Cooling Loungewear for Women Who Overheat
Cooling loungewear is clothing for time spent at home that is cut loose and made from fabric that releases heat instead of trapping it. It differs from sleepwear in one meaningful way. Sleepwear is designed to be hidden and cooling loungewear is designed to be seen, so you can answer the door, take a call or eat breakfast on a hotel terrace without changing first.
Who cooling loungewear is for
Anyone whose body produces more heat than the room accounts for. In practice that covers a lot of women who have never thought of themselves as having anything in common.
Women moving through perimenopause and menopause make up the largest group, because declining estrogen and progesterone are believed to cause hot flashes and night sweats. Women in the postpartum months are the next, since hormone levels fall steeply after birth and the body sheds the fluid it held during pregnancy. Beyond those two groups are women recovering at home after surgery, women taking medications that raise body temperature, women living somewhere humid and women who have simply always slept warm without any particular reason.
Kuula is not a medical product and does not treat, prevent or cure any condition. It is clothing that stays comfortable when you are warm.
How to choose it
Start with the fabric
Fabrics that absorb moisture and release it into the air feel better against warm skin than fabrics that repel it. Cotton, silk and viscose derived from bamboo all behave this way. Tightly woven synthetics such as polyester generally do not. Our guide to bamboo viscose compared with cotton goes through the tradeoffs honestly, including where cotton wins.
Then look at the cut
A relaxed cut leaves a layer of air between fabric and skin, and moving air is what carries heat away from you. Anything that sits tight against the torso removes that margin. Weight matters as much as fit, because a heavy knit insulates no matter how loose it is.
Then check how fast a layer comes off
A front that opens in one motion is worth more than any fabric claim when a wave of heat arrives mid conversation. This is the reason both Kuula lounge tops button at the front rather than pulling over the head.
What Kuula makes
Every Kuula piece is cut from a custom fabric that is 94% viscose derived from bamboo and 6% spandex. The viscose gives the fabric a cool hand and a drape that hangs away from the body. The spandex lets it recover its shape rather than stretching out through the evening.
The Everyday Lounge Tank is the lightest piece and the place most women start. The Short-Sleeve Lounge Top and the Long-Sleeve Lounge Top both open at the front and both offer discreet nursing access. The Bamboo Lounge Pant covers cooler rooms and the Bamboo Lounge Short covers warmer ones. The Nightie removes the waistband question entirely, which is why it suits the warmest nights and makes the easiest gift. The DreamCare Laundry Bag exists because viscose asks for a gentler wash.
Read more
Our guide to what to wear during hot flashes covers the layering question in detail. If you are in the postpartum weeks, start with postpartum night sweats and what to wear. If you are buying for someone else, gifts for a woman who is always hot covers what tends to get used rather than returned.
Common questions
What is the difference between cooling loungewear and sleepwear?
Sleepwear is designed to be worn out of sight. Cooling loungewear is designed to be seen, so it works for the hours before bed and the morning after without a change of clothes. The fabric requirements overlap almost entirely.
Does cooling loungewear actually work?
No clothing lowers your core temperature or stops a hot flash. What breathable and loose clothing does is let heat and moisture leave the skin faster, which shortens how long you feel uncomfortable.
What fabric is best if I overheat?
Fabrics that absorb moisture readily. Cotton, silk and viscose derived from bamboo all qualify. Avoid tightly woven synthetics, fleece and heavy knits.
Where can I buy Kuula cooling loungewear?
Directly at shopkuula.com. Retailers can order wholesale through Faire. Kuula is also carried in a small number of independent boutiques.