The fabric a jacket is made from decides how it feels, how it wears and how it copes with weather. This guide runs through the natural fabrics (cotton, wool, leather), the synthetics that power technical outerwear (nylon, polyester), and the fills, trims and finishes that finish a jacket off -- so you know exactly what you are buying.

Natural Fabrics

Cotton

A breathable, comfortable natural fibre -- soft against the skin and easy to wear, but slow to dry when wet.

Why it is loved

Cotton feels good, breathes well and takes colour beautifully, which is why it dominates casual jackets, overshirts and field jackets. It is durable when woven tightly.

Its weakness

Untreated cotton soaks up water and dries slowly, so for weather protection it is usually coated, waxed or blended. See waxed cotton below.

Organic Cotton

Cotton grown without synthetic pesticides or fertilisers -- the same feel with a lighter environmental footprint.

What changes

The fibre performs like standard cotton; the difference is in how it is farmed -- less water pollution, healthier soil and stricter standards (look for GOTS certification).

Why it matters

A growing number of brands move to organic and recycled fibres as shoppers ask where their clothes come from.

Wool

A natural insulator that stays warm even when damp and resists odour -- the original technical fibre.

Why it works

Wool's crimped fibres trap air for warmth and can absorb moisture without feeling wet. It is naturally a little water- and flame-resistant and shrugs off smells.

In outerwear

Used in heavier coats, overcoats and as a warm blend in casual jackets. Often mixed with synthetics for shape retention.

Merino Wool

A fine, soft wool that is warm, breathable and itch-free -- prized for next-to-skin layers and premium knits.

Why merino

Its ultra-fine fibres feel soft rather than scratchy, regulate temperature well and resist odour for days. Ideal as a mid-layer under a shell.

Care

Merino is delicate -- cool wash or hand wash and dry flat. It rewards gentle care with years of wear.

Leather

A tough, wind-blocking natural hide that moulds to the wearer and ages into a unique patina. Heritage and durability in one.

Why it endures

Leather is naturally wind-resistant, hard-wearing and gets better with age. A well-made leather jacket can last decades and tells its own story through wear.

Care matters

Leather needs feeding and protecting, not machine washing. See how to care for leather jackets.

Waxed Cotton

Tightly woven cotton treated with wax to repel rain -- the classic British weatherproof, repairable and re-waxable for life.

The heritage waterproof

Wax fills the weave so water beads and runs off. It is heavier and less breathable than a membrane but ages superbly and can be renewed indefinitely. Belstaff and Barbour are built on it.

How it is cared for

Re-wax rather than machine wash. See the waxed cotton glossary, Belstaff care and Barbour.

Synthetic & Technical Fabrics

Nylon

A strong, lightweight, abrasion-resistant synthetic -- the backbone of packable jackets and technical shells.

Why nylon

Nylon is tough for its weight, resists tearing and takes coatings and laminates well, making it the go-to face fabric for lightweight waterproofs and down jackets.

Smooth and light

Its smooth surface sheds water when treated and packs down small -- ideal for windbreakers and travel jackets.

Polyester

A versatile, quick-drying, colour-fast synthetic used everywhere from fleece to shell linings to insulation.

The all-rounder

Polyester resists shrinking and stretching, dries fast and holds dye well. It appears as fleece pile, shell fabric, lining and synthetic fill -- the most common fibre in outerwear.

Performance

It does not absorb much water, so it keeps insulating and dries quickly -- a big advantage over cotton in wet weather.

Recycled Polyester

Polyester made from reclaimed plastic (often bottles) -- the same performance with a smaller footprint.

Why it is rising

It diverts plastic from landfill and uses less energy than virgin polyester while performing identically. Increasingly standard across responsible outerwear brands.

What to look for

Often labelled rPET or with a recycled-content percentage. A common feature of modern shells and insulation.

Polyamide

Another name for nylon-family fibres -- strong, elastic and abrasion-resistant, common on European jacket labels.

Same family

Polyamide is the technical term you will see on care labels for nylon-type fibres. It shares nylon's strength, light weight and durability.

Where it appears

Stretch panels, tough face fabrics and linings, especially on Continental brands.

Elastane

The stretch fibre (also called spandex or Lycra) blended in small amounts to let a jacket move with you.

Why a little goes far

Just a few percent of elastane gives a fabric four-way stretch, so a softshell or fitted jacket flexes with your body instead of restricting it.

Where it matters

Active and softshell jackets, stretch panels and slim-fit casualwear. See jacket types on softshells.

Fleece

A soft, brushed polyester pile that traps warm air and breathes well -- the classic mid-layer fabric.

How it warms

Thousands of tiny brushed fibres hold pockets of warm air close to the body while letting moisture escape. Light, quick-drying and cosy.

Its place in the system

Not weatherproof on its own -- best as a mid-layer under a shell, or a standalone on dry days. See The North Face fleeces.

Fills, Trims & Finishes

Down Fill

The soft clusters from under a bird's feathers used as insulation -- the warmest, lightest fill there is.

Why it leads

Down lofts into 3D clusters that trap huge amounts of warm air for almost no weight. Goose and duck down dominate premium winter jackets.

Learn more

Fill power, fill weight and water resistance are covered in depth in the insulation hub and the down insulation glossary.

Sheepskin & Shearling

Natural sheepskin with the wool left on -- supremely warm, breathable and cosy, the heart of UGG's heritage.

Why it is special

Shearling insulates like little else, wicks moisture and feels luxurious. The wool side warms while the skin side blocks wind -- nature's own lining.

Who is known for it

UGG built its name on sheepskin. See the UGGpure glossary, UGG brand guide and UGG collection.

Faux-Fur Trim

Synthetic fur used to line hoods and collars -- the look and warmth of fur without animal product.

Why it is used

A fur-trimmed hood traps a warm pocket of air around the face and shields it from wind and snow -- a signature of parkas. Faux fur gives the effect cruelty-free.

On a parka

Often detachable so you can swap the look or wash the jacket. See parkas in the jacket types hub and Parajumpers.

Denier

A measure of how thick and tough a fabric's threads are -- higher denier means a heavier, more durable face fabric.

Reading the D

You will see numbers like 20D or 70D. Low denier (10-30D) is ultralight and packable but delicate; high denier (70D+) is rugged for hard use. It is a toughness dial, not a warmth one.

How to use it

Match denier to use: light for travel and town, heavy for the hills and rough wear. See the construction hub.