If you routinely come back from spring runs or bike rides feeling chilled by sweat and the weather, your gear could be to blame. Hikers and snow bunnies must already know these tricks after one day on the mountain with soaked cotton clothes or a vicious chill. Clothes you can get away with in the gym are not necessarily the best for outdoor workouts, especially given the key to great outdoor winter gear is the fabric and fit. Certain trademarked fibers, like Thermolite and Lyrca, are ubiquitous in active wear, while Gore-Tex and others are a little more exclusive but equally indispensable. Still, others, like Voormi, use unique wefts or materials.

Invista is the company behind Thermolite, Lycra, and Coolmax trademarked fibers, among others. Gary Lucier, Director of Invista Outdoor North America, was kind enough to talk with us about how they stay ahead of the competition.

“The end uses of our products span an enormous array of products to include active wear, outerwear, sleeping bags, and accessories,” said Lucier. Variety is the spice of life. The company doesn’t play favorites with brands because such a vast number use their fibers. Invista announced a new addition to its stable in January, Thermolite Infrared, which uses near-infrared (NIR) yarns to absorb heat from the sun and artificial light. Hollow fibers help with insulation, and the result is a very warm and lightweight coat without the need for down.

The NIR effect will last the lifetime of the fabric, too, and the high-performance technical fiber will be integrated into performance fabrics. More uses for Thermolite Infrared will be announced later this year, but it’ll be a couple years before the products begin to hit store shelves. The first applications will be for the outdoors, like in jackets and sleeping bags.

Trademarked fibers are still good quality indicator in the meantime, but failing that, look for polyester blends of decent quality so that the garment will survive. If you want to stay natural, try rayon-viscose jersey, which is made from bamboo. Merino wool is another tried-and-true favorite. Lastly, silk is one of the best natural options because it’s breathable, warm, dries quickly, and comes in a variety of weights.

The activity will determine a few pieces of specialized gear, however. Cyclists will need a helmet and probably some shoe covers if it’s really wet out, for instance, while runners might want nipple tape and some proper running shoes. Blanket advice still applies; take wind chill into account, dress to heat up, and forget the cotton. The trick is to anticipate temperature changes and layer up during winter and spring.