Cool the person, not the room.
What is cooling clothing?
Cooling clothing helps your body lose heat. It works in three ways: water that evaporates, packs that melt slowly, or fans that move air over your skin. Each technique has a limit, and the weather decides which one suits you.
How cooling clothing works: three techniques
Gløde sells no cooling products yet. This page explains the types. It is not a test.
Evaporation
The fabric stores water. As the water evaporates, it takes heat with it. Light, no electricity, easy to wet again. The limit: in humid air less water evaporates, so the effect drops.
PCM packs
Packs with a phase-change material that melts at a set temperature, usually well above freezing. While melting, they take up body heat. They work in humid air too. The limit: a set often lasts about 2 to 4 hours, then needs a fridge, freezer or ice water.
Fans
Small battery-powered fans blow outside air through the garment. Moving air helps sweat evaporate, and that is what cools. The limits: very humid air, and air hotter than your skin, which brings heat along.
| Technique | Needs | In humid air | Honest limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Evaporation | Water | Weaker | Needs dry air and some airflow |
| PCM packs | A fridge, freezer or ice water | Works | Often 2 to 4 hours per set; adds weight |
| Fans | A battery | Weaker | Hot air above skin temperature, about 35 °C |
On fans, public bodies draw the line differently: UK guidance says to use electric fans below 35 °C, the WHO says below 40 °C. Cooling clothing is an extra next to shade, water and breaks.
All our cooling guides
Cooling vests
Evaporative, PCM or fan: the three types side by side. Cooling vests compared
Fan vests and fan jackets
Built-in fans: how the air flows, and when it stops helping. Fan vests and jackets compared
Neck fans and neck coolers
A fan moves air. A cold plate cools the skin it touches. Neck fans and neck coolers compared
Neck cooler with heating
A Peltier plate cools in summer and warms in winter. It works in humid air too. Neck cooler with heating
On the motorcycle
Which cooling type still makes sense under a riding jacket. Cooling vests for motorcycling
Helmet cooling
For hard hats, motorcycle and cycle helmets. Check first what the helmet maker allows. Helmet cooling compared
Sleeping cool
Cooling pillows, summer bedding and bed fans for warm nights. Sleeping cool: the options compared
Portable fans
Rechargeable fans for desk, garden and tent. Portable fans compared
Cooling accessories
Caps, towels, scarves and arm sleeves. Cooling accessories compared
Also cool: the heated and cooled car seat cushion, the heated and cooling office chair cushion and cooling mats for dogs.
For companies
Cooling vests for work
Kitchens, construction and industry: which vest type suits which workplace. Cooling vests for work
Working in heat: the rules
What the rules in the UK and Ireland say, and what employers do first. Working in heat: the rules
How to choose
- Dry or humid? In dry heat, evaporation and fans work best. In humid heat, PCM packs hold up better.
- How long? PCM packs need cooling again after a few hours. Evaporative fabric needs water. Fans need a battery.
- What goes over it? A fan garment needs the air to flow out at collar, sleeves and hem.
Interested? We'll let you know.
Gløde is considering adding a cooling vest. Leave your email and we'll send you one message if we launch it. No newsletter unless you ask for it.
We only use your email to send you one message about this. More in our privacy policy.
What Gløde offers today
No cooling clothing yet. What we do sell is power. Our power banks supply 5 V USB and are made for Gløde heated clothing. We make no promise for fan garments of other brands: check the stated input first.
Power bank 10,000 mAhLight: 150 g, USB-A and USB-C.View →
Power bank 20,000 mAh350 g, two USB-A ports and USB-C. Charges your phone too.View →
All sizes: power banks for heated clothing.
Frequently asked questions
What is cooling clothing?
Clothing, or a wearable device, that helps your body lose heat. It does so in three main ways: by evaporating water, with packs that melt slowly and take up heat, or with fans that move air over your skin.
Do cooling clothes work?
Within limits, yes. Evaporative fabric and fan garments do less in very humid air. PCM packs work in humid air, but a set often lasts about 2 to 4 hours. Choose the technique that fits your weather.
Which cooling clothing works in humid weather?
Types that do not rely on evaporation: PCM packs, which take up heat while they melt, and Peltier neck coolers, which press a cold plate against your skin.
Does Gløde sell cooling clothing?
No, not at the moment. Leave your email in the form on this page and we will send you one message if we launch a cooling vest.
More: all heated clothing comparisons · best power bank for heated clothing
Gløde — warm the person, not the room.
