Travel + Leisure’s Jill Schildhouse included Cariloha bamboo pajamas in her article, “The Best Cooling Clothing for Summer,” in which she talks about Cariloha sleepwear keeping you cool and comfy thanks to its naturally thermal-regulating, moisture-wicking qualities. Travel + Leisure receives more than 16 million unique monthly visitors.
The Best Cooling Clothing for Summer
By Jill Schildhouse
This cooling clothing is designed to help regulate your body temperature.
It’s that time of year again: the weather is heating up, the days are longer, and vacations are in full swing. The only thing standing between you and comfortable travels all season long? Packing the best cooling clothing for summer in your suitcase.
Clothing designed to let the breeze flow right through often relies on a mix of breathable natural and synthetic fabrics, mesh details, and other specialized cooling technology to wick away moisture and prevent overheating.
Cooling clothing can make all the difference for your overall comfort when it comes to commuting, taking sightseeing tours, or simply getting an outdoor workout in. Read on to discover the best options to stay cool in every category.
Best Pajamas: Cariloha Women’s Bamboo Sleep Shirt
Why We Love It: Made with sustainable viscose from bamboo, these jammies are temperature-regulating and odor-resistant.
What to Consider: We wish it came in more neutral color options to choose from.
Cariloha apparel is made of sustainable viscose from bamboo, which is a lightweight and breathable fabric with natural moisture-wicking, odor-resistant, and temperature-regulating qualities — read: this helps clothes stay fresher for longer while traveling, so you can pack less and do fewer loads of laundry.
As a carbon-neutral product, this sleep shirt simultaneously helps keep you cool while you sleep and fights global warming. The Fronds Print truly invokes the island spirit the brand is known for, but there are two more subtle patterns to choose from if you desire a more muted bedtime look as well.
Price at time of publish: $49
Tips for Buying Cooling Clothing
Consider the material
Your goal is to find fabrics that help draw moisture away from your skin, rather than trapping it against your skin. Look for natural materials, such as bamboo, cotton, linen, and some synthetic blends (like rayon) to deliver the air circulation and moisture-wicking properties that’ll help keep you cool and comfortable.
Look for UPF protection
UPF, or ultraviolet protection factor, measures the amount of UV radiation blocked by a fabric — in other words, it indicates how effectively a fabric can shield your skin from the harmful effects of the sun’s rays (similar to sunscreen). According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, a garment with a UPF rating of 30-49 offers “very good” protection and 50+ rates as “excellent.”
Avoid dark colors and heavy fabrics
Dark colors absorb sunlight and heat more intensely than lighter colors, whereas lighter colors reflect more sunlight and can help keep you cooler. Heavy fabrics can trap heat and restrict airflow, making you feel suffocated or uncomfortable.
Read more from Travel + Leisure here.