Natural materials are good. We often tell you this .
There is no debate on the knit : we must favor natural fibers. No real debate on the t-shirt either (except for sports or hiking use, in a pinch).
However, you sometimes find synthetics, especially in your mid-season jackets, even from brands that we recommend. For what ?
“I really like this Black Flag Mac but it is made of 65% polyester. Could there be something fishy?”
Where synthetic poses a problem
In your questions, you often wonder about the breathability of a mid-season jacket containing synthetic material , that is to say the ability of a garment to wick away perspiration, and thus avoid a steam effect.
The iconic Petit Bateau yellow raincoat . A very waterproof product but not very breathable. Strongly not recommended if it's a little hot, because you will sweat inside.
Yes, such clothing will indeed be less breathable than if it were made of 100% natural material.
But also keep in mind that mid-season clothing is by definition worn at times of the year when it is not very hot (period when there is a real need to have light and breathable clothing ), nor very cold (period during which thermal shocks between interiors and exteriors can be great, and where breathable clothing is appropriate).
The breathability issue goes down when the thermometer goes down.
The presence of synthetic is justified
Synthetics are used in rain gear for the simple reason that synthetic materials tend to repel water while natural materials tend to absorb water.
It is easier to make a synthetic material whose fibers have these properties water resistant.
There is also a whole section of the textile industry dedicated to the development of these advanced technology materials. Benoît had the opportunity to share with you his visit to ISPO , a leading trade show for clothing, brands and technical materials.
We are therefore talking here about products that cost around €200 to €400.
In short, all these properties prove very useful for clothing that risks being exposed to bad weather.
A good example with our bomber jacket in collaboration with Coldsmoke in 100% nylon: water-repellent, windproof, ripstop (increased tear resistance). Practical for braving the wind and other light showers.
So, no need to cry wolf as soon as you see polyester or polyamide in a mid-season coat or jacket.
Instead, take the time to see if the product sheet mentions a certain technicality or a particular supplier.
Trench coat Suitsupply . 61% cotton, 39% nylon. Water-repellent material from the Italian supplier Olmetex, from whom we sourced our water-repellent cotton cargo . The presence of synthetic is justified here.
When to be wary of synthetics?
On the other hand, you must be wary of the use of synthetic materials:
- Entry level and fast fashion. I'm talking about products here between 50 and 100€ (or even 150€). Here, synthetics are used almost systematically to lower costs, and not really to add any technicality.
- More generally, when nothing is indicated in the product sheet. A brand has every interest in letting you know when one of their products is windproof or water-repellent.
H&M quilted bomber jacket. €50, 100% polyester. No indication of any technicalities. Despite the hood, I'm not sure that the garment will hold up well in a downpour, especially since it is padded (there is a risk that water will pass through the material and damage the padding).
So if technical properties are not part of your purchasing criteria, you might as well choose clothing made from natural material, right? :)
Corduroy safari jacket from the Polish brand Poszetka. 100% cotton. Thermally and stylistically suitable for fall.
Natural technicality
There are 100% cotton technical materials such as Ventile, the history and properties of which were detailed by Benoît in the article presenting our Mac .
As you can imagine, these materials are very expensive. Their use is therefore logically quite rare.
Another example of technical natural material with this Mac De Bonne Facture . 100% Japanese cotton and water-repellent. Price: around €750.
In summary
For a mid-season jacket:
- If you are not interested in technical properties, choose clothing made from 100% natural materials, which is more interesting in every way.
- If you want clothing to brave bad weather, choose clothing that includes synthetics, making sure beforehand that it has the properties that interest you. If you want more breathability, choose natural/synthetic fiber blends
or a material like Ventile, water-repellent and 100% cotton.
And if you're currently looking for a mid-season jacket, I had the opportunity to give you my brand recommendations in this episode of readers' letters .
