Plug for warm things

[pseudomonas]

http://www.universal-textiles.com/ have sent me my new warm underclothing - and a discount voucher code to pass on: friend87 that's good for 5% off for the next 90 days (no kickbacks to me or anything).

(I go on about this cos wearing thermal layers is a really painless way to reduce heating energy use without having major modifications made to one's dwelling)

Comments

[gerald_duck]

How come clothing designed to keep one warm never quantifies how warm it keeps you? I mean, I know everyone's different, clothing gets layered, etc., but couldn't they come up with something similar to the Tog system used for duvets?

[pseudomonas]

Subjectively, this stuff is usefully warm :)

[gerald_duck]

Mmm. It's possible to be too warm, though.

That issue worries me particularly with thermal underwear: if I go indoors wearing a coat, sweatshirt, scarf, gloves, etc. I can take them off. In many social contexts, by contrast, removing my thermal underwear might invite unfavourable comment. (-8

[naath]

Well, you should probably do that in the bathroom :-p

Yes, it is easier to remove (or put on) outer garments. But if you expect to not be in any hot rooms at all (for instance if all indoor space you intend to be in have heating which is under your control) then thermal underwear is a lot less bulky than a jacket.

[pseudomonas]

Quite. I'm coming to the conclusion that heating one's own place without wearing enough clothing is rather profligate.

[shreena]

Apologies for the rant that is about to ensue but I'm pretty tired of people telling me that I'm profligate/precious/whatever for needing my home heated to what many consider a high temperature (21-23 degrees, actually I would prefer 24-26 but I am trying not to be profligate and also Ben wouldn't like that. I sometimes wear thermals (mostly for the office, it has to be said) and jumpers and sometimes not and it really makes next to no difference to what temperature I need my house at. Yesterday, I spent half the day in a vest and pyjamas and today I'm wearing a thermal vest, a long sleeved top and a jumper and my house was at the same temperature both days and.. so was I.

Extra layers work (as I understand it, but I am not a Scientist as you know) by capturing your body heat which doesn't, in fact, work if you don't generate much body heat. Which I don't. I am basically cold All.The.Time without an external heat source. In the office, I can only cope by having a hot water bottle and carrying it around with me to meetings (my Department is making some of its cuts through the heating bill), I don't want to have to do this in my own home, I want just to be a comfortable temperature.

And, yes, I have seen my GP about this issue and she can't find anything that is obviously causing this.

[pseudomonas]

You're not forced to wear them all the time! you can assess their warmth at home before you wear them to your local sauna.

[pseudomonas]

http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/clo-clothing-thermal-insulation-d_732.html

[gerald_duck]

Coo.

Though that does have a couple of problems.

Firstly, like the Tesla, Bar and Bel, the magnitude seems far too high. All those values are being quoted to 2dp, and only a couple are above 1.00 . If the unit was to get any traction at all, I bet it would be in the form of the centiclo.

Secondly, nobody uses it. (-8

[liv]

Hmm, I am definitely in favour of wearing thermal underwear rather than turning the heating up. But I'm not so convinced by this Universal Textiles site: for one thing I can't find any information about their business ethics or the conditions under which their clothes are made. And for a second thing they seem to be yet another sub-brand of the evil tax-avoiding Amazon. I'm trying to restrict my purchases of new clothing to companies that have at least some kind of ethical commitment. And while I'm not boycotting Amazon, I'm basically preferring to buy things anywhere that's not Amazon if I possibly can.

[pseudomonas]

I thought they were independent but using Amazon for their payment-processing.

[pseudomonas]

(I'm happy to add links to other places if you have recommendations)

Hmm. M&S (which came to mind as somewhere else I've seen thermal underwear on sale) appear to have an ethical sourcing policy for their clothing but also appear to be tax-avoiding.

[naath]

I prefer to buy my thermals from John Lewis; although TBH I'm just sort of imputing a vague ethical-goodness field to them rather than actually investigating them.

(plus they sell thermals that look like T-shirts rather than that look like underwear; which is important when *none of my tops* have necklines that completely cover thermal vests)