These coats use smart fabrics to be stylish and practical

Some of the quietest, most useful technological innovations are happening in the textile industry. It’s not always the flashiest or most exciting area of technology but small changes and developments in fabrics can drastically improve the clothes that we wear, altering how we wear them, how long they last, how they look, and how many functions they can perform.

Designer Hillary Day claims to be “driven by an appreciation for lovely simplicity” in the clothes she designs as well as “beautiful technology” and by using smart fabrics in her designs she has created a line of high-performance outerwear that still looks fashionable.

Day uses a fabric called c_change created by Swiss company Schoeller who have been working in innovation and technology for over one hundred years and who have received the bluesign award, meaning their fabrics are manufactured without harming the planet or people.

The c_change fabric is constructed in two layers with a fabric on the outside that’s attached to an air and moisture permeable laminate, which is wind and waterproof on the inside. This breathable, stretchy, stain resistant fabric is also highly adaptable to temperature. The c_change fabric has the ability to breathe as your own temperature or the environmental temperature rises, allowing you stay comfortable and avoid that odd muggy sweaty feeling that comes from being damp and warm. Similarly, as the temperature drops, the fabric membrane closes, trapping in body heat but not moisture, to keep you dry and warm. What you get is a truly waterproof, wind-resistant, durable coat that can be worn anywhere and keep your body at a pleasant temperature.

Aside from the usefulness of the fabric, the coats themselves are timeless in terms of design and come in a small range of neutral colours such as charcoal, black, and navy in sizes XS to XL. It’s important that you feel these coats can be worn with anything and to any occasion, as they are rather expensive ranging from $325 (£228) to $575 (£403). It could be a worthwhile price to pay if it’s the only coat you’re going to need rain or shine. The coats are available for purchase from Hillary Day’s studio in Portland, Oregon, or from her online store. Though the store itself doesn’t offer direct delivery to the UK, if you’ve been in desperate need for a coat you don’t have to keep changing, you can use the service MyUS to have it delivered to the UK.

Images via Hillary Day