PolyU’s iActive range of sweat-wicking activewear includes a liquid transport system and a “skin-like” perspiration dissipater for quicker sweat removal, which in turn reduces the weight and stickiness of activewear during exercise.
Inspired by the human body’s use of sweating to cool down, the iActive range is electrically-activated and includes low-voltage driven “sweat glands” using anti-heat fabrics and a root-inspired branching liquid transport system that aligns with the body’s sweat map, taking liquid from inside the garment to outside.
The sweat-wicking fabric is said to reduce stickiness in the clothing, keeping the garments dry and comfortable to wear, while also preventing the discomfort caused by moisture and coldness after a workout.
The team at PolyU say the clothing dissipates sweat three times faster than the maximum human sweating rate. The iActive range is also 60% lighter and 50% less clingy when soaked than traditional fabrics.
The clothing’s battery can easily be detached for washing by hand or in a washing machine. The range can be worn without the battery during cooler weather.
Athletes can also use an app to adjust the sweat levels of the iActive garments.
The team say the clothing can be used by those working in high-intensity physical labour and outdoor occupations, such as construction workers, firefighters and healthcare workers, as well as athletes.
Led by Dr Shou Dahua, Limin Endowed Young Scholar in Advanced Textiles Technologies and associated professor of the School of Fashion and Textiles at PolyU, the researchers were awarded the Gold Medal at the 49th International Exhibition of Inventions of Geneva in April 2024.
The team has also developed a fabric called Omni-Cool-Dry, which was inspired by beetles living in volcanoes. The fabric provides ultra-fast sweat dissipation, while also reflecting solar radiation, enabling passive cooling.
The researchers plan to leverage the benefits of both innovations to create further cooling sportswear.
“The extreme weather and high temperatures resulting from global warming have elevated the importance of heatstroke prevention and cooling measures on a global scale. Drawing on the vivid phenomena of thermal insulation and directed liquid flow in nature, we aim to foster innovation and sustainable advancement in garment manufacturing by inventing intelligent clothing and materials to address global challenges.
“We seek to harness the power of technology to infuse fresh perspectives into the traditional clothing industry, thereby enhancing its competitiveness," Dr Dahua commented.
In January 2024, Under Armour, an innovator in athletic apparel and footwear, teamed up with speciality materials and chemicals company Celanese Corporation to introduce a sustainable alternative fibre to spandex, designed for performance stretch fabrics.
