Different fabrics have different properties. For that reason, some materials are suitable for winter while others are good for summer. Likewise, other fabrics can be used in making clothing for different seasons. For example, for corduroy lovers, one of the common questions you are likely to ask as we approach to summer is whether cords are suitable for summer.
No, corduroy is not good for summer. The cotton weave used to make corduroy makes the fabric thick and heavy, thus making corduroy good in heat-retaining. Therefore, unless you have a garment made from lightweight fine corduroy, normal corduroy should not be worn in summer.
This article discusses different aspects of corduroy in great length. Just read the entire article, and you will, among others, understand whether corduroy is too hot for summer and whether you can wear corduroy during spring.
Is Corduroy Good For Summer?
To determine whether corduroy is suitable for summer, you need first to understand the properties of an ideal summer fabric. After that, you can then establish whether corduroy has those properties since if it has the properties, it would be suitable for summer. But, on the other hand, if it does not have the properties that a summer fabric should have, the corduroy should not be good for summer.
In summer, the temperature and humidity levels tend to be high. Thus, clothes you used to wear during winter and spring cannot be suitable for summer clothing.
In summer, you will need lightweight and loose-fitting clothes that can absorb sweat (you are likely to sweat) and are highly breathable. The fabrics need to be light and breathable so that any wind blowing can pass through the fabric and get to your skin and cool your body.
Likewise, the absorbency property of the fabric will be crucial in making sure that when you sweat, the sweat quickly escapes through the garment while making sure that you stay dry even though you sweat.
Corduroy is not ideal for summer clothing as it is not highly breathable and has minimal sweat-wicking abilities. In addition, corduroy is usually heavy and not lightweight, meaning that heat will be trapped in the body, making you sweat more. However, light fine corduroy fabrics can be worn in summer when it’s not very hot.
In summer, instead of corduroy, some fabrics you should wear comprise rayon, chambray, cotton, linen, and silk. These fabrics are lightweight and highly breathable, and they also absorb moisture. Corduroy lacks such properties hence the reason it is not ideal for summer.
Is Corduroy Too Hot For Summer?
In summer, everyone wants a bit of sun. You obviously can’t send winter and spring without basking in the sun and then miss out on the sun in summer. However, even though summer is generally hot, that does not necessarily mean that all days are sunny. Indeed, there are times when we even have rain during summer.
Yes, corduroy might be too hot for summer. This is because the fabric has poor breathability while it is also thick. These features mean that when you wear corduroy on a hot summer day, the corduroy will retain most of the heat instead of letting it out. You will thus end up feeling uncomfortable, and you are likely to sweat.
When buying your summer clothes, you should never buy clothes made from fabrics classified as hot. The hot fabrics typically have poor breathability elements, implying that once your body generates heat, the heat is trapped between your skin and body and never escapes, thus keeping you warm.
However, suppose you sweat when wearing a fabric with weaker breathability properties. You will be soaked in sweat since the fabric will not absorb the sweat or provide the sweat with any avenue to evaporate from your material.
Can You Wear A Corduroy Jacket In Summer?
One of the pieces of clothing that you are less likely to wear during summer is probably your jacket. With global warming, the temperatures are usually high, and the ideal clothing to wear is something light.
Unless you have a very light fine corduroy jacket, you should not wear a corduroy jacket in summer. A standard corduroy jacket is thick and generally of a dark color. The thickness will add more heat to your body as the dark color absorbs energy from the sun. Thus, you should never wear a corduroy jacket in summer on a rare cold summer day.
I am sure you are now wondering if I can’t wear a corduroy jacket in summer, what type of jacket should I wear? Don’t worry; below are the properties that your ideal summer jacket should have.
The best jacket you should wear in summer should be a lightweight jacket. In this perspective, a lightweight jacket would be a jacket that is not heavy when you wear it or when you carry it around. Mainly the jacket should be about 8 to 10 oz. In addition, the lightweight jacket will ensure your body temperature will always be regulated as the wind can easily blow through the jacket and cool down your body.
The next factor to consider for a summer jacket is the jacket’s texture. Mainly, you will wear the coat at casual events. Thus, your summer jacket must have that casual look. The texture of your coat will determine how casual the jacket appears.
An ideal summer jacket should also be highly breathable. Since it is hot during summer, you want a jacket that can allow good air circulation in and outside your body. If your jacket has poor air circulation, you will feel uncomfortable when the temperature is too hot and your body starts to sweat.
