Streetwear is Obsessed With Thermosensitive Fabrics, Here’s Everything You Need to Know

Thermosensitive jackets and sweaters are some of the most sought-after items in streetwear right now. With the release of their sold-out puffer jacket, brands such as Mertra have put a fresh lens on the style, but the history of the fabric actually dates back to 1989 and another textiles legend.

Stone Island developed and released the first thermosensitive jacket to the world with their 754402 Nylon Ripstop AW ‘988-‘989 jacket. The brand went on to release seven thermo-sensitive pieces over the next few decades, and the most popular item was the 6715547B4 Ice Knit Crew Neck AW ‘017-‘018 (USD$2,000). This sweater pushed the technology forward by experimenting with a double-knit construction where the outer face is made from a thermo-sensitive yarn that changes colour when exposed to cold, and the inner is pure wool. It remains the most impressive thermosensitive piece ever made, with colours that transform from yellow to orange, emerald to military green, and ivory to anthracite.

Heat-reactive fabrics are uncommon, and the jackets, knits, and sweaters constructed from them are highly sought-after. We’ve seen designer labels like Acne Studios jump on the trend in recent years with the release of their Heat Reactive Jacket (#C90122-CL5). However, the heart and soul of the fabric technology lies with modern streetwear brands like Stone Island, Mertra, and Palace.

We rarely see a piece of clothing react with the wearer, but that’s exactly what thermosensitive fabrics do, and it’s why they’ve become so popular in the social media age.

While construction methods can vary between brands, Stone Island makes its shell jackets from a two-layer bonded polyurethane, where the colour-changing magic lies in the micro-encapsulated reactive pigments that change based on heat. Meanwhile, the brand’s knit sweaters use a similar pigment, but in the form of a double knit construction where the outer face is made in an exclusive thermo-sensitive yarn that changes colour when exposed to the cold (not heat).

The benefit of a reactive pigment that reacts to cold, rather than heat, is that your armpits don’t change colour before the rest of your sweater.

If you want to pick up a heat-reactive jacket or sweater, then you only have a few options. Stone Island has released a handful of pieces over the years, but they’re hard to find as they were released in extremely limited numbers.

Streetwear brands such as Palace and Carpet Company have released shell jackets, hoodies, and tees made from heat-reactive materials over the years, but again, they’re very hard to come by. More recently, Australian streetwear brand Mertra became famous online for its Heat Reactive Puffer (Army). However, it sold out immediately and can only be found on resale websites such as eBay.

The best chance to score a heat-reactive jacket is by following Metra’s social media pages. Alternatively, you can opt for a designer label such as Acne Studios or lesser-known brands such as Purple Mountain Observatory, whose Heatreactive Breeze Jacket is currently in stock at the time of publishing. Happy reacting!