Clothing made from Polartec fabric: frequently asked questions

Question:
What explains the properties of Polartec® material? Is there a difference between Polartec® and fleece?

Answer:
Soft and warm Polartec® perfectly retains body heat. The operating principle of Polartec® is based on the fact that a layer of air is maintained between the pile, which is the best thermal insulator. In addition, unlike natural fabrics, Polartec® does not accumulate moisture, but provides the necessary ventilation in case of overheating and removes condensation outside - while actively moving, you will feel comfortable.

Malden Mills' Polartec® family of fabrics belongs to the fleece group of materials. Fleece is made like this: by machine, knots are tied onto a fairly strong woven base, then another machine breaks these knots, resulting in a pile that is tied to the base. Fleece is traditionally used as a second, insulating layer in sportswear. However, it is important to note that only high quality, premium brand fleece from Malden Mills bears the Polartec® name.

Polartec® is a recognized leader in quality in fabrics of this group. That's why there are many fakes. The main difference between Polartec® and cheap fleece is that Polartec® does not lose its thermal insulation properties over a long period of use. Thanks to the anti-pilling coating, its pile does not roll off even after repeated washings.

Question:
You can often hear from salespeople in stores that the jacket is made from Polartek. How to distinguish real Polartec® from counterfeit?

Answer:
Polartec® is a registered trademark of the American company Malden Mills Industries. If you are interested in genuine quality that utilizes all the stated capabilities of the material, then you must purchase products only from companies licensed by Malden Mills. A complete list of these companies is published on the company’s official website: http://www.polartec.com/where

Products made from Polartec® must be provided with branded labels. In addition to paper tags, there are also woven and plastic tags of a special type and size, sewn in certain places.

Question:
Are there differences between the properties of underwear, the fabric composition of which is polyESTER, and underwear made of polyPROPYLENE?

Answer:
Polyester and polypropylene: both of these fibers in synthetic fabrics are used for the production of clothing; both are pleasant to the body and meet all the hygienic requirements for base layer clothing.

"...The next step was the use of PolyPro type materials for underwear. Polypropylene was used because it has good hydrophobic properties - compared to wool, it almost does not absorb moisture; thus, polypropylene remains warm and light in humid conditions. Since the weave of such fabric is very loose, its surface is covered with a network of pores through which body evaporation is freely removed. The disadvantage of polypropylene is that it absorbs body odors, rolls up, forming small balls on the surface of the fabric, and melts when dried in a dryer or near a fire, causing a strong smell of burnt plastic. Therefore, polyester, which pills less and has better resistance to high temperatures, has replaced polypropylene.

Polyester forms the basis of Malden Mills' Polartec® Power Dry fabric, selected by Zajo for thermal underwear.

Question:
What is the difference between underwear made from Polartec® Power Stretch fabric and underwear made from Polartec®
Power Dry?

Answer:
Various properties of Polartec® family materials determine the features and purpose of products made from them.
Polartec® Power Stretch has a durable outer surface and a soft, fleecy inner layer. The fabric has breathable properties, is very elastic, stretches in all directions, is pleasant to the skin and does not cause allergies. Therefore, products made from it can be used as warm underwear at low temperatures, and are also suitable for training in the gym and outdoors.

Polartec® Power Dry fabric is a lighter fabric, specifically designed for the base layer of clothing, or thermal underwear. Its main function is to remove excess body moisture during intense physical activity. Polartec® Power Dry is a soft, elastic and at the same time strong, durable material, equipped with antibacterial impregnation, has a branched outer evaporation surface, due to which it dries 2 times faster than cotton.

Question:
How to properly care for Polartec® clothing?

You can wash Polartec® products with regular soap, in warm water at a temperature not exceeding 40 * C, by hand or in a washing machine with a small load, using the “gentle wash for synthetic fabrics” mode. Polartec® clothing will last longer if washed with a special gentle detergent (e.g. Woly Sport Tex Wash&clean) and then treated with a restorative water repellent (e.g. Woly Sport Waterproof). Products made from Polartec® cannot be ironed and it is not recommended to dry them at high temperatures.

Question:
I'm going to buy a suit made from Polartec® fabric. Will it get wet from constant contact with snow in winter outdoor conditions (sleds, skis, paintball, etc.) Will I freeze in temperatures down to -25 * C? Is it necessary to wear a suit made of membrane fabric on top?

Answer:
The properties of Polartec® have been repeatedly tested under extreme conditions. It is light, strong and durable, removes body evaporation outside, dries quickly, does not wrinkle and, unlike wool, does not accumulate moisture and is not afraid of moths. For winter and mountain sports and active recreation, all these properties are simply necessary. Skis, sleds, paintball, etc. - exactly those activities where you can appreciate the benefits of Polartec®.

However, Polartec® is the name of a whole family of fabrics (about 180), each of which has certain properties and has its own purpose, from outerwear to underwear. Therefore, it is naive to believe that one Polartec® suit, with all its versatility, can replace your entire wardrobe.

All Polartec® series fabrics are water-repellent (water droplets roll off the surface of the fabric), but do not “hold” rain.

For outerwear, you can choose Polartec® Windbloc®: it protects from wind, light rain and snow. The temperature range for using a Windbloc jacket is very wide: from -10 .. - 15 * C (during active physical work) to +10 * C (if you remain motionless).

I would like to warn against excessive unjustified expectations of buyers who are starting to use clothes made from high-tech fabrics for the first time. You need to understand that Polartec®, just like down, wool or cotton, has very specific properties and advantages, sometimes irreplaceable and unique. But don't expect a miracle!