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Positive Reviews: The Popularity of Cooling Towels Reflects New Opportunities in the Summer Economy, and Scenario-based Innovation Activates Consumption Potential
In the summer of 2025, cooling towels that can “reduce the temperature by 3 degrees in 3 seconds” have become the “cooling magic tools” for outdoor scenarios such as concerts and music festivals. The sales of related products from brands like Deyou, EcoWish, and Kobayashi Pharmaceutical have skyrocketed, and some consumers even call them “life-saving products.” This phenomenon is not only an explosion of demand under high – temperature weather but also reflects three positive trends in the consumer market.
First of all, the popularity of cooling towels is a typical case of “scenario – based innovation” precisely matching users’ needs. Traditional cooling tools (such as small fans and cooling stickers) have limitations in outdoor scenarios: small fans need to be charged and are inconvenient to carry, and cooling stickers have a small area and limited cooling range. However, cooling towels can cover large – area skin such as the neck and arms through the way of “hanging around the neck/spreading on the legs,” and combined with the immediate stimulation of cooling ingredients such as menthol, they precisely solve the pain point of “mobile cooling” in long – term outdoor scenarios like concerts and music festivals. For example, Deyou’s cooling towel features “rapidly reducing the temperature by 3.5 degrees in 3 seconds,” EcoWish emphasizes “0 alcohol” which is suitable for sensitive people, and Qingfeng offers “large – size wet wipes” to reduce the use cost. These differentiated positioning strategies precisely cover the needs of different consumers (such as those allergic to alcohol and students with limited budgets), reflecting the brands’ in – depth understanding of segmented scenarios.
Secondly, the hot sales of cooling towels have promoted the transformation of the “summer economy” from “basic functions” to “experience upgrading.” In the past, consumers were more concerned about “whether it can cool down” when buying cooling products. Nowadays, high – value design (such as Deyou’s “Don’t be anxious green” and “Absolutely purple,” EcoWish’s “Pink fog strawberry”), portability (single – piece independent packaging), and social attributes (shared as “fashion items” on platforms like Xiaohongshu) have become new consumption drivers. Consumers like Li Na post “cooling lists for concerts” on social platforms, essentially upgrading the cooling towel from a “tool” to a “scenario symbol” – it is not only a means of cooling but also a “ritual prop” for participating in young cultural activities such as concerts and music festivals. This dual value of “function + emotion” makes the market ceiling of cooling towels much higher than that of traditional cooling products.
Finally, the explosive growth of cooling towels verifies the efficiency of the “new consumption link.” From product R & D to market penetration, cooling towels have become a phenomenon – level product in just one summer. Behind this is the combined effect of the instant retail capabilities of e – commerce platforms (Meituan Flash Sale, Vipshop), the grass – planting and dissemination on social media (Xiaohongshu, Weibo), and the rapid response of brands. For example, data from Meituan Flash Sale shows that the sales of cooling wet wipes have increased by 140% year – on – year since July, and cities with dense concert schedules such as Beijing and Shanghai have become the core markets. There are more than 100,000 related notes about “cooling lists for concerts” on Xiaohongshu, and users spontaneously share their usage experiences, forming a closed – loop of “demand – dissemination – purchase.” This kind of “small and beautiful” product can quickly reach the target population through new channels, providing a new paradigm of “breaking through the circle with scenarios” for small and medium – sized brands.
Negative Reviews: Hidden Worries Behind the Cooling Towel Craze, Pay Attention to the Disputes over Effectiveness and the Risk of Homogenization
Although the cooling towel market is booming, the problems exposed in its development are also worthy of attention. From user feedback, product characteristics to industry competition, the “cooling myth” of cooling towels still needs to be tested by the market in the long run.
Firstly, there is a gap between the actual product effect and the publicity, and user experiences are polarized. Some consumers think that cooling towels are “walking air conditioners,” but more users point out problems such as “short duration of the cooling sensation,” “easy to break after repeated use,” and “getting clothes wet.” For example, after using three cooling towels, Li Na found that the cooling sensation weakened significantly after rehydrating twice and the towels were easy to break; Xiao Ran mentioned that “the cooling sensation didn’t last long, and finally she had to rely on on – site water spraying to cool down.” More importantly, the publicity of “reducing the temperature by 3 degrees in 3 seconds” is ambiguous – the “cooling” of most products is the “sensory cooling” achieved by the mint ingredients stimulating the cold – sensitive nerves of the skin, rather than actually reducing the body surface temperature. The customer service of Kobayashi Pharmaceutical clearly stated that “the skin surface temperature on the neck can be reduced by at most 3 degrees,” but did not explain that it was the test result under specific environmental conditions (such as in a 27℃ room). This kind of publicity may mislead consumers’ expectations of the actual effect.
