Great Heat is the twelfth of the twenty-four solar terms and the last of the summer season. At this time, the sun reaches the 120th degree of the ecliptic, marking the period when the sunlight is the strongest and the temperature is the highest in a year. 

The intense heat of midsummer 

As the saying goes, "Xiaoshu (the beginning of the Great Heat) is not extremely hot, but the Great Heat and the third month of the summer solstice are." The Great Heat period falls around the middle of the "three hottest days" in summer. It is the period with the highest temperature and the most humidness in a year. The heat at this time is not dry heat, but damp and oppressive heat. After walking a few steps, one gets drenched in sweat, and the feeling of the clothes sticking to the back is something everyone is familiar with. 

The ancients divided the Great Heat into three periods: "First, rotten grass turns into fireflies; second, the soil becomes moist and hot; third, heavy rain occurs frequently." Fireflies emerge from the withered grass, the soil is moist and the air is hot and humid, and large thunderstorms often occur. These three periods precisely summarize the climatic characteristics of the Great Heat season - high temperature, high humidity, and frequent rain. 

In such weather, the comfort level of a person largely depends on the clothes they wear. Cotton and linen are breathable but tend to get sweaty and stick to the skin. Ordinary synthetic fibers are hot and lack breathability. Many people change their clothes several times more frequently in summer than in other seasons. It's not because they are particularly clean-conscious; it's simply because they sweat too quickly and the clothes dry too slowly. The Summer Solstice is also the busiest time for agricultural activities, but for the textile industry, it is also the season with the greatest demand for functional fabrics. Whether for sports and fitness, outdoor travel, or daily commuting, everyone is looking for a good piece of clothing that is not stuffy to wear, does not stick to the skin when sweating, and does not lose color after washing. 

Summer clothing is meticulous.

Many people think that all they need to do for summer clothing is to make it as thin as possible. But that's far from the truth. How comfortable a piece of clothing feels on the body, how fine the fabric fibers are, how dense the weaving is, and how good the dyeing process is - each of these factors plays a role in the background. Especially when exercising, the human body sweats profusely. If the fabric has poor moisture absorption and sweat drainage performance, the sweat will get trapped between the skin and the clothes, which is not only sticky and uncomfortable but also prone to bacterial growth and odor production. This is why quick-drying clothes and high-elasticity sports wear have become increasingly popular in recent years. 

The fabric made from ultra-fine fibers is indeed lightweight and soft, and it can quickly absorb sweat, keeping the skin dry. The highly elastic fabric is even more thoughtful, providing no constraining feeling during activities such as running, stretching, or cycling. 

However, functional fabrics also have a common "weakness": coloring. The finer the fibers, the more difficult it is to color them. When ordinary color concentrates are used on ultra-fine fibers, problems such as uneven coloring, multiple colors, and poor color fastness are easily encountered. The fabric turns white after a few washes, changes color when soaked in sweat, and a brand-new sports outfit becomes old and loses its texture after only a short period of wear. In summer, clothes are washed frequently, and the problems of color fading and color change become even more prominent. No matter how good the fabric performance is, if the color is not resistant to washing and sweating, the consumer experience will be greatly affected. In fact, this is precisely testing the quality of the color concentrates. 

The Art of Coloring

Many people are not aware of what color masterbatch is, but they are actually exposed to it every day. The colors of our clothes, household textiles, and various plastic products are mostly achieved through it. In simple terms, color masterbatch is a coloring agent made by loading excessive pigments into resin. It is an indispensable raw material in the production of textile fibers. 

The quality of color masterbatches directly determines the color performance of the fabric. For functional textile fabrics such as ultra-fine fibers, high elasticity fabrics, and quick-drying fabrics, ordinary color masterbatches are difficult to meet the requirements - when the fibers are fine, the pigment particles need to be slightly smaller to be spun in; for fabrics with high color fastness requirements, the selection of pigments and the dispersion process need to be more meticulous; for fabrics that are resistant to water washing and sweat stains, the formulation design needs to be more precise. 

This is also the field that Rizhe has been continuously focusing on. As a manufacturer specializing in functional textile color masterbatches, we are well aware of the strict requirements for color matching in high-end fabrics, especially in the sportswear segment. From raw material selection to production processes, every step must be precise and not allow any ambiguity. 

Ruize sportswear uses ultra-fine fiber color concentrates, which are specifically designed to be compatible with ultra-thin fibers, elastic fabrics, quick-drying sports fabrics and outdoor functional clothing. The pigments have undergone ultra-fine processing, resulting in excellent dispersion, with fine and even color application, and no color spots or color differences on the fabric surface. They are resistant to water washing, sweat stains, and have high color fastness. Even after repeated washing and heavy sweating, they do not easily fade or change color, and can maintain the color and texture of the fabric for a long time. During the hottest days of summer, the scorching sun is intense. A comfortable piece of clothing can add a bit of composure to the hot summer. Good fabrics can withstand the test of the scorching sun, and good color concentrates can withstand the test of time. Ruize color concentrates focus on making every color concentrate perfect, and help every piece of good fabric shine.