Design Indaba | 10.09.2026 16:28
Researchers from Zhengzhou University and the University of Adelaide are pioneering a new textile that has the ability to remain cool under direct sunlight. The experimental fabric uses microscopic fibres containing a purple metal-organic framework (MOF) alongside zinc oxide nanoparticles that work together to manipulate how the textile interacts with sunlight and heat. The materials give the fabric its colour while reflecting an average 87.6% of solar radiation, emitting 96.4% of mid-infrared radiation, allowing heat to be diffused into the atmosphere. In outdoor testing, the fabric remained 4.2°C cooler than commercial white cotton and 6.2°C cooler than conventional purple cotton. When placed over simulated skin, it produced a cooling effect of up to 8°C compared with uncovered simulated skin.
