It’s an age old question that has obviously haunted everyone; keeping men and women alike awake at some point in their lives. ‘If I could only have one, what would the ultimate men’s scarf be like?’ Now a question of this magnitude needs breaking down into smaller pieces or else we will be swamped up in the complexities that surround it.

To being with, we need to consider what exactly a scarf needs to do. In the simplest terms the men’s scarf hangs around the neck in order to keep the cold out. However, this can get quite tricky as there is the potential for an item solely intent on banishing every last goose-bump to turn into a yoke with the weight of the material involved. On the other hand, a scarf created for lightness will be far too small and thin to be of much use, so a compromise must be made between comfort, insulation and size in order to achieve success.

In order to achieve the maximum flexibility for the ultimate men’s scarf, the size must allow it to be large enough to fold over the width in half and still be able to wrap round your neck twice, covering it completely (If you are looking for exact measurements, a minimum of 150x25cm should see you through). This gives you enough material to play with the ability to tie it into different knots and shapes for whatever you require; thin or thick, draped or tight, tied or wrapped.

Now comes the tricky bit – deciding what material the ultimate men’s scarf should be made out of in order to look good, keep you warm, and not be too heavy. Personally, I champion natural fibres over synthetic – while they may need more looking after they are softer, breathable and with a look and feel that is inherently far more luxurious than any possible acrylic or polyester blend.

Wool is a very good insulator – it traps the air between the fibres well and provides a good block from the wind. This is something that cotton and linen fail to do well at all, for they are too light to keep you warm enough for the winter; for a practical example, how many good linen and purely cotton winter coats do you own and how thick and heavy are they because of it? Similarly, while silk scarves are very good for mild temperatures – keeping you cool when it is hot and vice versa, when the temperature really drops it does not do very well. Nonetheless, there are lots of different types of wool, with varying thickness of fibres which, as you might expect, drastically affects the weight.

The thinner the individual strand, the lighter the overall men’s scarf will be, while still retaining the warmth necessary to keep out the cold. This is all backed up by science too. Cashmere with a good insulating density weighs around 200 grams per square metre, where to achieve the same thermal properties you are looking at 350 gsm for wool and about 300 for merino wool. The unexpected benefit of having such thin fibre is that it not only increases the comfort by reducing the overall weight, but it proportionately increases the overall softness of any woven piece too. While I don’t like to admit it, the neck is quite a sensitive area; and I doubt anyone would pick an ultimate men’s scarf that was scratchy and irritating.

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