Prolonged heat, products labeled 'air conditioner' are in high demand

On hot summer days, at the mat shops on Le Huan Street (Hong Son Ward, Vinh City), in addition to the usual sedge mats, plastic mats, and bamboo mats, there are also a variety of mats on sale that are introduced as “air-conditioned” mats. According to Ms. Hong Huy, the owner of a mat shop on Le Huan Street, the reason they are called air-conditioned mats is because they have a much better cooling ability than regular mats such as sedge mats, bamboo mats, etc.

“This type of mat is made from natural materials such as rattan, bamboo, crushed oak or tencel fibers that absorb sweat, are well ventilated, do not cause stuffiness and especially cool the surface quickly, keeping the cold longer when using air conditioning compared to other materials. Therefore, in the hot season, air-conditioned mats are in high demand, with consumption increasing 2-3 times compared to before,” said Ms. Hong.

According to a survey, there are many types of air-conditioned mats on the market, but they focus on two main lines: the popular line with prices ranging from 150,000 VND - 400,000 VND and the high-end line with prices ranging from 800,000 VND - 1 million VND. And by material, there are: air-conditioned latex mats, air-conditioned silk mats, air-conditioned rattan mats; bamboo mats... originating from China, Japan and Vietnam, in which, Chinese goods dominate.

“Chinese air-conditioned mats have eye-catching designs and are cheaper, so they are chosen more by consumers. Compared to previous years, this year, the price of Cao Bang bamboo mats has increased by 5%, while other air-conditioned mats have increased by 10%. Only Japanese rattan mats have been introduced to the market this year, and their prices are higher than similar products (ranging from 800,000 to 850,000 VND/mat),” said Ms. Be Khanh, owner of a mat shop at Vinh Railway Station Market.

However, many shop owners, especially online sales sites, have "exaggerated" the effects of this mat as "cool as if you turned on the air conditioner", "natural cooling without electricity", causing consumers to misunderstand and order at high prices. Having small children at home and a hot summer, after researching information online and listening to advice from the seller, Ms. Vo Thi Quyen (Hung Loc, Vinh City) decided to spend 1.6 million VND to buy 2 air-conditioned mats from Japan.

Ms. Quyen said: “This mat only supports cooling when used in an air-conditioned room. When lying in an air-conditioned room, this mat will have the effect of keeping heat and cooling, but not too cold on the back. If lying in a room without air conditioning, this mat has almost no effect, no different from a normal sedge mat.”

In addition, air-conditioned shirts are also consumed strongly during the current hot weather. With the cooling function, each air-conditioned shirt costs 7-8 times more than a normal sun-protection shirt. In the market, there are many types of air-conditioned shirts, made in Vietnam, imported from Japan and China. The prices of each type are different. The type originating from Japan is the most expensive, up to 1.6-1.8 million VND/piece. The type originating from China costs only 800,000 VND/piece.

According to many users, this type of shirt really gives a more comfortable feeling when working outdoors in the sun. However, most air-conditioned shirts on the market have not been approved by any authorities for safety.

According to recommendations, these items are only products that support cooling on hot days. Before buying, consumers should carefully consult about the product, from the manufacturer, quality, price, supplier... to avoid choosing advertising information on social networking sites, with products of unknown origin, poor quality, affecting the health of users.