Apparel That’s Purpose Built to Keep People Cool The global heat waves that have burned through July and August have been a motivation to add products with cooling properties to collections.Here we look at new, as well as tried-and-true technologies that any brand can add to offer greater value. Download PDF Login to read about these Top PRODUCT INNOVATIONS & DEVELOPMENTS.Keep Cool ClothingTeijin (Japan) has taken their concept of adding fans to apparel one step further. Originally Teijin partnered with textile trading company Chikuma & Co. and power tool manufacturer Makita Corp. to begin sales of workwear garments with built-in fans in 2018. Teijin is now parlaying that technology into garments for activewear and maternity wear. The three companies plan to test-market everyday apparel with fans including vests and jackets beginning this summer, before officially launching the items next year.What Makes It DifferentWhile most clothes incorporating electronic fans require sleeves and hems to be closed to stop cool air from leaking out, Teijin's new vests and jackets, among other items, are made of a synthetic fiber that allows the wearer to enjoy the full use of a fan without being fully zipped up.The clothes are made of a double-layered material that controls airflow, with an outlet in the inner lining that prevents cool air from escaping. The clothes, including fans and batteries, are expected to cost $180 to $270 per item.A Simple Shirt with Advanced Cooling PropertiesActiCool (Canada) is a proprietary fabric designed to battle heat conditions for any occasion: work, leisure, or sports. The fabrics are very comfortable and soft to the touch.How It WorksUsing a blend of proprietary hydrophilic fibers in its multilayered yarn, moisture is wicked away from the skin and dispersed throughout the yarn before evaporating. This creates a cooling effect, reducing humidity next to the body, keeping the wearer dry.The cooling effect, which the company says can reduce core body temperature by up to 3°F, is achieved without using chemicals and won’t wash away when laundered.ActiCool was originally designed to keep law enforcement and military personnel cool under their body armour. More recently, the shirts have been used in industrial settings as a means to keep working personnel cool and comfortable. The shirts retail for CAD$35.Arctic ChillArcticCool (USA) has developed shirts that use their proprietary HydroFreeze X technology, a moisture-management system that disperses moisture and optimizes the natural evaporative cooling process.How It WorksThe company’s Vortex Vented technology uses micro vents in the fabric to allow cool air to enter the garment and surround the wearer. HydroFreeze X technology enhances moisture wicking creating a cool, dry sensation.Made from fabric that’s fast-drying, soft, and cool, these shirts feature a trim athletic cut for optimum mobility and stretch.Stay ChillChill Pal cooling band from Go Active Lifestyles LLC (USA) is a gaiter that offers wearer-tested cooling power.How It WorksThe soft, breathable fabric cools when you wet it, wring it out, and snap it—and then it stays cold for up to two hours.It can be worn 12 ways including as a neck gaiter, balaclava, headband, bandana, face cover, hair cover, full ninja cover, a dew rag and many other variations. It’s particularly effective when worn on the neck, since it’s one of the body’s quick-cooling spots. In a 2019 collection of 45 studies, external cooling of the neck, torso, and face proved to be the most beneficial for aerobic performance with a moderate to large effect.Mission: Keep CoolMission (USA) combines hydroactive (wet-to-dry) technology to enhance the natural process of moisture evaporation, along with vaporactive heat releases technology. Together, these technologies increase the ability of apparel to keep the wearer cool and dry, without using chemical treatments on the garment.The garments are said to cool up to 30 degrees below average body temperature. The range includes headbands, gaiters, towels and underwear.