When style meets science! Heatwave clothes that will never fail you - from £15

A month ago, at the suggestion of Uniqlo’s Global Creative Director Clare Waight Keller, I broke my golden rule and bought polyester. Specifically, a featherweight grey tailored jacket made from Uniqlo’s AIRism – a patented, high-tech fabric designed to keep its wearer cool, dry and fresh in a heatwave.

Normally, polyester is a complete no-go for me - I won't buy polyester blends as they can't be recycled and 100% polyester items don't biodegrade and clog up landfills. But, bear with me here. AIRism is breathable, soft, sweat-wicking, and while my jacket looks substantial, it feels like wearing next to nothing. It's also worth knowing synthetic fibres protect skin from UVA and UVB rays better than cotton and linen.

For anyone who struggles in the heat, needs extra protection due to skin cancer concerns or simply doesn’t want to tan (there are some of us out there!), a T-shirt, dress or light jacket from the AIRism range gives instant peace of mind, and due to its long-lasting qualities it can be kept for many future summers and hot-weather holidays.

Hush’s Air Flow pieces are another cool win. Think flowy, drapey dresses in rippled fabric that don’t cling or crease, making them ideal for maximising breezes – robe wearing desert nomads are our style inspo here - and, of course, staying comfortable in the heat.

Everlane’s Air cotton range feels, according to reviews on the site “like wearing air” and their customers in tropical climates swear by them to stay cool, their range includes T-shirts, tank tops and long-sleeve Henley T-shirts.

Natural fibres still deserve love, of course. Linen and cotton are time-tested heatwave heroes, and pieces that cover the shoulders and upper arms will keep you cooler, and you’ll avoid accidental sunburn too; I recommend a shirt dress or short-sleeved tunic to level up your sun protection.

I’ve also recently discovered the effectiveness of the ramie range from Muji, which like Uniqlo is based in Japan. Ramie is a lustrous, linen-like fabric grown in Japan – a country that knows heat and 95% humidity days intimately – and its breathable, fast-drying, and gets better with wear, making it worth the investment.

Affordable brand Halara’s Softly Zero fabric is another synthetic fibre designed for wearing in the heat, and Halara offer a wide range of quick-drying summer dresses with built in bras that go all the way from A to F cup. Doing away with your bra? Every little helps when the heat is on.

Science based techno-fabrics might be made from polyester, but their resilience means they last, and they protect better against harmful rays. If you’re heat-sensitive, it’s worth weighing that longevity and comfort against the environmental cost. The best heatwave clothes are the ones that work hard, help you feel cool and comfortable, and never, ever go to landfill.