Buy in store, online or by phone 0800 056 0127 (Open Monday to Saturday)
Newsletter sign up Customer Service My account Store Finder
Home Jackets buying guide

Fabric gloassary

Expert Advice

Jackets Buying Guide

Shop for Jackets

Other technology

AQ2

fabric is designed for use on the hill. Tried and tested, it offers good waterproofing, breathability, and is lightweight:
  • Bi-component polyurethane coating
  • Good breathability
  • Durable water repellent finish
  • For use on the hill AQ2 Fabric Construction

AQ2 addresses the delicate balance between performance and durability of 2 layer fabrics. Either a hydrophilic polyurethane membrane or a bi-component polyurethane coating technology is used to find the best performance for the intended end use. Our AQ2 coating uses the best technology available, providing exceptional breathability through the micro porous structure which is protected from contamination by a solid hydrophilic layer, where as our AQ2 membrane has a highly developed non porous structure

AQ2.5

for when you need to be streamlined, keep a low weight and still shield off the elements, you'd be hard pushed to beat a garment featuring AQ2.5 fabric:
  • Dry-touch coating with micro beads
  • Excellent breathability
  • DWR (Durable water repellent) finish
  • Lightweight AQ2.5 fabric construction

 

Berghaus

Extrem

branded gear is designed for use in the most inhospitable places on the planet. Launched in 1986, the Extrem range aims to become the first and only choice for fully committed climbers and mountaineers. Every feature is included for a reason and each small part is designed to take on the most extreme environments explored by humans.
Back to top

GORE-TEX®

fabric forever changed the standard for high-performance outerwear when it was introduced more than 25 years ago. Today, GORE-TEX® fabric is known worldwide for extreme-weather protection that keeps you dry and comfortable from head to toe. GORE-TEX® Outerwear and Footwear carries the exclusive GUARANTEED TO KEEP YOU DRY® promise, and all of its superior performance characteristics are guaranteed for the useful life of the garment.
Whether you're skiing, cycling, mountaineering, in-line skating or just walking, you can change the sport but you never need to change your garment with

GORE-TEX® Performance Shell

.
  • Provides breathable comfort and durably waterproof protection
  • Designed for a wide range of outdoor activities
  • Combination of soft and high-performance face textiles, membranes and special lining
  • Available in 2- and 3-layer constructions. 2 layers are supple and quiet; 3 layers are for extra-rugged use
  • 2-layer construction: a specific GORE-TEX® membrane is bonded to the outer material and protected on the inside by a separate lining
  • 3-layer construction: a specific GORE-TEX® membrane is bonded to an outer material and an inner lining
  • Unique GORE-TEX® liners are especially attractive for fashion applications when more design freedom is required
  • Special GORE-SEAM® tape technology ensures all seams are 100% waterproof
Perfect for hiking, cycling, running and any other sport when weight and space are critical.

GORE-TEX® PACLITE® SHELL

combines extreme breathability and durable wind- and waterproofness with minimum weight and pack volume.
  • A protective layer on the membrane makes a separate lining unnecessary
    • /view/brand/The_North_Face.html
  • Durably waterproof and extremely breathable
  • Lightweight, packable and versatile
  • Face fabric made of high-performance polyester or nylon
  • Membrane covered by a protective layer made of an oleophobic (oil-hating) substance and carbon
  • Special GORE-SEAM® tape technology ensures all seams are 100% waterproof

GORE-TEX® SOFT SHELL

is your ideal choice when you want to reduce layering and maintain freedom of movement in cold or damp conditions. Constructed with soft, warm fabrics, these garments are versatile and very comfortable.
  • Durably waterproof, windproof and breathable
  • Optimum weather protection with maximum wearer comfort
  • Fewer, less bulky layers for greater freedom of movement
  • Made of a soft, high-performance textile and a soft, fleece like lining
  • Warm, 3-layer construction: the GORE-TEX® membrane is bonded to a soft, high-performance outer textile and a soft fleece or flannel lining
  • Special GORE-SEAM® tape technology ensures all seams are 100% waterproof

