What to wear to beat the heat, 2026
Every year I do a column in the early summer about what to wear to beat the heat a bit. I’ve got to say it, right at the start: T-shirts, polyester knit tank-tops, and jersey dresses are SWEATERS, and don’t belong anywhere near summer wardrobes in places like Salmon Arm. They are knits. Just don’t wear them. This doesn’t change.
But other things change, and I swear I will not let myself develop tunnel vision and refuse to accept new things, so, as it’s time for a new look at this whole subject, I did some sleuthing, and while the ‘trinity’ is still the holy grail, there are some changes in the last five years or so worth knowing about.
1. Fabric structure is often more important than fibre.
For years the advice was simply:
Cotton
Linen
Silk
Today, textile engineers say the weave, yarn shape, colour, finish and air permeability can matter as much—or more—than whether the fibre is cotton or polyester. Modern performance fabrics are engineered to move heat and moisture more efficiently than traditional textiles.
For everyday clothing this means:
A loosely woven linen shirt may feel cooler than tightly woven cotton.
A lightweight technical polyester shirt can sometimes outperform both if you’re walking or exercising.
2. Linen is still the benchmark
Despite all the innovation, linen remains exceptionally difficult to beat.
Why?
very high air permeability
doesn’t cling to the skin
releases moisture quickly
maintains a cool “hand”
becomes softer with washing
The only drawback is that it wrinkles.
For someone walking around a city or sitting outside on a hot day, linen is still one of the best choices available.
3. Cotton isn’t always the winner
Cotton absorbs huge amounts of sweat.
That sounds good—but once saturated it stays wet much longer than linen or many technical fabrics.
In humid climates that dampness actually makes you feel warmer.
This is why hikers and athletes rarely wear pure cotton anymore.
4. Merino wool was the surprise
Several studies continue to show that lightweight merino wool (around 150 gsm) performs remarkably well in warm weather.
Why?
It:
absorbs moisture vapour before sweat forms
regulates skin temperature
resists odour
dries faster than many people expect
It’s still warmer than linen in very hot weather, but for travel it can be excellent because it stays fresh for days.
But the biggest innovation is with Radiative Cooling Fabrics
-Normally clothing traps some of the infrared heat your body emits.
Researchers have developed fabrics that instead:
allow body heat to escape
reflect sunlight
remain breathable
This is called radiative cooling.
-Nanotechnology coatings
Several research groups are now coating ordinary cotton with microscopic particles that reflect solar energy.
Examples include:
zinc oxide nanoparticles
nanodiamond coatings
ceramic particles
Unlike sunscreen, these coatings are built into the fabric.
Benefits include:
reflecting sunlight
allowing infrared heat to escape
lowering surface temperature
-Moisture-wicking fibres have improved and are no longer simply polyester.
Manufacturers now engineer:
fibre cross-sections
capillary channels
dual-layer yarnsto move sweat from the skin to the fabric surface where it evaporates quickly.
This works extremely well in dry climates.
-Phase Change Materials (PCMs)
Tiny capsules containing wax-like materials are embedded into fibres.
When your body heats up:
the capsules melt
absorb heat
then solidify again as you cool
The cooling effect is modest and temporary, but can improve comfort during short periods of heat exposure. PCMs are now used in some workwear, bedding, and specialty apparel.
I really have to say it again. PLEASE stop wearing knit fabrics and t-shirts. They trap heat near your body and can actually increase the surface temperature on your skin up to 6 degrees. So if the air is 26 degrees, against your skin under that knit tank top or t-shirt, it can be over 32. If you don’t care about this for yourself, think of the kids..
