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The Best Sleep & Loungewear to Keep You Cozy this Winter

The Best Sleep & Loungewear to Keep You Cozy this Winter

When the seasons change and temperatures start to cool, it’s natural to start switching out your spring and summer clothes for fall and winter apparel. Shorts and t-shirts are replaced with long pants and sweaters and your loose, light garments are swapped out for thick, warm sweaters.

But if you aren’t switching your mens sleepwear or womens sleepwear for winter weather, you’re probably really cold (and missing out on a delightful opportunity). To that end, your pajamas have a large impact on your sleep temperature, comfort, and quality, so the right winter loungewear is essential.

Today, we’re spotlighting everything you need to know about finding cozy sleepwear and the best cold weather pajamas.

Flannel

When it comes to staying warm and comfortable all winter long, you can’t do much better than cotton. This thick, medium-weight cotton fabric is soft, cozy, and warm—in other words, it’s considered the best fabric for sleepwear during the cold season.

One of the most recognizable characteristics of flannel is its slightly fuzzy texture. This comes from the fabric’s loose weave and the brushing technique that’s often used to finish the fabric after it’s been manufactured.

Other reasons that flannel makes for such cozy sleepwear include:

  • 100% cotton – Flannel was originally made using wool, but these days, it’s mostly made from soft cotton. In fact, that’s a big part of what makes it such a perfect winter fabric, whether you’re switching out your bed sheets or your pajama pants for the season. 
  • Traps heat – The loose weave of fabric creates tiny pockets of air throughout the flannel. This allows the fabric to trap and heat, acting as an insulator that keeps you warm through those cold winter nights.2
  • Soft – Finally, flannel is one of the softest fabrics that can soothe your skin and keep you comfortable while you sleep. And the best part? You don’t have to worry about replacing your flannel sheets at the end of winter—this fabric grows softer the more you use it.

    • When you combine the soft cotton of flannel with its heat-trapping functionality, you end up with the perfect fabric for cozy pajamas. That said, if you live in a location where the winters get cold but stay humid, flannel pajama bottoms and tops might be too warm.

    #2 Fleece 

    Coming in right after flannel on our list of fabrics for the best cozy pajamas is fleece. A staple of cozy blankets and comfy coats and jackets, there's a strong chance you already own a few fleece items. But if you don’t have fleece leisurewear, it’s time to revamp your loungewear style.

    Fleece is a synthetic textile in the polyester family.3 It’s often used as a vegan-friendly alternative to wool and possesses many of the same qualities. Some of the reasons it makes for men’s and women’s cozy loungewear is because it offers:

  • Comfort – Fleece is soft and lightweight, which is a fabric necessity no matter the season. But during the winter, this double whammy can keep you swaddled in comfort throughout the night. 
  • Moisture management – Although fleece—a synthetic alternative to wool—isn’t waterproof, it does a pretty good job of evaporating moisture. It also dries quickly, which is essential if you’re someone who is a hot sleeper.
  • Temperature control – Fleece is an excellent fabric for keeping you warm, but it’s also very breathable. That means you don’t have to worry about your fleece PJ set leaving you overheated beneath the covers.

  • #3 Silk

    •

    Once upon a time, silk was one of the most valuable traded goods in the world. Today, it remains a popular fabric for a range of apparel and other products. And when it comes to the best cold weather pajamas, silk is nearly unbeatable.

    Silk is one of the softest fabrics that does a great job of keeping you warm without causing any of the undesirable side effects of coarser fabrics, like itching or friction.4 Lightweight and airy, it traps heat (but not moisture) and is breathable enough to keep your temperature regulated if you suddenly become a hot sleeper at night.

    #4 Thermal Cotton 

    No winter bedtime wardrobe or mens loungewear style is complete without a few pieces made from knitted thermal cotton. It’s a perfect fabric for:

    • Comfort
    • Temperature control
    • Durability

    But what makes it thermal? It mostly comes down to the weave of the fabric. With a waffle or honeycomb texture, the fabric creates small pockets in the weave that trap air and retain heat in cold weather.5 But because cotton is among the most breathable fabrics, cozy knit loungewear won’t leave you overheated or sweaty.

    Tommy John: Cozy Sleepwear For Any Season

    If you’re looking for a winter pajama set or loungewear that keeps you warm, comfortable, and dry until spring, you’ve landed in the right place.

    With an eye always trained on fit, function, and fashion, we make loungewear that feels good, looks great, and keeps you swaddled in comfort all winter long. Our collections of comfortable, finely constructed loungewear—for men and women—can help you relax, sleep better, and live better. Discover loungewear you can live in and shop Tommy John today.


    Sources:

    1. The Fabric of Our Lives. What is Flannel? https://thefabricofourlives.com/cotton-fabrics/flannel
    2. Casper. Flannel vs. Cotton Sheets: Beyond Cozy or Cool. https://casper.com/blog/flannel-vs-cotton-sheets/#
    3. Good On You. What Is Fleece? And Is It Sustainable? https://goodonyou.eco/how-sustainable-is-fleece/
    4. World History Encyclopedia. Silk in Antiquity. https://www.worldhistory.org/Silk/
    5. The Fabric of Our Lives. Thermal Knit. https://thefabricofourlives.com/cotton-fabrics/thermal-knit