What is the most effective way to stay warm even in cold weather? Discover the scientific principles behind maximizing warmth!
Every winter, we pull out our thick outerwear—like down jackets and coats—that have been tucked away in a corner of our closets for the past six months. Around this time of year, many people start thinking about winter fashion. While considering what styles are in vogue and which colors look good, the most important factor is whether the clothing can effectively block out the cold. Others wear thick, fleece-lined socks, layer multiple garments, or wear thermal underwear—commonly known by the brand name “HeatTech.” Using clothing to beat the cold in this way is a very natural instinct. This is hardly surprising, as the original purpose of clothing was to protect the body from various natural elements, such as the cold. So, is mindlessly layering clothes to beat the cold actually effective? In this article, I’d like to explain the principles of clothing and introduce ways to layer your clothes more “smartly” by applying these principles.
Clothing possesses its own “clothing climate,” distinct from the ever-changing external environment. The clothing climate refers to the microclimate formed inside the clothing when it is worn. Elements of the clothing climate include temperature, humidity, airflow, pressure, and air composition within the clothing, and our sense of comfort depends on how this climate is formed. Furthermore, the ability to maintain and regulate this clothing climate to ensure comfort is referred to as the climate control capability of clothing. This capability goes beyond simply blocking UV rays or cold; it enables the creation of a customized, comfortable environment for each individual and simplifies climate regulation depending on whether clothing is worn or not.
Additionally, clothing has the ability to block heat from the outside. This is referred to as the thermal insulation or thermal resistance of clothing. The thermal insulation of clothing is influenced more by the air layer within the garment—which constitutes the clothing climate mentioned in the previous paragraph—than by the physical properties of the garment itself or the thermal insulation of the materials used. Generally, in cold weather, we try to minimize the space between our clothing and our bodies to prevent cold air from passing through. However, this is an inefficient approach in terms of the clothing’s thermal insulation. In fact, clothing provides the most effective thermal insulation when there is adequate room inside the garment, yet the air layer created by that space remains still—preventing convection. Furthermore, the thicker the layer of still air, the greater the clothing’s thermal insulation.
So, how can we dress “smartly” to beat the cold by applying the aforementioned principles of clothing? To combat the cold, it is advisable to allow some room between your clothing and your body to create a layer of still air. To illustrate this, let’s consider an example where you wear a windbreaker with low breathability and a sweater cardigan with high breathability together. When combining these two garments, wearing the less breathable windbreaker on the outside and the more breathable cardigan on the inside (close to the body) maximizes the insulating effect. In other words, layering multiple garments while placing the more breathable fabric on the inside to maximize the thickness of the air layer within the clothing is effective for increasing its insulating power.
There are other factors to consider when layering clothing. You must thoroughly understand the materials and construction of each garment and carefully decide the order in which to layer them. For example, cotton absorbs sweat well but dries slowly, which can actually cause you to lose body heat in cold weather. Therefore, it is best to wear materials that quickly absorb and evaporate sweat on the inside, and then layer clothing made of highly insulating materials on top.
Additionally, on days when you’re very active, it’s important to wear multiple layers rather than a single thick garment to facilitate easier temperature regulation.
According to the Korea Meteorological Administration’s annual average climate change indicators, the Earth’s average temperature is actually on the rise. Furthermore, based on annual minimum temperature data, when looking at winter conditions specifically, there has been little change in the lowest recorded temperatures from the 1970s to the present day in 2024. Despite such minimal changes in winter temperatures, it feels like there are more people around us these days who are relatively sensitive to the cold. Moreover, their attire often consists of simply throwing on thick clothing or layering garments to the point where movement is restricted, resulting in outfits that are far from stylish. However, after reading this article, I hope you will understand the scientific principles of clothing and be able to layer your clothes more “smartly.” Furthermore, I hope you will share this knowledge with those around you so that everyone can spend the cold winter warm and comfortable.
