Interactive thermal insulating system having a layer treated with a coating of energy absorbing phase change material adjacent a layer of fibers containing energy absorbing phase change material

An interactive thermal insulating system of the present invention includes at least three layers. The first layer is a high density layer comprising a substrate is coated with a polymer binder in which a plurality of microspheres containing a phase change material are dispersed. The second layer is a low density fibrous mesh in which individual fibers contain a plurality of microspheres containing a phase change material dispersed therein. A third layer is a flexible substrate. The fibrous mesh is sandwiched between the coated layer and the third layer. The layers are bonded together by stitching at regular intervals, lamination, or other methods of connection. Most preferably, the phase change materials contained in the microspheres include paraffinic hydrocarbons.