Clothing & Climate: Health and Hygiene in Heat

A new report by the Euro-Mediterranean Center on Climate Change (CMCC) has found that almost 600 million people worldwide are living in ‘systemic cooling poverty¹,’ whereby they do not have adequate access to facilities and resources that can help them stay healthy and safe during periods of extreme heat. 

The discourse of clothing poverty typically reaches its peak during the winter months, where freezing temperatures and a lack of access to warm clothing pose major health concerns. Indeed, the UK government has historically tabled motions on clothing poverty in anticipation of ‘the demand for clothing [becoming] particularly acute during winter months².’ 

However, a lack of access to lighter, breathable clothing during the summer period poses equally significant risk. This article will highlight this underrepresented side to clothing poverty, exploring the unsuitability of fast fashion materials for combatting the heat and the health issues that arise as a result. 

Summer vs. winter 

The Centre for Charitable Giving and Philanthropy’s (CGAP) 2010 report analysing seasonal donation patterns in the UK previously observed that the ‘lowest levels of giving are found in summer months, when average weekly donating is down by 11% compared to the autumn and winter quarters³.’ 

Furthermore, clothing charity initiatives often revolve around the winter months. For example, Crisis opens temporary shelters across London every December, with their donation window for warm winter clothing typically beginning in November as part of their ‘Crisis at Christmas’ campaign⁴. 

This clear framework and availability of support during the winter months does not necessarily extend to the summer period. For those experiencing clothing poverty during the hottest months – those in need of lighter, breathable clothing – support is not readily apparent. 

Dressing for the occasion 

The clothing we wear plays an important role in how we regulate heat. Research has shown that, ‘by wearing appropriate clothes, it is possible to turn the air-conditioning up by 2°C⁵.’  

When the surrounding climate is hot and dry, your body cools itself down via the evaporation of sweat, which carries heat away. Lightweight, woven fabrics that hang loosely, such as cotton and linen, allow for breathability and thus for heat to escape from your body. However, when it is both hot and humid, these fibres tend to absorb moisture, making it harder for sweat to evaporate and cool you down⁶.   

This is why so many synthetic fibres, such as nylon and polyester, are used in activewear, since they wick moisture and dry quickly in comparison to natural fibres⁶. A study on the role of sports clothing in thermoregulation notes that ‘synthetic t-shirts with superior air permeability significantly increased sweat evaporation during exercise when compared to t-shirts made of natural fabrics harnessing lower air permeability⁷.’  

While synthetic fibres may serve you better in more humid weather or during exercise, the breathable and more expensive fibres such as cotton and linen will always be more suitable for drier weather, low-intensity activity and everyday life. 

However, all this knowledge on how your choice of clothing helps keep you cool assumes that you have the ability to choose in the first place. For those in clothing poverty, optimising for the current climate is never an option.  

A dangerous lack of options  

Having options to choose from is a luxury that those in clothing poverty do not have. Simply trying to live their everyday, 'low-intensity’ lives can be difficult to manage with breathable fabrics like cotton and linen being expensive and inaccessible. With the discourse around clothing poverty centred on the winter months, those in need are often left with a wardrobe unsuitable for the hotter months.  

Heat exhaustion and heatstroke constitute a long list of symptoms, ranging from fatigue and dizziness to a loss of consciousness⁵ . Failing to manage one’s body temperature in the heat quickly erodes one’s quality of life, especially if their issue is clothing-related.  

A lack of apparel options in sweltering heat can lead to people reusing sweaty clothing. This can lead to a multitude of health issues, from bacterial infections to body acne or inflamed hair follicles⁸. Though easily dismissed as mild ailments, they quickly add up and can become chronic without access to a solution as fundamental as having clean clothes to change into.  

Even something that seems inane, like a build-up of body odour, further demeans those who already struggle with integrating into society, creating a multi-layered issue that affects both physical health and social participation.  

Working conditions 

The CMCC’s report also found working standards and conditions to be a leading driver of systemic cooling poverty¹. The apparel industry stands as one of the most labour-intensive, leaving garment workers and manufacturers most vulnerable to heat-related health concerns.  

Innovation Forum identifies how, ‘in textiles and apparel production hubs, where workers already face chronic health issues such as respiratory problems, musculoskeletal disorders and mental health challenges, the compounding effects of extreme heat rarely feature in corporate climate risk assessments⁹.’ 

Furthermore, extreme heat can affect industrial equipment, causing heavy machinery and air conditioning units to malfunction. This can result in reduced productivity and operational shutdowns¹⁰, creating further stress and compounding pressure for an already exhausted factory workforce. 

The mistreatment of garment workers, during extreme heat and otherwise, is emblematic of the broader exploitation of the fast fashion industry. It harms not only the vulnerable consumer, but the labourer at the first stage of apparel production. [For more information on the circularity of the clothing industry, explore our Sustainable Fashion Initiatives article here.] 

To protect workers effectively from the heat, Innovation Forum recommends union involvement ‘in setting safe work-rest ratios and designing measures that meet [workers’] needs without wage cuts⁹.’ They also identify the importance of ‘meaningful worker participation, supported by social dialogue⁹,’ to force wider systemic change across the industry. 

A hot topic 

As heatwaves come and go, it is important to recognise the importance of clothing in our daily lives. Sustainable practices such as donating clothes you no longer need, or refraining from consuming fast fashion that contribute to dangerous labour practices, can be a start towards a positive impact. 

Drawing attention to the struggles faced by those in clothing and systemic cooling poverty around the world serves as a strong reminder. The need for adequate clothing is not limited to a single season, but a human right that remains pressing all year round.  

References 

1. Falchetta, G., Mazzone, A., Bhasin, S. et al. (2026). ‘A multidimensional assessment of systemic cooling poverty in the global south.’ [Nature Sustainability, Vol. 9, No. 5] 

2. UK Government (2023). ‘Clothing poverty awareness – EDM 173: tabled on 07 December 2023.’ 

3. CGAP (2010). ‘Seasonal patterns in household giving in the UK.’ 

4. Crisis (2026). What is Crisis at Christmas? 

5. BBC (2023). What is the best clothing to keep you cool in a heatwave? 

6. NHS (2026). Heat exhaustion and heatstroke. 

7. Di Domenico, I., Hoffmann, S.M. & Collins, P.K. (2022). ‘The Role of Sports Clothing in Thermoregulation, Comfort, and Performance During Exercise in the Heat: A Narrative Review.’ [Sports Medicine – Open, Vol. 8, No. 58]

8. The Healthy (2021). How Bad Is It to Re-Wear Sweaty Workout Clothes?

9. Innovation Forum (2025). Where apparel workers face the heat: climate risks in a 1.5C+ world.

10. The Business of Fashion (2024). What Happens When It’s Too Hot to Make Fashion?