You step out onto the 34-degree street, enter the office, and ten minutes later you have goosebumps. You cross the city on a bus set at 19ºC. You board a plane where a cold draft blows directly onto your back. In summer, the body suffers from the heat and abrupt temperature changes. And that's where the haramaki has a lot to say.
We associate haramaki with winter, with cozy evenings on the sofa under a blanket, with protecting our kidneys from the cold. But those who wear it all year round know that it's also appreciated in summer. Because the problem isn't the sun or the temperature: it's the contrast. We go from the sweltering heat of the street to air-conditioned spaces below 20 ºC, over and over again, several times a day. And our body feels it.
Why our body suffers from air conditioning
When you suddenly go from hot to cold, the blood vessels in your abdominal and lumbar areas contract to conserve body heat. It's a natural response, but repeated many times a day, it ends up resulting in sensations that you're probably familiar with: tension in the lower back, slower digestion, that feeling of a cold coming on in your nose and throat…
In Chinese medicine, the kidneys — in the lumbar area — are considered the reservoir of our vital energy, Qi, and the first gateway through which cold enters the body. Japanese medicine, on the other hand, places the energetic core that needs to be kept warm in the Hara — the center of the abdomen, where many vital organs are concentrated. These are two different perspectives with the same conclusion: our center needs stable warmth. Steven Blair, an expert in traditional Japanese medicine, explained this very well in this interview.
That's why the haramaki doesn't overheat but maintains a stable temperature precisely in that area. It acts as a "regulator" between the scorching outside and the freezing inside, so your internal thermostat doesn't have to adapt every time you walk through a door.
The three fronts of air-conditioned summer
- The office. This is the most common case. You spend six, eight hours sitting in a space that someone set at 21º "to please everyone" and that almost never matches your ideal temperature. The haramaki, worn over or under your clothes, allows you to be comfortable without having to carry a jacket all the time.
- Transport. The bus or metro alternates hot moments with freezing ones. Perhaps these are short journeys, but since the drip of contrasts adds up, wearing your haramaki saves you from having to think about it.
- Planes and trains. Here, air conditioning is relentless and rarely negotiable. On a long journey, sustained cold gradually chills our core, and it's one of those things that tires you out without you even realizing it. A haramaki fits in any pocket, weighs nothing, and solves precisely that moment when the cabin gets freezing cold. (We warn you: it's one of those garments that, once you take it on a trip, becomes essential in your suitcase.)
But... doesn't it get hot in summer?
This is a common question, and the answer is no, if you use it wisely. Our haramakis are made of organic cotton, a natural and breathable fabric that doesn't provide the suffocating heat of other fibers. And in summer, the key is to use it strategically: not to keep you warm all day, but to cover you precisely when the cold appears. You put it on when you cross the threshold into an air-conditioned place, and then out in the full sun, you put it in your bag until the next temperature assault.
The key during these months is to think of it not as a garment for warmth, but as a garment to prevent the sudden cold that sneaks into some air-conditioned interiors in summer.
How to wear it?
Under a thin dress, a loose t-shirt, or a linen blouse. Choose light tones if you want it completely invisible, or one of our brighter colors if you want it to peek out a bit. And if you have doubts about the size to wear it comfortably all day without it being too tight, consult our size guide or write to us.
Summer doesn't have to be a rollercoaster of thermal shocks. With a gentle hug around your core, you stay stable even if you experience ten temperature changes in a single day.
Still not wearing yours to the office, on the bus, or in your suitcase? Here you can choose the haramaki style you like best for this summer.