Lastly, your ideal summer jacket should be light in color. Light colors reflect the heat instead of absorbing it. Thus, if your summer jacket is light-colored, the jacket will reflect the heat and keep your body cool.
When considering the properties of a regular corduroy fabric, the fabric has minimal breathability property while it is thick and heavy. Thus, corduroy jackets (unlike in exceptional cases where the jacket is made from very light corduroy fabric) are uncomfortable to wear in summer.
Can You Wear Corduroy In Spring?
The weather during spring can be characterized by rain and thunderstorms. Moreover, rainstorms that have lightning and thunder could also be experienced. From a temperature perspective, spring is warmer than winter.
In spring, you will need to wear clothes made from breathable fabrics yet retain some heat so that your body is cooled at all times. Fabrics that cannot facilitate good airflow in your body should be avoided since if you were to sweat during spring, the material would not absorb the sweat.
You can wear corduroy in spring since thickness, texture, and weight makes corduroy the perfect fabric for spring clothing. The thickness of corduroy makes sure that the fabric keeps you warm, while the texture of corduroy will ensure that there is good airflow between the corduroy and your skin.
Corduroy fabric is suitable for spring clothing since the material can hold air between the fibers and thus ensure that you are warm during the spring. In addition, in case you sweat when wearing corduroy during spring, corduroy fibers can soak up the sweat, making it possible for heat to escape from your body and ensure that you are cool.
Is Corduroy Hot?
The chemical and physical makeup of the fibers of any fabric influences the heat capacity and heat conductivity of the fabric. For example, most natural fabrics, such as cotton and wool, can absorb more water than synthetic fabrics like polyester.
A fabric that is considered hot will be the ideal fabric for the winter season since it can retain heat and keep someone warm. On the other hand, a cold fabric will be suitable for the summer season when the temperatures are very high.
Corduroy is hot since it is thick and loosely woven, making it possible to retain more air. When air is retained, warmth is also retained since air is not a good thermal conductor and is on its own an insulator. The corduroy thickness ensures that the body does not lose heat, thus keeping you warm.
It is, however, essential to point out that lightweight corduroy is not hot. In addition, this corduroy fabric is thin and absorbs much moisture compared to normal corduroy. Thus, clothes made from lightweight corduroy can be worn in summer, while it would be uncomfortable to wear normal corduroy in summer.
When To Stop Wearing Corduroy Pants
Even though corduroy has over the years been considered to be casual, corduroy clothes have been increasingly becoming formal as different corduroy fabrics are manufactured and used in making different types of clothing.
Due to corduroy thickness, corduroy pants should mainly be worn during the fall and winter months and kept in wardrobes during the summer and autumn months. However, you are free to wear your corduroy pants throughout the year as the weather allows.
You can wear corduroy pants in the summer with no problem. Even though corduroy pants are commonly worn in winter and spring, most corduroy pants sold today are arguably similar to the most cotton jeans that you wear today in terms of warmth. However, the number of people wearing corduroy pants in summer is less than that of people wearing jeans.
Even if corduroy pants are slightly warmer than denim jeans, you will not feel odd or even appear to be out of place if you decide to wear your corduroy pants during summer. Indeed, an increasing number of people are now wearing corduroy pants and corduroy shorts during summer.
Does Rain Ruin Corduroy
Contrary to the common perception that corduroys are water-resistant, the fabric is not water-resistant. However, since many corduroy fabric manufacturers know that corduroy clothing is mainly used in a casual setting, some manufacturers treat the corduroy with chemicals to make the corduroy capable of resisting light precipitation and mist.
Nevertheless, the chemicals last a few washes as the water repellant effect fades away with washes.
Rain does not ruin corduroy. The rain will not destroy the corduroy crump. If your corduroy has been rained on, you can either air dry it on the clothesline or wash it in the washing machine and dry it with the dryer. However, wash and dry your corduroy with gentle or cotton settings to avoid shrinking.
Avoid wearing your corduroy in wet and rainy conditions. Corduroy has very high absorbency rates, and the more it absorbs rainwater, the more it becomes heavier. It will also be uncomfortable to wear corduroy once it gets wet against your skin. It will be frustrating for you to be wearing damp corduroy since it doesn’t dry quickly and will stay wet for some time even after the rain has stopped.
If you have a poor-quality corduroy, it might flatten the nap, making the fabric lose its luster and texture. However, standard corduroy fabrics that have gone through the normal manufacturing process will not be damaged by rain.
