This summer is predicted to be hotter than normal, so you may want to stock up on cooling clothing for when you're outdoors, sleeping or if you don't have air conditioning. Cooling clothing often has properties like temperature regulation and is made from specific cooling fabrics to help you stay sweat-free even when the sun is beating down. These items can also be helpful if you're working out in the heat.
How do cooling clothes work?
Your body temperature going down is what gives you the sensation of feeling cool. For clothing to be effectively cooling, the fabric must have properties that work together with the body to help dissipate heat and promote airflow.
Air permeability
Ventilated, flowy and breathable clothing allows for more air to pass through, and helps prevent heat or perspiration from being trapped against the skin. Less breathable fabrics like polyester or wool, on the other hand, can keep body heat confined between your body and the material and make you feel even more sweaty.
Moisture-wicking
Perspiration can be annoying but it's our body's way of regulating temperature. Moisture-wicking fabrics quickly absorb your body's sweat and then help it evaporate away. The secret is in hydrophilic and hydrophobic fibers. Hydrophilic fibers absorb sweat from the skin, evenly dispersing it across the fabric. Hydrophobic fibers keep out moisture and help fabric quickly dry.
Temperature regulation
Thermoregulation is how humans maintain their body temperature, and there are four different ways to transfer heat. If the fabric of your clothes is effective at any of these four methods, it can help keep you cooler.
Thermal conductivity relates to the measure of how well materials transfer heat from one side to the other. Every material has a thermal conductivity, and the higher it is, the more cooling the material will be.
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