The research team of Dr Shou Dahua at the School of Fashion and Textiles at Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has developed iActive sportswear garments with a root-like liquid transport system and a skin-like active perspiration dissipater. The nature-inspired, anti-heat fabrics effectively expedite sweat removal to reduce the weight and stickiness of activewear caused by sweat build-up during exercise.

Based on an increased wettability pattern and gradient, the team’s skin-like fabric transports sweat one-way quickly and removes it from the inside to the outside. This makes stickiness less, decreases weight, improves breathability and ensures the garments remain dry and comfortable to wear. Experimental findings indicate that iActive creates a breathable and dry skin microclimate by having sweat vanish three times faster than the maximum human sweating rate. In comparison to traditional fabrics, the textile materials in iActive are 60% lighter and 50% less clingy when soaked, providing the wearer with more comfort and enabling sports enthusiasts and athletes to perform at their best.

A mobile app further helps personalised sweat management by wirelessly adjusting the sweat level of iActive. Beyond sportswear, iActive is also applicable to protective clothing and workwear. The innovation has already received momentous recognition, such as a Gold Medal at the 49th International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva this April.