Ahh, winter. It’s the season of cuffing, pumpkin spiced lattes and frantically Googling if it is possible to die from frostbite.

It’s for this latter reason that it’s also a time when the fabrics that make up your wardrobe become more important than ever.

Single-digit temperatures mean it’s time to swap fair-weather fabrics like linen for one of these seven heavyweight options. This is how to layer up in tactile – and yes, well-insulated – style.

Cashmere

Cashmere’s expensive, sure, but your investment pays dividends. It’s three times as insulating as wool (meaning you don’t need bulky layers to stay warm) and it’s an unalloyed pleasure against your skin, since the fibres are less than quarters the width of human hair.

That is, so long as it is unalloyed. If there’s no label in sight, you can tell the good stuff by rubbing it between your fingers. If it feels oily, it’s cut with lambswool, so don’t pay premium prices.

While that cashmere overcoat remains a dream, stick to accessories. A scarf in cashmere – or a wool-cashmere blend, if your budget is tight – will protect you from winter’s worst and offer a contrast to the textures in your tailoring. Alternatively, cashmere jumpers will keep you toasty without burning through your savings.

Fleece

A few years ago, it was unlikely that any card-carrying member of club menswear would have turned to the world of outdoor pursuits for style advice. Fast-forward to the present, however, and hiking boots, cagoules and even fleece have rambled off the mountain onto the runway.

The latter for good reason. Invented in 1979 as a cheaper replacement for wool, polar fleece (as it was then known) has proved over the years that its ability to retain heat while also wicking moisture away from the body is anything but second best.

As any hardened cragsman will tell you, a fleece jacket is essential during the colder months, and can be dressed up with dark wash jeans and minimalist sneakers. Or, for a more entry-level move, pull on the fabric’s properties via a pair of fleece joggers or a lined sweatshirt.