GORE-TEX® PRO SHELL

is the optimum solution for outdoor professionals and serious enthusiasts who need to face extreme weather and tough conditions. Made with the most rugged, most breathable, durably waterproof and windproof fabrics.
  • Meets the demands of outdoor professionals and serious enthusiasts
  • Engineered to excel in extended and extreme conditions
  • Extremely tough, extremely breathable, durably waterproof and windproof
  • Available in 2- and 3-layer constructions: 2 layers are supple and quiet; 3 layers are for extra-rugged use
  • 2-layer construction: a specific GORE-TEX® membrane is laminated to the inside of the outer material. The inside of the membrane is protected by a separate linin
  • 2-layer insulated construction: the heat-insulation layer is suspended freely between the 2-layer laminate and inside lining
  • 3-layer construction: a specific high-performance GORE-TEX® membrane bonded to a tough outer material and a specially developed robust inner lining
  • Engineered with the most rugged, tear- and abrasion-resistant fabrics on the market

GORE-TEX XCR

has all the benefits of classic Gore-Tex but, through the use of new membranes and improved lamination techniques it provides 25% less resistance to outward moisture vapour transmission. This means you stay drier: it will transmit up to 17oz more water in an eight hour period. Gore-Tex XCR is rated for use in extreme wet weather.
  • Excellent moisture management
  • Durably waterproof and highly breathable
More comfort equals better performance. Yes, it really is that simple. Just ask any professional athlete.

WINDSTOPPER®

fabrics offer soft, lightweight weather protection in one versatile and durable garment. Owing to their total windproofness and maximum breathability, WINDSTOPPER garments will keep you comfortable longer across a wide range of weather conditions and activities. WINDSTOPPER® fabrics are engineered for peak performance and total comfort, even in wind, light rain or snow.
  • Maximum breathability; cold wind is kept out, but moisture vapor can easily escape
  • soft, lightweight weather protection in one versatile and durable garment
Back to top

Polartec

started as the original synthetic fleece and now offers a collection of over 300 different fabrics designed to keep you warm, dry, and most importantly, comfortable in a variety of outdoor activities. Polartec fabrics range from extremely lightweight base layer fabrics to water repellent soft shells to flame resistant fabric for the military.
Polartec fabrics are the reference standard for lightweight warmth and breathability.

Polartec Classic

fabrics have been the primary insulation layer of choice among experienced outdoor enthusiasts for nearly three decades. Available in a range of weights, these fabrics provide the right level of insulation for most outdoor activities.

Polaretech Classic 100

weight fabrics are the lightest and excellent for a warm first layer or lightweight sweater, ideal for biking, trail running and backpacking.

Polartec Classic 200

weight fabrics are halfway in-between 100 and 300 fabrics and provide outstanding warmth and versatility.

Polartec Classic 300

weight fabrics are the heaviest and provide a warm thermal layer for very cold outdoor activities such as wintertime adventures.
  • Warmth without weight
  • Highly breathable
  • Dries quickly
  • Durable
  • Machine washable
  • Versatile

Polartec Windbloc

blocks 100% of the wind and offers maximum protection from the cold and the elements, reducing weight and the number of layers needed to protect and insulate.
  • Windproof and water repellent
  • Warmth without weight
  • Stretch for active comfort
  • Less noise than a hard-shell
  • Breathable
  • Durable
  • Machine washable

Polartec Power Dry

fabrics are highly breathable and quick drying, keeping your skin dry when you sweat. They are comfortable next to the skin, making them ideal as a base layer for running, skiing and adventure travelling.
  • Superior wicking action
  • Keeps skin dry when sweating
  • Highly breathable
  • Dries quickly
  • Comfortable next to skin
  • Machine washable

