A sweater knitted from a fiber that mimics polar bear fur offers as much warmth as a down jacket, despite being one-fifth as thick, according to a study published last month in Science. The fiber — made from a light, synthetic material known as an aerogel — maintains its heat-trapping properties even after being stretched, washed and dyed.
The proof-of-concept fiber might one day be used for clothing that need to be lightweight and durable — such as sportswear, military uniforms and spacesuits — without the need for animal fur or down, says study co-author Weiwei Gao, a materials scientist at Zhejiang University in China
