Work clothes with built-in cooling fans popular casual wear in Japan

Japan's increasingly hot summers have seen a boom in these jackets. Photo: The Japan News

A jacket design with a built-in cooling fan in the back has become a must for workers engaging in physical labor in Japan's scorching summers.

Such jackets have already gained favor in workplaces such as construction and logistics sites, and now unisex designs that can be worn on casual occasions are also increasingly popular.

"Whether this item is supplied [by employers] will be a decisive factor in the number of responses to job offers," a workwear retailer said.

A removable fan and battery can be attached to the jacket to cool the body by blowing air into it and evaporating the wearer's sweat. Most of the batteries have a large capacity, with a charge that can last throughout the workday. Jacket, battery and fan sets are usually priced at around 20,000 yen ($188) and can be purchased online.

The creator of the original jacket with a built-in fan is Kabushikigaisha Kuchofuku - literally translated as "air-conditioning clothing company" - based in Itabashi Ward, Tokyo.

Originally a gauge manufacturer, the company released in 2004 its first built-in fan, which ran for only three to four hours and would often break down. After a series of improvements, the company launched in 2009 a model that can perform for eight hours straight. Around that time, the number of people wearing the jacket started to increase rapidly thanks to word of mouth.

The jacket has also been bought in bulk by construction companies. Due partly to Japan's increasingly hot summers, the product has seen a big boom for the past couple of years, a Kuchofuku employee said.

Casual versions have become available at stores this summer, in addition to conventional workwear designs. "We aimed to develop something that would look just fine on anybody," a Kuchofuku spokesperson said.

Thanks to a recent trend of loose-fitting casual fashions, a puffy silhouette created by blowing air inside the jacket won't make the wearer look strange. The jacket also seems to be easy to coordinate with other clothes.

The leading force behind this casual workwear trend is Burtle Co., known as a stylish workwear manufacturer. The company, based in Fuchu, Hiroshima Prefecture, uses camel color, herringbone patterns and other unusual fabrics for work clothing, and its designs include slim-fitting workwear resembling motorcycle jackets. These jackets have gained popularity, as they can be worn outside work.

Burtle entered the built-in fan clothing market in spring 2017. The company's jackets look slim even when their fans are running, and their designs make them suitable both for work and casual wear.

"They sell well in summer in the Kansai region, where Koshien Stadium is located," a Burtle spokesperson said, referring to the National High School Baseball Championship that the ballpark hosts every mid-summer.

This spring, major workwear retailer Workman Co., based in Isesaki, Gunma Prefecture, released its Wind Core brand.

The company, known for casual workwear, has adopted designs and hues for its new brand that are often used for outdoor clothing, aiming to "appeal to [people who like] outdoor events and watching sports."

Major sporting goods manufacturers and other companies have asked Workman to jointly develop products for spectators at next summer's Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics.

Japan News-Yomiuri