Secondly, the products are highly homogeneous, and the core competitiveness is insufficient. Currently, the competition in the cooling towel market mainly focuses on dimensions such as “ingredients (alcohol/free of alcohol),” “packaging (colorful/traditional white),” “size (large/small),” and “reusability.” However, there is a lack of breakthroughs in key technologies (such as long – acting cooling materials and environmentally friendly and degradable materials). For example, both Deyou and EcoWish add ingredients such as menthol and menthyl lactate, and Qingfeng and Kobayashi Pharmaceutical mainly promote “large size” or “disposable” features. However, the cooling principles of all brands are highly similar, making it difficult to form a technological barrier. This homogeneous competition may lead the market to quickly enter the “price war” stage, compress the profit margin, and even trigger a vicious cycle of low price and low quality.
Thirdly, the disputes over environmental protection and sustainability may affect long – term development. Some cooling towels are designed to be “reusable” (such as those of Deyou and EcoWish), but they actually become ineffective after being rehydrated 2 – 3 times, essentially being “semi – disposable” products; brands like Kobayashi Pharmaceutical are directly positioned as “disposable.” A large amount of use may generate plastic packaging and non – woven fabric waste. As consumers’ environmental awareness increases (for example, Generation Z prefers degradable products), if cooling towels cannot solve the contradiction of “single – use + non – degradable,” they may face public opinion pressure and even policy restrictions.
Suggestions for Entrepreneurs: Capture Long – term Value from the Cooling Towel Craze, Focus on “Precision, Differentiation, and Sustainability”
The popularity of cooling towels provides inspiration for entrepreneurs to “leverage a large market with a small product.” However, to gain a foothold in the summer economy, entrepreneurs need to focus on the following three aspects:
1. Dig Deep into Scenario – based Needs and Avoid “Pseudo – innovation”
The success of cooling towels lies in their precise matching of segmented scenarios such as “concerts/music festivals.” However, entrepreneurs should note that the exploration of scenario – based needs should not stop at the “surface pain points” (such as “heat”) but should delve into the details of user behavior. For example, at a concert, users need to stand for a long time and carry limited items. Therefore, the “portability,” “independent packaging,” and “not getting clothes wet” of cooling towels are more crucial than simply “cooling down”; outdoor workers may need features such as “long – acting cooling,” “reusability,” and “sweat – resistance.” Entrepreneurs can clarify the core needs of the target scenario through user research (such as questionnaires and on – site observations) to avoid product unsaleability caused by “pseudo – needs.”
2. Build Differentiated Barriers and Upgrade from “Ingredients” to “Technology”
The current homogenization in the cooling towel market is due to the low technological threshold. Entrepreneurs need to break away from the competitive logic of “changing packaging and ingredients” and turn to core technological innovation. For example, develop “phase – change materials” (achieving physical cooling through material heat absorption instead of relying on mint stimulation), “degradable non – woven fabrics” (solving environmental problems), and “long – acting slow – release technology” (extending the duration of the cooling sensation). As a “plant – based personal care brand,” EcoWish’s “0 alcohol” positioning has formed a certain degree of differentiation. It can further strengthen the R & D endorsement of “natural ingredients” (such as cooperating with scientific research institutions to verify the cooling effect) to enhance user trust.
3. Balance Marketing and Experience and Avoid “Over – commitment”
The disputes among cooling towel users mainly stem from the gap between publicity and actual effects. Entrepreneurs need to maintain a “sense of authenticity” in marketing. For example, clearly mark the difference between “sensory cooling” and “actual cooling,” explain the testing conditions for the duration of the cooling sensation (such as temperature and humidity), and display product effects through real user evaluations (rather than laboratory data). In addition, “trial packs” can be launched to reduce users’ decision – making costs, and “cashback for positive reviews” can be offered to encourage users to share their real experiences and establish a positive word – of – mouth cycle.
4. Pay Attention to Sustainable Development and Layout “Green Cooling”
As environmental protection policies become stricter and consumers’ awareness increases, “degradability” and “reusability” will become the core competitiveness of cooling products. Entrepreneurs can try to use degradable materials such as bamboo fiber and seaweed fiber to replace traditional non – woven fabrics, or design a combination of “cooling towel + replacement core” (such as only replacing the inner core after buying the packaging once) to reduce users’ usage costs and reduce waste generation. For example, Kobayashi Pharmaceutical’s “disposable cooling towels” can explore cooperation with recycling platforms to centrally process used products and enhance the brand’s environmental protection image.
In summary, the popularity of cooling towels is the result of the combined effect of demand, technology, and channels. However, its long – term development still needs to solve problems such as effectiveness, homogenization, and environmental protection. For entrepreneurs, the inspiration from the cooling towel craze is not only about “seizing the opportunity in the summer economy” but also about how to build sustainable competitive advantages through “scenario – based innovation,” “technological upgrading,” and “user trust” – this may be the real “cooling logic” of the “cooling magic tool.”
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