Press Release
Platinum A' Design Award in Safety Clothing and Personal Protective Equipment Design Goes to Air Sync Microclimate Wear by Yuta Ishikawa
The international grand jury of the 2025 - 2026 A' Design Award & Competition recognizes Yuta Ishikawa of Ishikawaya for safety clothing and personal protective equipment design
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
COMO, Italy, April 28, 2026 /DesignNewswire/ A' Design Award & Competition has announced that Air Sync Microclimate Wear by Yuta Ishikawa of Ishikawaya, designed for Fashion Curating Studio, has been granted the Platinum A' Design Award in the Safety Clothing and Personal Protective Equipment Design category. The recognition forms part of the 2025 - 2026 A' Design Award & Competition and was determined through blind peer review by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members, who evaluated anonymized entries against predetermined criteria.
About the Platinum A' Design Award
The Platinum A' Design Award is recognized for honoring designs that stand at the forefront of creativity and innovation. It is the highest accolade bestowed by the A' Design Awards, acknowledging works that blend remarkable innovation with impactful societal contributions. These designs not only showcase exceptional artistic and technical proficiency but also highlight their creators' commitment to advancing the boundaries of art, science, design, and technology. Recipients of this award are celebrated for their role in shaping the aesthetics and trends of our time, contributing significantly to the enhancement of quality of life and promoting sustainable development.
About Air Sync Microclimate Wear
Air Sync is a garment developed in response to increasing heat related risks affecting cities and outdoor work environments. The design organizes airflow within the internal structure of clothing to support localized thermal comfort while maintaining a stable external form. Internal airflow pathways guide cooling air toward thermally sensitive areas of the human body. This structure enables adaptation across a wide range of applications from formal wear to medical uniforms, supporting both everyday use and specialized professional environments.
About Yuta Ishikawa
Fashion Curating Studio is a Tokyo-based creative collective working at the intersection of fashion, design strategy, and functional apparel development. The studio applies methodologies commonly used in consulting and design practices to the apparel industry, integrating research, structural thinking, and aesthetic clarity. Guided by the philosophy “Beauty works,” its approach emphasizes simplicity, material integrity, and purposeful design. Through collaborations with companies and organizations, the studio develops garments and design systems that connect craftsmanship, technology, and contemporary life.
About Ishikawaya
ISHIKAWAYA / Fashion Curating Studio is a Tokyo-based design company specializing in fashion, uniforms, and functional apparel, including AIR SYNC®, a patented airflow technology for garments.
Award Record
With this recognition, Yuta Ishikawa of Ishikawaya is a winner of 1 A' Design Award.
About the A' Safety Clothing and Personal Protective Equipment Design Award
The A' Protective Equipment Design Award is an international design competition recognizing good protective equipment by leading designers and brands worldwide. The competition is organized within the A' Design Award & Competition and is open to protective equipment designers, safety clothing manufacturers, personal protective equipment brands and industrial designers from all countries. Entries typically include helmets, gloves, goggles, respirators, earplugs and safety boots. Awarded protective equipment designs are published at https://designers.org/design-category/protective-equipment
About A' Design Award & Competition
A' Design Award & Competition is an international, juried design accolade organized annually since 2008. The competition is open to entries from all countries. The A' Design Award has a philanthropic mission to advance society through good design by recognizing and promoting superior products, projects and services that benefit society, and by creating a global awareness and appreciation for good design practices and principles. Entries are peer reviewed and anonymously evaluated by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members against predetermined criteria such as functionality, ergonomics, engineering, presentation, innovation, usability, sustainability and technology, with score normalization applied to remove biases. Awards are conferred at Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze and Iron levels. The A' Design Prize granted to eligible laureates includes the award trophy, the certificate of design excellence, the hardcover yearbook, a lifetime license to use the A' Design Award winner logo, exhibition of awarded works, an invitation to the gala night and award ceremony in Italy, inclusion in the World Design Rankings and Designer Rankings, and public relations and publicity services. Registration, the upload of a work and the preliminary score are free of charge, and Professional and Digital Edition laureates are not contractually obliged to pay further fees to claim the A' Design Prize. Further information is available at https://competition.adesignaward.com
Press Resources
- Winner Page: https://designers.org/181777
- A' Design Award Page: https://competition.adesignaward.com/181777
- Media Showcase: https://www.designnewsroom.com/!181777
- Laureate Profile: https://designers.org/d/379132
Media Contact
Giulia Ferrari, Press Office
Designers.Org
Via Leone Leoni 32, 22100 Como, Italy
press@designers.org
+39 031 4491953
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Fact Sheet
The Work
- Project
- Air Sync Microclimate Wear
- Function
- Microclimate Wear
- Category
- Safety Clothing and Personal Protective Equipment Design
- Discipline
- Industrial Design
- Industry
- Manufacturing and Fashion
- Colors
- Dim Gray, Dark Slate Gray, Black, Slate Gray and Light Slate Gray
- Images
- 5
- Client
- Fashion Curating Studio
The Recognition
- Laureate
- Yuta Ishikawa
- Country
- Japan
- Brand
- Ishikawaya
- Recognition
- Platinum A' Design Award
- Edition
- 2025 - 2026
- Design ID
- #181777
Credits
- Image Credits
- Photographer Mai Touse, Air Sync Tailored Cool, 2026.; Photographer Yuichi Matsuki, Air Sync Type 1, 2026.; Photographer Yuichi Matsuki, Air Sync Type 2, 2026.; Photographer Yuichi Matsuki, Air Sync Type 3, 2026.; Photographer Yuichi Matsuki, Air Sync Type Clear, 2026.
