The aim of our present experiment was to elucidate the physiological significance and the cooling effects on human body of two kinds of textile materials of underwear worn indide the wetted sportswear by a shower. In a bioclimatic chamber at an ambient temperature of 20°C and relative humidity of 80%, nine female young adults volunteered as subjects of this experiment. They put on either the underwear made from cotton 100% (C) or the one made from polyester with 30% wool blend (P/W). The subjects wore the underwear consisting of an undershirt, underpants, a brassiere, shorts and socks inside 100% polyester sportswear ensemble.
　The subjects sat quietly in a chair for first 40 minutes until their rectal temperature became steady-state. Then, they kept standing posture for the next 22 minutes. During the first 2 minutes they were subjected to a heavy shower (120 mm/h) or a light one (80 mm/h). And during the last 5 minutes they remained under the strong wind condition (4.8 m/sec).
　Main findings were as follows ;
　1) Mean skin temperatures and mean body temperatures were kept significantly lower in C than in P/W during the last 5 min only with the heavy shower condition. 2) The subjects felt colder and more uncomfortable in C than in P/W especially during the last 5 min with the heavy shower condition. 3) Clothing surface temperatures were clearly higher in C than in P/W, judging from the data by a thermoviewer. These data were discussed from the view-point of clothing physiology.

DESCENTE SPORTS SCIENCE Vol.16/THE DESCENTE AND ISHIMOTO MEMORIAL FOUNDATION FOR THE PROMOTION SPORTS SCIENCE