Anyone who spends time in the outdoors knows that your comfort and sometimes even your survival can depend on staying warm. Inventors of fleece revolutionized the market for thermal insulation clothing and accesories. High performance insulations fleece products are widely used for everything from Himalayan expiditions to back-to- school jackets, over the years were developed dozens of insulation fabrics with a variety of weights , finishes and looks. All insulation fabrics operate by trapping warm air pockets and holding them next to your body. The more loft a fabric possesses, the more air it will trap. The key to creating warm light weight fabrics and yet durable is the finishing process. Fabrics that pill not only look worse for wear, they also deteriorate the performance and insulation capacity. Shell fabrics forms the outside layer of the garment. The shell fabric you select will depend upon the qualities you need in your garment. Of course, you may decide to throw technicalities to the wind if you see a color of pattern too deloghtful to resist. Waterproof non-breathable fabrics will not let water in or out! They can be used as equipment covers, tarps, bags, packs, clothing, pet blankets or coats, rain wear. Make sure you use a microfibre needle to sew outwear. If your fabric has a rubbery surface, ude a teflon foot on your sewing machines. Water repellent fabrics will repel water for for a limited amount of time. How long depends on the fabric type and how much moisture it is exposed to. Water repellent coatings are not permanent and need to be re-applied using a care product. Light weight water repellent fabrics are a great choice for hiking, pants, shorts, swim trunks, they make great tear-aways and travel pants too! High performance insulations fleece have been the primary insulation layer of choice among experienced outdoor enthusiasts for decades. How does it work? The 100% polyester velour construction, pebbled, or shearling surfaces create air pockets that trap air and retain body heat. Good fleece fabrics products maintain their insulating ability and non-pilling appearance after repeated laundering. They are available in hundreds of colors, patterns and prints. Many styles are also available with a water repellent surface that sheds rain and snow. There are lines of fabrics that provide not only outstanding warmth without weight, but are breathable and durable, dry quickly, and are great styling options for virtually every end use. Applications of high performance insulations are endless in trench coats, rain jackets, golf suits, dress coats, car coats, rain pants, outdoor garments, bivy sacks, equestrian wear, horse blankets, equipment covers, tents, bags and more. All waterproof breathable fabrics are composed of rwo layers. The face layer is made of nylon micro fibre and has a water repellent coating. The back layer is a sprayed on or laminated waterproof breathable urethane or polyurethane. These fabrics will keep you dry and comfortable in the most inclement conditions but need to be sewn and cared for properly. Waterproof breathable fabrics should be lined with synthetic or mesh lining, and seams should be sealed against wind and moisture. High performance insulations laminate fabric respond to your temperature becoming more breathable as you become more active. To sum it up, high performance insulations fabrics, that represent the state of the arts in fleece fabrics, have technical highlights furthe below: Provide warmth without the weight and bulk of traditional insulating fabrics. Highly breathable to provide comfort in all activities, does not restrict the movement of moisture vapor. For water repellent styles, surface sheds rain and snow. Dries quickly to minimize heat loss. Machine washable. Versatile; appropriate for a broad range of activities. Unique-looking surface textures and patterns provide great styling options.