Japan launches cooling shirt with built in fans

Japan is finding a new way to deal with extreme summer heat.  A Japanese clothing company has introduced a formal looking shirt with built in fans that can help keep people cool while they are outside.

The company, Yofuku no Aoyama has launched a short sleeved shirt fitted with two small fans. The fans circulate air inside the shirt helping cool the wearer while walking or traveling.

At first glance the shirt looks like a normal office shirt. However it has a small cooling system hidden inside.

The fans are placed near the lower back and push air through the shirt to reduce heat and discomfort.

Cooling clothes with built in fans have become popular in Japan over the past few years. They were mainly used by construction workers garbage collectors, security staff and other outdoor workers.  Most of these products looked like jackets or work vests rather than regular office clothing.

With summers becoming hotter demand for cooling clothes is now growing among office workers and other people who spend time outdoors.

To meet this demand Yofuku no Aoyama developed the shirt in partnership with FZN a company that specializes in fan powered clothing.

The shirt comes with two fans and a rechargeable battery. The company has tried to keep the cooling system as light as possible.

Each fan weighs around 95 grams, while the battery pack weighs about 165 grams. The fans are visible from the back but the designers have kept the rest of the system as discreet as possible so the shirt still looks suitable for an office environment.

The company has not provided specific information about how loud the fans are so they may not be  completely silent.

The shirt is mainly designed for traveling rather than meetings. Most offices and meeting rooms already have air conditioning so there is little need to use the fans indoors.

However the cooling system can be useful when employees walk between meetings travel by public transport or spend time outside in hot weather.

It may also help workers arrive at their destination without becoming heavily sweaty reducing the need to change clothes before continuing their work.

Price and Availability

The Coochowear Short Sleeve Shirt is being sold as a complete cooling package for 17,490 Japanese yen.

The package includes the shirt two fans a rechargeable battery pack and a charging cable. The shirt is available in blue and gray with medium large and extra large sizes. The product is now available through the company’s stores and online shop.