LAYER 1: BASE LAYER: MOISTURE MANAGEMENT

A Base Layer is the first layer (Layer 1) of clothing to touch your skin, whether that be a lifestyle choice i.e. cotton or an active choice requiring a technically advanced fabric that works in harmony with your body and wick's, breathe's and help's regulate your body's climate.

RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT:

In addition to our cotton lifestyle base layers we are currently developing a new technical base layer manufactured in Europe from Schoeller and Sofileta fabrics. Both fabric manufacturers are two of the best on the planet and world renowned for luxury high performance fabrics. 

So what is a Technical Base Layer?

PERFORMANCE:

A performance base is designed to work for you during physical activity and is a layer of clothing that sits closest to your skin, almost acting as a 'Second Skin' and helps keep you warm or cool, insulating and regulating your bodies climate dependant on the varying environmental conditions. It is usually worn under other layers of clothing and in cooler conditions helps to trap warm air generated from your body maintaining your body's heat. The technically advanced fabrics 7L use wick sweat and evaporate any moisture, helping you stay warm, dry and comfortable. The base layer is engineered to help reduce shivering after vigours exercise.

LIFESTYLE:

Our current lifestyle base layers are manufactured from cotton and organic cotton's are not intended to perform like our technical designs although some of the fabrics used and manufacturing techniques employed, are technically advanced. 7L source some of the best sustainable fabrics from around the world including 100% Organic Cotton products from North America, Australia and Portugal. Not normally associated with performance garments, new performance technology is enhancing cotton’s natural properties.

Recommendation:

A 7L technical base layer can be used for various activities including but not limited to gym workouts, walking, running, hiking, trekking, climbing and mixed martial arts.

LAYER 2 IS NORMALLY WORN BETWEEN THE BASE LAYER AND THE PROTECTIVE SHELL (LAYER 6) . THE PERFECT MID LAYER TRANSPORTS THE MOISTURE FURTHER AWAY FROM LAYER 1 WHILE KEEPING THE BODY HEAT SO YOU WONT GET COLD. IT SHOULD PROVIDE LIGHT INSULATION IN MILD COLD AND AN ADDITIONAL LAYER OF PROTECTION IN FRIGID CONDITIONS. IT’S NORMALLY DESIGNED AND MANUFACTURED FROM A FLEECE TYPE FABRIC MADE BY POLARTEC®.

IT SHOULD BE DESIGNED WITH THERMAL EFFICIENCY IN MIND WITH LIGHTWEIGHT BREATHABLE MATERIALS THAT ARE ALSO QUICK DRYING. A SYNTHETIC JACKET HERE IS IDEAL, AS INSULATED JACKETS ARE ABLE TO RETAIN HEAT EVEN WHEN WET.

OUR LIFESTYLE RANGE OFFERS MIDLAYER SHIRTS THAT YOU CAN WEAR OVER YOUR BASE LAYER T-SHIRT. THEY ALL HAVE TECHNICAL CAPABILITIES WHETHER THAT BE WICKING OR WATER REPELLENCY. SOME OF OUR MID LAYER OVERSHIRTS SUCH AS THE STRETCH SHIRT ALSO HAVE COOLMAX TECHNOLOGY WHICH HELP KEEP YOU COOL IN WARM CONDITIONS. 

SOMETIMES CALLED THE INSULATION LAYER, WE CALL OURS THE THERMAL LAYER. THIS LAYER USUALLY PROVIDES YOU WITH WARMTH WHICH YOU CAN ADD OVER YOUR BASE LAYERS AND UNDER YOUR FIELD LAYER. USUALLY, YOUR THERMAL LAYER IS EITHER A JUMPER, FLEECE OR AN INSULATED JACKET. FLEECES ARE AVAILABLE IN DIFFERENT THICKNESSES AND ARE QUICK-DRYING AND BREATHABLE, OFFERING WARMTH BY RETAINING HEAT AND REMOVING MOISTURE. DOWN INSULATED JACKETS ARE PACKABLE WITH AN EXCELLENT WARMTH-TO-WEIGHT RATIO, WHEREAS SYNTHETIC INSULATED JACKETS ARE ABLE TO RETAIN HEAT EVEN WHEN WET.

FOR ACTIVE OUTDOOR PURSUITS, IT’S BEST TO AVOID COTTON MID-LAYERS, AS THEY WILL RETAIN MOISTURE WHICH CAN LEAD TO YOU GETTING COLD. THE MOST IMPORTANT CONSIDERATION IS TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT LEVEL OF WARMTH TO SUIT YOUR ACTIVITY AND WEATHER CONDITIONS.

IN MILDER CONDITIONS, YOU MAY NOT NEED ANYTHING ON TOP OF YOUR MID LAYER, BUT WHEN THE WEATHER CLOSES IN, AN OUTER SHELL WILL BE NECESSARY.

Wind / Cold Weather Jacket Waterproof and Windproof Layer

Our Layer 4 is primarily a wind layer built for stormy light wet condi- tions. Its primary purpose is not to provide temperature protection, but cover from the wind and rain when the weather turns foul. In the military a nylon is normally used such as a 3L Waterproof but as 7L (Fashion with function) we manufacture from various fabrics and materials including cot- ton, nylon, polyester etc. with fabric makeups featuring water-resistant finishes to keep the wearer dry. It is lightweight and packs easily.

Sometimes called the insulation layer, we call our the Thermal Layer. This Layer usually provides you with warmth which you can add over your base layers and under your field layer. Usually, your thermal layer is either a jumper, fleece or an insulated jacket.

Fleeces are available in different thicknesses and are quick-drying and breathable, offering warmth by retaining heat and removing moisture. Down insulated jackets are packable with an excellent warmth-to-weight ratio, whereas synthetic insulated jackets are able to retain heat even when wet.

For active outdoor pursuits, It’s best to avoid cotton mid-layers, as they will retain moisture which can lead to you getting cold. The most important consideration is to choose the right level of warmth to suit your activity and weather conditions.

In milder conditions, you may not need anything on top of your mid layer, but when the weather closes in, an outer shell will be necessary.

Our Layer 6 waterproof outer shell’s are designed for non-freezing temper- atures. Their dual-layer, seam-taped (sealed) fabric offers elite weath- er protection. Our new lightweight and durable 3L Waterproof Outer (WPO) is manufactured from 100% Japanese recycled polyester and a recycled hy- drophilic monolithic membrane. The outer fabric specification includes a non-fluorinated durable water repellant finish (environmentally friendly) with a hydrostatic head of 20,000mm waterproofness and a Moisture Vapour Transmission rate of 20,000g per metre squared every 24 hours.

We say a garment is not fully waterproof unless it is seam taped on the in- side. Seam taping enhances the waterproof protection as conventional needle stitching leaves tiny holes through which water can seep when worn in wet conditions. Our WPO comes fully bonded and seam taped with YKK Aquaguard® water resistant matt film reverse coil zips.

The Layer 7 parka’s are for the most extreme, Arctic-like conditions. Rat- ed to -40°F, these garments help to keep the wearer warm and safe when tem- peratures are well below zero. Layer 7 is worn with other layers to offer maximum insulation and protection from dangerously low temperatures. To prevent overheating, these garments should not be worn during strenuous ac- tivity but the down and membrane do allow for the transfer of body heat.