Progress in passive daytime radiative cooling of fibers and textiles

Abstract

Excessive carbon emissions from energy consumption intensify the greenhouse effect and increase the frequency of extreme heat events, posing health risks to individuals engaged in daytime outdoor activities. Consequently, energy-free personal thermal management technologies have attracted growing attention. Passive daytime radiative cooling (PDRC) is a cooling method that provides high solar reflectance during the day and utilizes an object's intrinsic thermal radiation to emit its own energy into outer space (∼3 K) without consuming any external energy. In recent years, significant advances in PDRC have been reported in applications including buildings, electronic devices, and personal thermal management. However, systematic reviews focusing on PDRC textiles remain limited, and many laboratory-developed systems still fall short of practical cooling requirements. Herein, we introduce the fundamental principles of PDRC and summarize recent progress in wearable PDRC textiles from the perspective of fiber fabrication techniques, with particular emphasis on material selection and structural design strategies. Furthermore, key challenges in textile applications are discussed, and thermal drawing is highlighted as a promising strategy for constructing micro/nanostructures, offering a scalable route toward sustainable and multifunctional radiative cooling fibers.