Researchers at the School of Fashion and Textiles at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) have introduced iActive, a cutting-edge line of sweat-wicking activewear. The iActive range dissipates sweat three times faster than the human body’s maximum sweating rate when soaked compared to traditional fabrics.

The iActive collection features a liquid transport system and a “skin-like” perspiration dissipater to ensure quick sweat removal, reducing weight and stickiness during exercise. Inspired by the body's natural cooling mechanism, the activewear uses low-voltage driven “sweat glands” and a root-inspired branching liquid transport system to efficiently move liquid from inside the garment to outside.

Led by Dr. Shou Dahua, the research team has also developed Omni-Cool-Dry, a fabric inspired by beetles living in volcanoes, which provides ultra-fast sweat dissipation and reflects solar radiation for passive cooling. Both innovations aim to enhance cooling sportswear and address global challenges related to heatstroke prevention and cooling measures due to extreme weather and high temperatures.