Design Details
- Unique Properties
- Air Sync enables effective cooling without relying on high airflow output. A narrowed intake accelerates incoming air through a patented Venturi effect while a sun shielded intake structure draws air cooler than the surrounding environment. Adjustable front and rear exhaust zippers regulate internal pressure airflow volume and velocity allowing precise control of perceived temperature through structural airflow management. The design explores clothing as personal climate infrastructure for work urban life and everyday environments.
- Inspiration
- Air Sync is a wearable microclimate system developed in response to increasing heat related risks affecting cities and outdoor work. In Japan more than eighty thousand people are transported for heatstroke each year. The garment integrates airflow engineering structural ventilation pathways and ergonomic garment construction that guide cooling air toward thermally sensitive areas of the body. The design reframes clothing as personal climate infrastructure supporting thermal regulation mobility and safety in urban work and daily life.
- Research
- This project is an applied design research on wearable cooling systems. The objective was to improve cooling efficiency while reducing battery consumption. The study combined thermal physiology and airflow design. Airflow behavior was tested through prototype garments using airflow measurement and thermal observation tools. Experiments evaluated cooling performance around key arterial zones. Results showed 180 percent higher localized airflow and 150 to 200 percent improvement in battery efficiency. The findings suggest a practical approach for improving comfort and safety in hot environments.
- Challenge
- A key challenge was addressing the structural instability common in conventional air cooled garments where internal air pressure causes inflation that restricts movement and alters the garment silhouette. Increasing social demand for protection against heat exposure required a solution suitable for everyday wear. The project introduced a patented method of anchoring non stretch airflow tunnels to the garment framework establishing a stable internal airflow architecture that maintains cooling performance during movement and wind exposure.
- Realization and Technology
- The cooling mechanism is engineered as an integrated airflow system combining calibrated Venturi outlets branching tunnel channels and internal guide fins. Airflow is directed toward axillary carotid and central back zones rather than dispersed randomly. Outlet apertures re accelerate air to enhance arterial cooling efficiency. Laminated composite textiles and precision pattern engineering maintain stable internal airflow geometry during movement.
- Operation and Interaction
- The wearer connects the fan unit and power module and puts on the garment like regular outerwear. Air enters through the back intake and moves through internal paths toward areas where the body releases more heat such as the neck and underarm. Front and rear ventilation zippers allow the user to adjust airflow while moving. This airflow circulation helps regulate body temperature and supports comfort and safety during work in hot environments.
- Project Duration and Location
- September 1 2024 to February 5 2026 Tokyo Japan
- Specifications
- The garment shell utilizes Toray Dermizax membrane fabric providing waterproof performance of 20000 mm together with wind protection and breathable comfort. The internal structure incorporates a three layer composite of nylon polyurethane film and tricot. Laminated textile engineering and precision pattern construction maintain stable internal airflow channels designed to guide air toward thermally sensitive zones of the human body.
- Keywords
- Smart Wearable, Cooling Garment, Wearable Technology, Microclimate Clothing, Venturi Airflow, Patented Technology, Dermizax Fabric, Techwear Innovation