Polartec Power Stretch

- these specialist fabrics use nylon yarns next to polyester for extra strength, and spandex yarns for body-hugging four-way stretch. They have extremely effective wicking properties and the inner lofted velour traps warm insulating air. Climbing, running-even taking on an Ironman competition- is easier when your clothing doesn't inhibit freedom of movement.
  • 4-way stretch
  • Keeps skin dry when sweating
  • Highly breathable
  • Wind and abrasion resistant
  • Comfortable next to skin
  • Machine washable

Polartec Thermal Pro

gear is the most visually dynamic and technically advanced of the Polartec insulation fabrics. New high-loft versions have achieved the highest warmth-to-weight ratio of any Polartec fabric has ever offered. Polartec Thermal Pro is highly breathable, quick drying and many styles* are now available with a DWR (durable water repellent) finish that sheds light rain and snow.
  • Ultimate warmth with low weight
  • Highly breathable
  • Versatile
  • Dries quickly
  • Machine washable

Polartec Wind Pro

fabrics are extremely breathable yet provide 4 times more wind resistance than traditional fleece. Seen as the new 'super fleece', Wind Pro performs as both outwear and insulation; offering exceptional durability. Polartec Wind Pro is a versatile fabric that can be worn all year long for an array of activities, from going to a football game to snowshoeing.
  • Warmth without weight
  • 4 times more wind resistance than traditional fleece
  • Highly breathable
  • Water repellent
  • Machine washable

Polartec Eco Engineering

- Polartec is the world leader in high-performance, eco friendly fabrics. Their fabrics are highly technical and make no sacrifice on performance- all while reducing the environmental impact of each garment.
  • Available in a wide range of fabrics from next-to-skin, to insulation to outerwear
  • Recycled fibres in the construction of these fabrics reduces the burden on our landfills and natural resources
Back to top

HyVent®

: A superior, waterproof, breathable technology utilizing a polyurethane (PU) coating that consists of a tri-component mutli-layer formula for waterproof protection, moisture permeability and durability. This technology has been lab tested in The North Face® Quality Assurance lab to ensure the best possible durability and function while also maintaining a comfortable level of breathability
In addition to lab testing, HyVent® garments have also been heavily field-tested. The North Face athlete Rick Armstrong, a skier and mountaineer who have many first descents, said, "This technology keeps me out in the storms, catching the best snow long after most people have gone inside. It's just as good-if not better-than anything else on the market."
Athlete tested, expedition proven, best in outdoor gear and apparel. The North Face

Summit Series

represents the ultimate in achievement, in both product design and athletic accomplishment. Summit Series products are built on a foundation of technical superiority, from research and design, to fabric and hardware selection, to integration and construction. The end result is gear and apparel designed to withstand the planets harshest environments and proven use on myriad quests undertaken by North face athletes.

WindWall® fabric

is a proprietary wind-resistant fleece from The North Face®. WindWall® utilizes a unique fabric-bonding process that allows a limited degree of external air permeability, thereby drastically reducing the effects of wind chill and enhancing the user's warmth and comfort.
WindWall® 1 fabric has a mesh liner and WindWall™ 2 fabric has a grid fleece liner for even greater insulation.
A soft shell technology breakthrough.

Apex

is a signature material, researched and developed exclusively by The North Face. Apex makes the fleece/shell combination possible through its proprietary blend of characteristics.
Apex garments are built for warmth. The tightly woven fabric face creates a hard barrier to the elements of cold weather, while the soft-brushed interior allows for a soft warm-next-to-skin feel. The brushed interior also promotes a microclimate, allowing for superior moisture management and continued climate control.
Apex technology is built to stretch for comfort and mobility and is treated with a Durable Water Resistant (DWR) finish to increase water shed. All Apex garments keep you dry in a thick fog or light rain environment.

