A new fabric becomes more breathable as you work up a sweat
Fibers in the textile collapse or expand based on skin moisture
Someday, the same shirt could be part of your summer and winter wardrobe, using fabric that alternates between breathable and insulating.
Unlike other heat-accommodating cloth, which has to be flipped inside out to switch from warm to cool (SN: 2/17/18, p. 5), the new dual-use fabric adapts to how much the wearer is sweating. This material may be useful for making sportswear or clothing for babies who can’t articulate when they’re too hot or too cold, says study coauthor YuHuang Wang, a chemist at the University of Maryland in College Park.