New cosy clothes inspired by polar bear fur

The fibre mimics the structure of a polar bear's fur

Have you ever wondered how polar bears keep warm even in the coldest conditions?

Well, scientists have been studying how they do it and have come up with a new fibre inspired by their dense fur.

They say it can be used in jumpers to help protect us from the extreme cold.

Researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences say the fibre is washable and doesn't need to be as thick as other materials to keep you warm.

Scientists made a sweater out of the fibre and it provided the same insulation as one which was five times as thick

The fibre is made from aerogel - which is a material made by creating a gel and removing all the liquid.

Scientists say the fibre could be used in clothing to make a lightweight material which can keep you warm in some of the coldest conditions.

Polar bears have thick fur which helps them to keep warm and dry even in the Arctic.

But their fur doesn't just need to keep them warm, they can reach speeds of up to 25 mph (40kph) when running after prey, so it also needs to be strong and flexible.

Polar bear's fur has a shell structure, this is something scientists tried to replicate in the new fibre, giving it a stretchable rubber layer.

This means that it can hold up to being washed, dyed and being used for knitting and weaving.

When testing the fibre, scientists made a thin sweater and found that it managed to hold as much heat as a down jacket which was five-times as thick.

Researchers also tested how well the fibre coped with strain, they found even when it was stretched to twice its length 10,000 times it didn't change its structure or shape.