i2Cool Launches Smart Fabrics That Actively Cool Umbrellas and Shading Structures Without Power

As global demand for sustainable cooling accelerates, i2Cool, a pioneer in electricity-free passive radiative cooling technology, announced the expansion of its functional fabric portfolio with two new solutions: i2Umbrella Fabric-Hyber and i2Tarpaulin. Going beyond conventional shading, these fabrics are engineered to reflect incoming solar radiation while continuously dissipating trapped heat, actively lowering surface temperatures without electricity.

SHENZHEN, China, Sept. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- i2Cool, a technology company specializing in electricity-free passive radiative cooling materials, has expanded its functional fabric portfolio with two outdoor cooling solutions: i2Umbrella Fabric-Hyber and i2Tarpaulin.

Designed for different application scales but built around the same thermal-management principle, the two fabric solutions go beyond conventional shading. Instead of simply blocking sunlight, they are engineered to reflect a significant portion of incoming solar radiation while releasing accumulated heat through mid-infrared radiation, helping reduce heat gain without electricity or refrigerants.

This common cooling mechanism allows i2Cool to extend its passive radiative cooling technology across a broad range of textile-based applications—from portable sun umbrellas and golf umbrellas to outdoor canopies, tents, greenhouse shading systems and membrane structures.

From Blocking Sunlight to Managing Heat

Conventional shading materials primarily reduce direct light exposure but often trap rising heat underneath. i2Cool's reflective cooling fabrics are designed to address both sunlight and thermal build-up. The fabrics integrate an electricity-free cooling nanoparticle layer alongside durable protective and blackout structures. By combining high solar reflectivity with exceptional mid-infrared emissivity, the materials prevent solar heat absorption while continuously radiating thermal energy outward. This breakthrough builds upon i2Cool's proprietary passive radiative cooling research, previously published in Science, adapting laboratory-grade cooling into flexible, weather-resistant textiles.

i2Umbrella Fabric-Hyber: Cooling for Everyday Outdoor Shade

i2Umbrella Fabric-Hyber is tailored for lightweight outdoor products, including sun umbrellas, golf umbrellas, patio shades and outdoor canopies. The fabric achieves solar reflectivity of up to 76% and mid-infrared emissivity of up to 96%, alongside a 99% UV-blocking rate, full blackout capabilities, and high water repellency.

In a controlled outdoor comparative test, i2Cool fabric recorded an internal ambient temperature 5.2°C cooler than an unshaded area and 2.4°C cooler than conventional silver-coated sun-protection fabrics

The product range includes lightweight umbrella fabrics as well as heavier configurations for golf umbrellas and outdoor canopies, allowing the same cooling principle to be adapted to different shading products.

i2Tarpaulin: Cooling for Heavy-Duty Outdoor and Industrial Applications

For larger-scale applications, i2Tarpaulin extends the electricity-free cooling concept to heavy-duty structural covers.

Delivering solar reflectivity of up to 85% and mid-infrared emissivity of up to 95%, the materials are ideal for greenhouse roof, parking canopies, temporary and recreational shelters, balcony sunshades and membrane-structure pavilions.

Field deployment in an agricultural greenhouse in Kashgar, Xinjiang demonstrated a peak internal temperature reduction of up to 8.3°C (averaging 5.4°C lower), yielding an estimated facility cooling energy-saving rate of 28.7%. Designed for rigorous environmental exposure, i2Tarpaulin offers an outdoor operational lifespan of over 10 years and complies with China B1 and Europe M2 fire-retardant standards.

A Partner in Sustainable Cooling

"Partnering with i2Cool allowed us to significantly reduce cooling expenses across our greenhouses while safeguarding crop yields during peak summer heat," said a representative of the greenhouse project in Kashgar, Xinjiang "The internal temperature dropped immediately upon installation, providing a reliable, electricity-free solution that fundamentally transforms agricultural thermal control."

One Cooling Principle, Scalable Applications

Although umbrella fabrics and tarpaulins address different markets, both embody i2Cool's unified materials strategy: mitigating solar absorption while accelerating outward radiative heat dissipation without energy input. By scaling this principle from portable consumer goods to commercial infrastructure and smart agriculture, i2Cool is establishing an adaptable materials platform ready for seamless integration into diverse outdoor products.

About i2Cool

i2Cool is a technology company specializing in electricity-free passive radiative cooling materials. Founded by researchers from the School of Energy and Environment at City University of Hong Kong, the company develops commercial applications based on advanced radiative cooling research published in Science. Its product portfolio spans coatings, films, textiles and other functional materials for applications across buildings, industry, agriculture and outdoor environments.

Media Contact:
i2Cool PR Team
Email: [[email protected]]
Website: [www.i2cool.com]

SOURCE i2Cool