Silk, viscose, cotton or wool: which scarf for which season

Fabric decides how a scarf feels, how it drapes and how warm it is, more than the print does. Here is what each one is good at and when to reach for it. You can filter the whole collection by fabric from any listing page.

Silk

Light, cool against the skin and with a soft sheen that catches light. Silk knots small and slides into a neat French knot; it's the fabric for a square at the neck or an oblong under a blazer. It's warm for its weight, so a silk scarf works in spring and autumn and indoors all year. Dry clean, or hand wash cold if the label allows. Expect it to crease; a cool iron on the reverse brings it back. Silk scarves.

Viscose (rayon)

Made from wood pulp, viscose drapes like silk, breathes like cotton and costs a fraction of either. It takes print beautifully, which is why so many of our patterned oblongs are viscose. It has a little more grip than silk, so headbands and bandanas stay put. Wears from early spring to late autumn. Hand wash cold and lay flat; it weakens when wet, so don't wring it. Viscose scarves.

Cotton

Matte, soft and the easiest to live with. Cotton scarves are for warm weather: a loose drape on a bare neck, a bandana, a belt over a dress. They soften with washing. Machine washable on gentle in most cases, though lay flat to dry to keep the shape. Cotton scarves.

Wool

The winter fabric, and the warmest here. Our wool scarves are mostly light weaves and knits rather than heavy coat-weight pieces, so they wrap twice without bulk. Wear from the first cold morning through March. Dry clean, or hand wash cool with wool detergent, press out water in a towel and dry flat, never hanging. Wool scarves.

Acrylic and knits

Warm, soft and machine washable, acrylic knits are the practical winter choice when wool feels like too much care. They can pill with heavy wear; a fabric comb fixes that. Acrylic · Knit.

Polyester

Holds color and shape, resists creasing and dries fast. Polyester chiffons and satins give you the look of silk at the lowest price and shrug off travel. Hand or machine wash cool. Polyester scarves.

By season, at a glance

• Spring: silk, viscose, light cotton.
• Summer: cotton, viscose, polyester chiffon.
• Autumn: silk, viscose, light wool.
• Winter: wool, acrylic knits.

Telling them apart in the hand

Silk is cool and smooth, with a faint rustle. Viscose is smooth but warmer and heavier for its thickness. Cotton is matte and dry. Polyester feels slightly slick and springs back from a crease. Wool is warm instantly and has a little loft.