Brands and fabric firms are turning up the heat on textile technology in an effort to keep consumers as cool as possible with innovations in underwear and T-shirts.
Hanes
Hanes has launched X-Temp Total Support Pouch men’s underwear featuring cooling fabric and breathable mesh panels designed for the wearer’s distinct needs and comfort.
Hanes “X-Temp Starts Cool. Keeps Cool.” technology is designed to adapt to men’s temperature and activity to keep them cool throughout the day. This latest innovation in Total Support Pouch underwear utilizes quick-drying and moisture-wicking performance fabric that keeps men cool and dry, with breathable mesh panels for separation and support.
“This new addition of X-Temp technology to Hanes Total Support Pouch boxer briefs raises the bar on innovation and offers the ultimate supportive men’s underwear with cooling benefits,” said Nadine Hall, U.S. men’s underwear lead at Hanesbrands. “Comfort is at the heart of our brand and by combining X-Temp technology with the Total Support Pouch design, we will keep guys comfortable, cool and supported one pair of underwear at a time.”
Hanes said its Total Support Pouch outperformed the competition in wear tests on overall comfort, best fit, breathability and durability. A study conducted by Hanes also found that three out of five men said they would replace their current boxer brief with the Hanes Total Support Pouch. In addition, men who wore the Hanes Total Support Pouch while exercising rated it significantly higher than the competition for working out–96 percent said the boxer brief provided the support they needed for exercising.
Related Stories
The X-Temp Total Support Pouch launch is supported by a television campaign in which Tony Cavalero reprises his role as Hans, keeping his Zen attitude and focus on the comfort of Hanes, while making friends with a camel and meerkat.
In the new commercial, Hans is in the desert, feeling the heat as he journeys through a sandstorm. He quickly finds a cooling, hidden oasis with X-Temp at the center. It’s a haven that offers the cooling X-Temp technology with the separation and support of the Total Support Pouch.
“X-Temp Total Support Pouch is a great product at an incredible value, with wide retail distribution, supported by a full funnel marketing campaign to connect directly with consumers,” Greg Hall, Hanesbrands’ chief consumer officer, said.
The television commercial will launch during the first round of the NBA Playoffs on ESPN, ABC and TNT. The full X-Temp Total Support Pouch campaign will also be supported via social and digital media, as well as through activations at retailers nationwide.
The X-Temp Total Support Pouch is on shelves now at major retailers and available directly to consumers through Hanes.com and retailer websites and is offered in various styles, including boxer brief, trunk and long leg boxer brief.
LifeLabs
Textile innovator LifeLabs, which specializes in thermally efficient materials, has introduced what it claims is “the world’s most cooling T-shirt” in a range of styles and colors.
LifeLabs said it brings science and design together in the Spring-Summer wardrobe staple by allowing wearers to stay cool without sacrificing style. The classic T-shirt is elevated through CoolLife, a thermally transparent polyethylene fabric that cools the body temperature by nearly 3 degrees Fahrenheit and lets body heat escape rapidly, creating an effective and efficient cooling effect throughout the day.
LifeLabs says its Everyday Cooling T-shirt incorporates recycled materials and stands apart from other cooling garments since CoolLife tech is the only material that delivers more effective cooling with a lower environmental impact. CoolLife items are not only cool to the touch, but by wearing them, individuals experience sustained cooling throughout the day for an estimated savings of 400 pounds of carbon per household per year as the result of not having to turn up the air conditioning. This can decrease global greenhouse gas emissions and water pollution over time, through reducing energy usage on a personal and global level.
“The T-shirt is a quintessential item in every wardrobe, so we’re taking the simplicity of the basic T-shirt and re-engineering it into something more,” said Scott Mellin, CEO of LifeLabs. “Our apparel is designed with a practical sensibility and by using less materials and reduced energy usage, we’re also supporting a more sustainable lifestyle.”
For the first time, LifeLabs, which has favored minimalist designs in a neutral palette, is introducing colors. Select men’s and women’s CoolLife T-shirts will be available in altitude (celestial blue), olive (conifer green) and ice (blue glass).
In addition to a classic, short-sleeved crew neck T-shirt, LifeLabs is expanding its women’s collection to feature new silhouettes such as a blouse that takes a modern spin on the Henley T that can be dressed up or down, as well as a tank top. LifeLabs World’s Coolest T-shirt Collection is available for purchase now on LifeLabs.Design.