Record-breaking temperatures continue unabated, offering a glimpse of what the climate might be like in a few decades’ time. The increasing frequency and intensity of heatwaves could also have an impact on our wardrobes, with some fabrics better suited to high temperatures than others. Researchers are even working on new fabrics with cooling properties.

Engineers at Zhengzhou University, China, and the University of South Australia (UniSA) have developed a textile that acts as a heat shield. Its complex structure reflects sunlight while dissipating heat, thanks to a process known as radiative cooling.

This technology involves the use of materials capable of emitting heat into the atmosphere and beyond, into space. “Unlike conventional fabrics that retain heat, these textiles are made of three layers that are engineered to optimize cooling,” explains UniSA visiting researcher Yangzhe Hou, quoted in a news release.

The fabric that Hou and colleagues have designed is made up of three specific layers: a polymethylpentene fiber on the surface to maximize heat dissipation, an intermediate layer of silver nanowires to reflect the sun’s rays, and finally a third layer of wool to direct heat from the body.

In their paper, published in Science Bulletin, the researchers explain that this textile is far more cooling than traditional fabrics. “In our experiment, when placed vertically, the fabric was found to be 2.3°C cooler than traditional textiles, and up to 6.2°C cooler than the surrounding environment when used as a horizontal surface covering,” explains Hou. The researcher continues: “The fabric’s ability to passively reduce temperatures offers a sustainable alternative to conventional air conditioning, providing energy savings and reducing the strain on power grids during heatwaves.”

This textile could be used as a basis for clothing, but also as a coating for the buildings of tomorrow. However, the manufacturing process is very costly, and this is likely to have an impact on its sale price. “Whether consumers are willing to pay more for wearable fabrics depend on the cooling effect, durability, comfort and their environmental awareness,” the researchers say.

This isn’t the first time engineers have developed cooling materials based on the process of radiative cooling. In August, researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst announced that they had created one such textile based on chalk.