Air-Conditioned Clothing Becomes the Latest Way to Beat the Heat
Sales of jackets and vests with built-in fans are climbing as more places endure stifling temperatures.
A fan-cooled vest by Chikuma.
Source: Teijin Ltd.
When temperatures rise, it’s not unusual to turn on a fan and enjoy its cooling breeze. Dozens of Japanese companies (and a handful from elsewhere) are taking that idea to a new level, putting fans into clothing to help laborers, athletes, and—increasingly—everyone else stay comfortable as climate change sends the mercury soaring.
Jackets and vests with the cooling technology, used for years by Japanese construction workers, are being redesigned as casual wear and marketed to general consumers as heat waves grow more frequent and intense. Although often dubbed “air-conditioned clothing,” that’s something of a misnomer, because there’s usually only a fan and nothing to actually cool the air. Hundreds of such garments are available online starting as low as $20 and climbing into the hundreds of dollars. While much of it is workwear, there’s no shortage of more stylish offerings.