A protective hood for use by a firefighter or other emergency worker. The hood includes a crown portion to cover the top of a wearer's head, the crown portion being made from a material having a primary stretch direction oriented to extend in a transverse, ear-to-ear, direction across the top of a wearer's head; and a lower portion that extends downward from the crown portion, the lower portion being made from a material having a primary stretch direction oriented to extend in a circumferential direction around a wearer's head.