UNIQLO
2012—New Proposal for
Functional Innerwear - Sarafine
Masaaki Nishikawa
Director, Production Department
UNIQLO Co., Ltd1

Situation this Summer in Japan

2

Conventional Wisdom in Summer

A New “Conventional Wisdom” forSummer

3

Greater Comfort with Functional
Innerwear

UNIQLO offers functional innerwear
Functionality that meets the differingneeds of men and women4

Sarafine: the “Air Conditioning
Innerwear” for Women•Sarafine line offers highly functional innerwear designed to help womenexperience the perspiration-inducing summer season in comfort. It
meets the needs of women who want to be freed from thediscomfort of perspiration and the chill factor of air conditioning.

•Sarafine's high-tech textile combines Asahi Kasei's breathable “cupro”
fibers and Toray's micro nylon. The material uses cupro's ability tocontrol perspiration and body heat to constantly maintain comfort
under clothing.

•The incorporation of micro nylon fibers creates a soft texture and a silky
feel. Many women value the feel of innerwear as highly as its
functionality. UNIQLO has addressed this by delivering a gentler
feel.

5

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Sarafine
Sarafine functionality
2. Ability toremove moisture
1. Ability torelease heat

3. Ability to remove
perspiration

Three functions work together
to deliver comfort all day long7Sarafine Ensures Comfort Even with Air Conditioning at 28ºC
Even when air conditioning settings are raised to 28ºC, Sarafine wearers will still feel coolbecause it takes heat away from the body surface and dissipates it!
The surface temperature of simulatedskin is relatively low immediately after
contact with Sarafine

Sarafine feels 1.4ºC cooler

Simulated skin

1.4ºC difference

Conventional
product

Sarafine
Conventional
product

Sarafine

The Serch for a Softer Feel
Softer feel!

Offering customers a soft, soothing feel

The micro fibers were made 30% finer for a softer feel

Sarafine in 2012

Cross section of a human hair8

Outdoor Temperature at30ºC with 60% Humidity

Great Discomfort fromPerspiration and Humidity

9Sarafine quickly absorbs large amounts of moisture (humidity) and perspiration

Sarafine removes moisture to give a refreshing feel!
Moisture is cleared• Humidity is about 30% lower with Sarafine• Lowering the humidity by 10% lowers theperceived temperature by 1ºC

Superior perspiration removal
Moisture absorption rate (%)

Comparison of moisture absorption

Sarafine

Conventional
product

Greater moistureabsorption

Sarafine

Conventional
product

Outdoor Temperature at 34ºC with 40%
Humidity – Indoor Temperature at 25ºC

10Wet with Perspiration

Sarafine combats the discomfort from perspiration when you cool down!
Air conditioning cools down clothing that has absorbed perspiration, chilling the bodySarafine reduces body chill
Sarafine removes perspiration for silky comfort
Body temperature is about 0.3ºC lower at lowest point with a conventional product versus
Sarafine. Consequently, the conventional product feels uncomfortably cold and clammy.

Approx. 0.3ºC difference

Sarafine

Conventional
product

A comparison of core body temperature after walking around outdoors in 34ºC heatwith 40% relative humidity for 15 minutes then stepping into a room at 25ºC.