice is to invest in a technical shell jacket made from a waterproof material like Gore-Tex. But what if your personal style leans more classic? The highly synthetic nature of these materials might clash with the rest of your outfit. This is where waxed cotton comes in.

This organic alternative doesn’t rely on man-made fibres and chemicals to deal with the rain. Instead, it uses wax to create a barrier that can be dialled up or down depending on how it’s applied.

The great thing about it is that it develops a patina over time, improving with wear and taking on characteristics from its wearer’s lifestyle. Wear a waxed cotton jacket to death, and it will reward you for it.

Cashmere

Cashmere is one of the most luxurious materials out there due to its high price and trademark silky hand feel. Only a privileged few can afford to own a knitwear collection full of it, but buying one or two versatile cashmere pieces that can be worn in lots of different ways is equally effective.

The two we’d go for would be a classic crew-neck sweater and a scarf. The latter has a pretty low barrier to entry as far as cashmere prices go, for what is arguably the most versatile item you could own. This can be worn with anything and everything, far surpassing most garments in sheer wearability.

Mohair

If you want to add some personality to an outfit, mohair is a good fabric to have in your wardrobe. It’s fuzzy and warm with tons of personality and looks great in bold colours and interesting patterns. Use it to balance out smoother textures and add a focal point within your winter outfits.

A cardigan is one of the best garments for mohair, and some brands do it better than others. Check out labels such as Beams Plus, Needles and Missoni for some standout options.