Picking the Best Winter Wear for Men & Women With Sensitive Skin

Winter is all about covering up. The typical winter outfit involves several layers of clothing and outdoor gear, as well as scarves, hats, gloves, and other cozy items. Ideally, this clothing should protect our skin, but sometimes people with fabric sensitivities find that it does the opposite.

If you’re someone with sensitive skin, buying winter gear can be an expensive hassle. It’s hard to know what will irritate your skin, and it’s often after we get home and wear an outfit out for the first time when problems arise.

 No outfit, no matter how great, is worth the trouble of itchy skin, rashes, or even hives. Let’s explore some ways that you can pick better winter wear when you have sensitive skin. 

Why Skin Irritation Occurs

Skin irritation from clothing, otherwise known as textiles, is what happens when your skin has a bad reaction to a type of fibre in your clothing, or even the dyes or chemicals used in the construction process. Wool is a common cause of skin irritation, but there have been cases of people who have sensitivities to anything from nylon and spandex to rubber. 

Skin irritation can also occur when your clothing is too tight and chafes against your skin. It’s most common to see this type of skin irritation in moist areas that have plenty of contact with fabric, such as behind your knees or inside your armpits. 

Buying Winter Wear for Women and Men with Sensitive Skin

If you have sensitive skin, there are a few things you should keep in mind when buying winter wear. First, you should try and familiarize yourself with what your skin can handle. Experiment with different textiles until you know for sure what your body can tolerate and what it finds irritating. It’s different for everyone. 

Prevent Itching and Irritated Skin with Soft Clothing

Many people find dense, fibrous wool to be extremely irritating to their sensitive skin. If you want the benefits of wool without the irritation, look for soft clothing made of merino- a softer type of wool that’s much less irritating to sensitive skin.

Looking for soft clothing that can protect you from the elements may seem difficult, but there are many fibers that are powerfully warm while also being soft and gentle on skin. Merino wool, alpaca, and cashmere are all extremely soft and very warm.

Pick a High Performance Synthetic

There are many synthetics like polyester that are soft on skin, but they don’t offer much protection from the elements. Be sure to pick a high-performance fabric that’s breathable, and designed to wick sweat away from the body. This ensures sweat doesn’t dry on the skin, and become uncomfortable. 

This is especially important when buying winter wear for women, as it’s typically women who report having sensitive skin. Also, winter wear for men tends to be less clingy. 

If you want a non-synthetic insulator, silk is your best option. It makes a great base layer, however, we do not find it insulates well when in underwear form.

Avoid Chafing

Skin gets irritated fast when it’s chafed or rubbed repeatedly. Pay special attention to seams or tags that may irritate your skin over time. It’s also important to make sure the garment fits correctly. Especially with base layers, you want them to cling, but not feel constricting.

The Best Place to Buy Winter Wear for Men and Women with Sensitive Skin

If you have sensitive skin, it can be hard to know which garments will work for you, and which ones are full of harsh chemicals, hard seams, or constricting areas that will leave your skin red and irritated.

At Canattire Inc., our winter wear line is designed to be comfortable for everyone. We’ve taken special care to ensure our products are made of soft, high-performance material that wicks sweat away from the body. We’re passionate about quality, as well as the little finishing touches that make a garment perfect, like flatlock seams. Trust us to have your back when the freezing winds of winter roll around again.