To keep themselves warm at night, cave men would cover themselves with pelts from animals. They might even have woven fabrics made from plant material. Later on, people used woolen blankets. Today, the faux fur throw blanket is all the rage. This article looks at what materials are looming on the horizon for tomorrow's bed coverings.
Fake fur is exactly what it sounds like, a synthetic fabric. Yesterday's synthetics didn't feel quite right. They lacked breathability and did not feel comfortable against the skin. Now they are luxuriously fleecy and inviting. They are also low in price, so it is possible to have every member in the family with a bed covering in their choice of color. They are also useful to put over furniture to protect it from pets or to hunker down into while watching television.
These wonderful objects are not only produced in a huge range of colors, they are available in a variety of prints and patterns, from floral or geometric to ersatz animal skins. They come in all sizes, from baby-size to king-sized bed sized. Today's coverings are also easier to launder than yesterday's duck-down duvet. Instead of trudging to the dry cleaners with a bulky duvet or comforter, faux blankets can go into the washing machine and tumble-dried or hung up outside on the washing line.
If we ever get tired of our blankees, what do we have to look forward to? Materials science is advancing rapidly, and there are lots of new fabrics, especially in outerwear, that could be adapted for bedtime. Loft, for example, is a measure of a fabric's functional thickness. It relates specifically to down- or feather-filled materials. A new fabric is being made that has two or even three times the thermal efficiency of a duvet without the bulk. This is zero-loft aerogel.
A zero- or low-loft fabric has an advantage over insulated materials in that it is less bulky. Insulating comforters become less effective when they are wet. Their ability to retain heat depends on having lots of insulating air spaces. If these fabrics get wet, they become compressed and lose their heating loft.
Another up and coming material is hydrophobic down. This material is coated in a water repellant chemical. Hydrophobic down holds as much as 80 percent of its loft even after being soaked in water for as long as three minutes.
Gore-Tex is gradually being replaced as an outdoor fabric. The main complaint among skiers and other users is that Gore-Tex does not breathe, which makes them feel sweaty inside. New air-permeable fabrics are being developed that promote the flow of air, which carries moisture away from the body. This material might have other uses as a blanket material.
Materials technology is moving forward at a rapid rate. What we are now luxuriating underneath in front of the television, we could be cleaning our cars with tomorrow. What lies ahead? Blankets that compare the ambient temperature to our own body temperature and adjust themselves to keep us at the optimum temp? Maybe they will have lavender or other bed-time scents embedded in them.
Fake fur is exactly what it sounds like, a synthetic fabric. Yesterday's synthetics didn't feel quite right. They lacked breathability and did not feel comfortable against the skin. Now they are luxuriously fleecy and inviting. They are also low in price, so it is possible to have every member in the family with a bed covering in their choice of color. They are also useful to put over furniture to protect it from pets or to hunker down into while watching television.
These wonderful objects are not only produced in a huge range of colors, they are available in a variety of prints and patterns, from floral or geometric to ersatz animal skins. They come in all sizes, from baby-size to king-sized bed sized. Today's coverings are also easier to launder than yesterday's duck-down duvet. Instead of trudging to the dry cleaners with a bulky duvet or comforter, faux blankets can go into the washing machine and tumble-dried or hung up outside on the washing line.
If we ever get tired of our blankees, what do we have to look forward to? Materials science is advancing rapidly, and there are lots of new fabrics, especially in outerwear, that could be adapted for bedtime. Loft, for example, is a measure of a fabric's functional thickness. It relates specifically to down- or feather-filled materials. A new fabric is being made that has two or even three times the thermal efficiency of a duvet without the bulk. This is zero-loft aerogel.
A zero- or low-loft fabric has an advantage over insulated materials in that it is less bulky. Insulating comforters become less effective when they are wet. Their ability to retain heat depends on having lots of insulating air spaces. If these fabrics get wet, they become compressed and lose their heating loft.
Another up and coming material is hydrophobic down. This material is coated in a water repellant chemical. Hydrophobic down holds as much as 80 percent of its loft even after being soaked in water for as long as three minutes.
Gore-Tex is gradually being replaced as an outdoor fabric. The main complaint among skiers and other users is that Gore-Tex does not breathe, which makes them feel sweaty inside. New air-permeable fabrics are being developed that promote the flow of air, which carries moisture away from the body. This material might have other uses as a blanket material.
Materials technology is moving forward at a rapid rate. What we are now luxuriating underneath in front of the television, we could be cleaning our cars with tomorrow. What lies ahead? Blankets that compare the ambient temperature to our own body temperature and adjust themselves to keep us at the optimum temp? Maybe they will have lavender or other bed-time scents embedded in them.
About the Author:
Buy luxury and low priced faux fur throw blanket directly from the online store. We highly recommend this reputable supplier's website at http://www.furaccents.com
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