What is the principle of cold sensation in sports towels

The mainstream cooling sports towels on the market are based on physical evaporation heat absorption. The towels themselves do not cool independently and do not have built-in refrigerants. The cooling sensation comes from the phase change heat absorption of water.

1、 Basic Physical Logic

During the process of water evaporating into steam, it needs to absorb heat. When a towel is wet and lightly twisted to a non dripping state, the water in the towel will continue to vaporize, absorbing the heat from the towel fibers and skin surface. Therefore, when touched, it will feel cold, which is the same principle as human sweating and heat dissipation.
The strength of coldness is constrained by two conditions:

1. Air flow: When there is wind or the towel is shaken, the evaporation rate of moisture is greatly increased, and the cold feeling is stronger; In a sealed and windless environment, evaporation slows down and the coolness decreases significantly.
2. Moisture content: After the moisture is completely dry, the coldness disappears directly; Dip in water again, and the coolness can be restored.

2、 How to amplify the cooling effect of fabric structure

Most of the cold towel substrates are made of high denier polyester/modified nylon ultrafine fibers, with a few using PVA material. The weaving adopts honeycomb, mesh, and plain weave porous structures:

1. Microfiber has capillary effect, which can quickly lock in moisture, evenly spread it on the surface of the fabric, expand the contact area between water and air, and accelerate evaporation;
2. There are many fiber gaps and good breathability, allowing air to penetrate the fabric and continuously carry away moisture;
3. The thermal conductivity of fibers themselves is superior to that of cotton. Although pure cotton towels can also evaporate and cool down, cotton fibers become thick and heavy after being stored in water, resulting in slow evaporation of moisture, weak cooling sensation, and slow drying.

3、 The essential difference between two types of cold towels

1. Realistic evaporative cooling sensation (mainstream professional sports models)
Relying on fabric structure to achieve, without additional chemical cooling agents. The coolness lasts longer, and the performance will not quickly deteriorate after washing, making it suitable for long-term outdoor activities such as fitness, running, and ball games.
2. Cooling agent style (low-priced regular style)
Soak menthol and cool finishing agent on ordinary fabrics. It’s not evaporative cooling, it’s just that the ingredients come into contact with the skin and stimulate the skin’s cold sensation nerves, creating a sensory illusion of “coolness”. Disadvantages: After multiple water washes, the additives will be lost and the coolness will quickly disappear; Some sensitive skin is prone to itching upon contact.