TNF™ Apex Aerobic

fabric denotes the lightest weight and most breathable of Apex garments. It offers the greatest stretch and mobility, making it ideal for running, cycling, and other highly mobile, aerobic activities.
  • Weight Range: 4 - 7 oz
  • Usage: High levels of extended aerobic activity (running, biking, climbing) in mild winter and spring conditions

TNF™ Apex Universal

is the most versatile of the Apex fabrics. With enhanced stretch it is both breathable and water resistant, making it ideal for a wide range of activities and weather conditions.
  • Weight Range: 8 - 11 oz
  • Usage: Medium levels of aerobic activity (hiking, biking, climbing, skiing, snowboarding) in moderate winter conditions

Apex ClimateBlock

is the most protective Apex fabric. Virtually waterproof and windproof, the fabric also maintains a comfortable level of breathability. Apex ClimateBlock is ideal for trekking, skiing, and snowshoeing in challenging, inclement weather conditions.
  • Weight Range: 11 - 14 oz
  • Usage: Mild levels of aerobic activity (hiking, skiing, snowboarding) or for use in more severe winter conditions

TKA range

(Thermal Kinetic Advancement) Fleece are proprietary fabrics created by The North Face with superior insulation and wear-resistance. There are three different weights of TKA fleece offered throughout the products, and a TKA Superstretch fabric that excels in aerobic activities.
Apex technology is built to stretch for comfort and mobility and is treated with a Durable Water Resistant (DWR) finish to increase water shed. All Apex garments keep you dry in a thick fog or light rain environment.

TKA 100

is a lightweight, high-performance microfiber fleece with a luxurious finish. TKA micro-fleece provides warmth next to the skin or in a layering system. This 100 percent polyester fabric is engineered to be both durable and resistant to pilling. It offers warmth when wet, launders well, compresses to a small size, and packs easily.

TKA 200

- a midweight fleece ideally suited to function as a mid-layer. This 100 percent polyester, pill-resistant fabric is warm and breathable and has a great warmth-to-weight ratio.

TKA 300

- a mid to heavyweight, high performance, pill-resistant fleece. It can be worn as a layering piece or by itself as a warm, casual outer layer; a great alternative to a cotton sweatshirt.

TKA Superstretch

features a supple, four-way-stretch fabric that delivers exceptional breathability and comfort. The soft, brushed inner surface aids in the fabric's moisture control and prevents chaffing, while the polyester and spandex construction contributes to a conforming, supportive fit. TKA Superstretch is ideal as a layering piece in cool-to-cold conditions, or may be worn by itself as an aerobic outer layer.

Flight Series

- Primaloft is a patented ultrafine microfibre blend that is incredibly soft, lightweight and water repellent. PrimaLoft synthetic insulation absorbs three times less water, is 15% warmer when dry and is 24% warmer when wet than the closest competitive insulation. In addition to these impressive thermal properties, Primaloft is lightweight with a down-like softness that adds comfort and appeal.
The

RECCO®

avalanche rescue system is an electronic system, making it possible to quickly locate an avalanche victim.

Cordura®

is a fabric resistant to abrasions, tears and scuffs.

Down Fill

- The North Face use only the highest quality Hungarian goose down in all of their products, each lot of down is thoroughly tested at three stages of production for loftiness, moisture resistance, and ability to regain loft after compression. The fill power of goose down is an indicator of two important features: warmth-to-weight ratio and compressibility; both critical to retain warmth and furnish comfort. True fill power is measured by placing one ounce of goose down in a graduated cylinder and measuring the volume the down occupies in cubic inches. The North Face products are insulated with exclusive, high-fill power goose down ranging from 550 to 900 fill, which represents the highest-quality down commercially available.

900 Fill Down

- Highest quality down commercially available. One ounce of this down expands to fill a volume of 900 cubic inches - the highest volume available. The lightest and most compressible down with the best warmth-to-weight ratio, 900 fill down is exclusive to The North Face.

800+ Fill Down

- Outstanding warmth in a lightweight package with a high cluster-to-feather ratio. Increased loft than lesser fill downs, and added compressibility for superior warmth and performance.

