A fitness garment that promotes excessive water weight and body fat loss at targeted areas of the wearer's body. The fitness garment is adjustable, machine washable, and conforms close to the user's body to specifically target problem weight loss areas to ensure maximum results. A lower panel formed of neoprene is held in close conformity to a user's torso to retain body heat at targeted locations. An upper panel is formed of a breathable resilient material and extends around the user's chest and shoulders, when worn. A zipper closure on a front face of the garment is operable to regulate the user's body heat. A lateral side zipper is provided as a closure of a side opening of the lower panel to selectively retain body heat around the user's stomach and back around the waistline.

Aspects herein are directed to a composite textile having a substrate layer (e.g., knit, woven, nonwoven, etc.) and a film layer that is secured or bonded to the substrate layer. A plurality of slits extend through both the substrate layer and the film layer. The film layer is formed of a material that dimensionally transforms when exposed to an external stimulus such as moisture. When exposed to moisture the film layer swells, which causes flaps formed by the plurality of slits to extend in a z-direction away from the film layer. The opening of the flaps creates through-passages that extend through the thickness of the composite structure.

A protective device for maintaining body temperature in a living being is provided. The inventive protective device comprises a first sheet member having a left portion and a right portion. The first sheet member has a left edge and a right edge. A first channel member defines structure defining a first channel. The first channel member defines structure which is secured to and overlies a first portion of the left portion of the first sheet member and overlies a first portion of the right portion of the first sheet member. A second channel defining structure defines a second channel, the second channel defining structure secured to and overlying a second portion of the left portion of the first sheet member and overlying a second portion of the right portion of the first sheet member. Each of the channels have a first side and an opposite side opposite the first side. A variable length member is disposed on and extends along the length of each of the channels. There is a connection structure positioned proximate the left edge; and a mating connection structure positioned proximate the right edge.

A valve includes a substrate, a shape-memory wire, a conductive polymer, and a current source. The substrate defines an opening therethrough and includes at least one flap selectively extendable across the opening. The shape-memory wire is coupled to the at least one flap. The conductive polymer is coupled to the at least one flap. The current source is coupled to the shape-memory wire and the conductive polymer, such that electrical current from the current source selectively energizes the shape-memory wire and the conductive polymer thereby moving the at least one flap between a closed position and an open position.

Certain exemplary embodiments can provide a system comprising an upper-body garment and a pouch. The upper-body garment comprises a releasably coupleable back panel, a first side zipper, and/or a second side zipper. The back panel is releasably coupled to the upper-body garment via the first zipper and the second zipper.

A ventilation device including a flexible support having first and second edges delimiting a longitudinal opening and being provided with first and second closing devices arranged to cooperate with one another, the ventilation device including at least one elastic spacer member which includes a first tab extending along the first edge and a second tab extending along the second edge, the elastic spacer member being constrained when the closing devices are in the closed position, so that the first and second tabs tend to separate from one another, the length of at least the first tab being less than half the length of the first edge.

Aspects herein are directed to an apparel layer system configured to provide variable levels of insulation, warming, or air permeability. The apparel layer system comprises a first layer of material and a second layer of material both extending in a first planar direction. A third layer of material is positioned between the first and the second layers of material and is selectively affixed thereto. An adjustment mechanism coupled to the second layer of material can be mechanically manipulated to shift the second layer of material between different positions or states to achieve variable levels of offset between the first and second layers of material in the first planar direction and in a second direction perpendicular to the first planar direction.

Aspects herein are directed to an apparel item that promotes thermo-regulation through the use of engineered openings, venting, and/or stand-off structures. In exemplary aspects, 20-45% of the apparel item may comprise the engineered openings. Vents may be positioned on the apparel item in areas that experience high amounts of air flow to help channel air into the apparel item. The stand-off structures may be positioned on an inner-facing surface of the apparel item where they help to create a space between the apparel item and the wearer's body surface in which air can flow and help cool the wearer by promoting evaporative cooling.

The present invention provides vents placed in and around a location of the knee in each leg of pants, trousers, jeans, cargo pants, breathable pants and sweat pants to allow for the circulation of air in the pants. These vents in each leg provide ventilation and air circulation to help keep the body cooler, especially as concerns the legs and trunk of a body. The ventilation system is located in the generally in the back of each leg of the pants and preferably in the general area of the knees. By having the ventilation system in each knee area of each leg, the air circulates throughout the pants helping to keep the body cooler.

An apparel item having an insert configured to provide ventilation to the wearer is provided herein. The apparel item is formed by at least a front panel having a posterior edge, a back panel having an anterior edge, and an insert made for coupling the front panel and the back panel. An anterior edge of the insert is coupled to the posterior edge of the front panel while a posterior edge of the insert is attached to the back panel at a position posterior to the back panel's anterior edge.