If you wear wet corduroy for an extended period, your corduroy could be stretched.
Does Corduroy Show Sweat?
Sweating is a natural function that we can’t avoid. Indeed, it has even been argued that sweating is healthy and indicates that the body is functioning well.
Having sweat on our clothes, especially when in public, makes us uncomfortable. It is thus not a surprise you are wondering whether corduroy shows sweat.
Corduroy can show sweat. Corduroy is made from cotton, which is a natural fiber. Thus, the fibers permit the air to flow through the fabric freely, and through the process, sweat is dried from the body. However, the corduroy absorbs the sweat when you sweat faster than how the airflow dries the sweat. Eventually, the sweat on the corduroy fabric accumulates, resulting in the corduroy showing sweat.
Suppose you don’t want your corduroy to show sweat. In that case, you can wear a loose-fitting corduroy, use sweat pads on your armpits, wear a sweatproof undershirt, use antiperspirant, wear corduroy clothing with patterns, and wear either black or white corduroy.
Is Corduroy Water Resistant?
Corduroy is not water-resistant. However, corduroy canvas is water-resistant. Nevertheless, it can be noted that corduroy can be treated to make the fabric resistant to light precipitation and mist.
Corduroy has been popular over the years. This is because corduroy clothes are comfortable to wear as they have a soft feel, while the fabric also gives much-needed warmth during the colder months. It is thus not a surprise that people want to wear it even in wet conditions; hence the reason they want to know whether corduroy repels water.
There is a chance you might have come across different situations where corduroy appeared to have repelled water. For example, maybe you were coming from the supermarket, and then it suddenly rained, only to get home and find that your corduroy is still dry.
Corduroy is not waterproof or water-resistant in any way. Corduroy is considered a hydrophilic fabric which means that it belongs to a group of fabrics that easily attach themselves to water and don’t want water to leave. Thus, when you go outside, you can expect corduroy to absorb as much water as possible, and if the fabric absorbs a lot of water, you will feel the wet fabric on your skin.
However, it is essential to note that you can spray your corduroy with a water-resistant spray and give it some water-resistant properties. However, the corduroy will still not resist a lot of water, and the effect of the water-resistant spray will only last a few washes.
Is Corduroy Good For Snow?
When it’s snowing, you have to layer your clothes so that the clothes keep you warm and dry during the icy and cold snowy days. Indeed, if you make a mistake and your outer layer gets wet many from falling or persistent snowfall, the last thing that you would want is for the snow to soak through to your skin.
When it is snowing, you should only wear a corduroy as a middle layer. Never wear corduroy as a top layer. Corduroy is capable of holding moisture and can eventually freeze. If the unfortunate happens and you fall, or the snowflakes accumulate on your corduroy garment, corduroy could be dangerous since it can result in frostbite.
During winter, your outer layer should be waterproof and insulated to be well protected from the wind, snow, and any rain that may be experienced. While corduroy is good at retaining heat, it is not waterproof hence the reason you should never wear corduroy as a top layer during winter.
How To Waterproof Corduroy
It can be expensive if you have to buy new waterproof cords while you already have other cords in the house. Whether it is an old corduroy canvas or some corduroy clothing in your closet, waterproofing corduroy would be better than buying new corduroy.
You can waterproof your corduroy by buying waterproofing spray and then spraying your corduroy. One of the common waterproofing sprays that you can find in many stores is Scotchgard.
After buying the waterproofing spray (maybe Scotchgard) or another brand, hold the spray at least 5 – 7 inches from the corduroy. Then, spray Scotchgard on the corduroy from one side to another. You must follow a specific spray pattern to quickly identify the corduroy sections that you have sprayed with the water repellant spray.
After spraying, you need to brush the corduroy with a soft-bristled brush before leaving the corduroy to dry.
Even though the majority of the manufacturers of water repellant sprays will claim that the spray can last a few years, please do not take their word since you will note that whenever you wash your corduroy, the spray loses its effect your corduroy becomes less resistant to water.
Are Corduroy Bags Waterproof?
Corduroy bags made from corduroy canvas are 100% waterproof. However, corduroy bags made from a standard corduroy fabric are not waterproof and will soak water whenever they contact water. Indeed, even corduroy bags that have been treated with waterproof chemicals will not be able to withstand heavy precipitation.
Concluding Thoughts
We all love corduroy for the looks, feel, and warmth they give us. Corduroys are ideal for the winter and spring seasons. However, if you have a lightweight corduroy, you can wear it in summer.