700 Fill Down

- Superior insulation in a lightweight design for bitterly cold excursions.

600 Fill Down

- Strong warmth-to-weight ratio providing lightweight insulation across a range of temperatures.

550 Fill Down

- Lightweight insulation with a high weight-to-warmth ratio.

Primaloft

is a patented ultrafine microfibre blend that is incredibly soft, lightweight and water repellent. PrimaLoft synthetic insulation absorbs three times less water, is 15% warmer when dry and is 24% warmer when wet than the closest competitive insulation. In addition to these impressive thermal properties, Primaloft is lightweight with a down-like softness that adds comfort and appeal.
Back to top

Other technology

Rip-stop nylon

is a light-weight nylon fabric with inter-woven ripstop reinforcement threads in a crosshatch pattern.The material comes in many different colours and sizes, including thickness. It is woven with coarse, strong warp and filling yarns spaced at intervals so that if it tears it will not spread.

DWR (Durable Water Repellent)

is a coating added to fabrics at the factory to make them water-resistant (or hydrophobic). Often Fluor polymer based, durable water repellents are commonly used in conjunction with waterproof breathable fabrics such as Gore-Tex fabric to prevent the outer layer of fabric from becoming saturated with water. This saturation, called 'wetting out,' can reduce the garment's breathability (moisture transport through the breathable membrane). As the DWR helps maintain the breathable nature of the outerwear, periodic DWR re-treatment is recommended during the garment's life. Many off-the-shelf spray-on and wash-in treatments may be purchased such as Grangers, Nikwax,

Pertex

is a versatile, wind resistant, durable wicking fabric with more breathing ability than waterproof membranes. It is typically found in down jackets and sleeping bags.The breathability of Pertex comes from the fabrics use of capillary action using denier gradients. Pertex combines two yarns with different properties. The inner yarn has larger filaments and outer yarn has smaller filaments. Capillary action moves moisture from larger filaments to smaller filaments without passing through the air.
Imagine a bundle of very fine fibres next to an equal weight bundle of thicker fibres. The same weight of material can make more thin fibres than an equal amount of thick fibres, thus there are more thin fibres on the outer side (and a tighter weave) than there are thick fibres on the inside. The bundle of finer fibres has greater surface over which moisture can spread - so they will evaporate moisture more quickly. The moisture from the inside is directed to the thinner fibres from thicker fibres by, again, capillary action. The driving force behind all this is the temperature difference between your own body heat on the inside and the air temperature on the outside.
Pertex is windproof because of the tight weave of the outer surface. The breathing ability of the fabric is not based on air passing through the weave of the fabric, but by moisture absorbed in the inner yarn passed to the outer yarn (which passes from the outer yarn to the outside air). Adding a waterproof coating would trap the moisture in the yarn, instead of letting it pass through the yarn and evaporate into the air.

Pertex MicroLight

is a 30 denier microfiber nylon weighing 1.3 oz per square yd. Due to the combination of micro fine filament yarns and extremely close weave, Pertex fabrics are inherently highly windproof and are calendered to make them down proof, providing a total barrier to penetration by insulation fibres. The fabric's high density weave enhances insulation by trapping more air and because Pertex is so lightweight and low in bulk, the loft of the insulating material is maintained. The secret property that makes Pertex unique is its ability to disperse water. Where most nylon fabrics wick moisture directly through the weave, Pertex actually spreads it over a broad area by capillary action. Moisture therefore evaporates more rapidly. This remarkable property makes Pertex the moisture management fabric.
Back to top
Recently viewed items
Women's Resolve Jacket
Women's Nuptse 2 Vest
Padded Pump Sports Bra
Shock Absorber Max Sports Bra
Run Sports Bra
Tactel Walker Socks
Women's 2 Pair Flexi Walking Socks
Women's Navigator Cargo Trousers