At the same Olympics, East German swimmers wore garments that closely matched their body form, known as "skinsuits." They were made of cotton at first and became nearly translucent when wet. Later models were made from polyester. These suits had four to five vertical stripes of color on a white background. At first they only came in red, white, and blue versions, but later yellow, green, and black ones also appeared. Each country could choose which colors it wanted by placing a bid for them. The USSR won the right to supply East Germany with uniforms during negotiations before the games began and so the Germans were forced to use the Soviet design. The skinsuit was designed to show off the athletes' bodies rather than hide them, so unlike modern swimming costumes it did not have any sleeves or a skirt. It was instead split down the middle and tied at the waist, leaving the athlete's arms and legs free to move while swimming. In addition to looking good, the skinsuit was more functional than traditional swimwear. It was much cooler under water and helped swimmers keep cool during competitions where temperatures can reach close to 40 degrees Celsius (100 degrees Fahrenheit).