Some of Uniqlo's new Heattech items.

Yes, we know it is still summer and the last thing on anyone’s mind is thermal underwear.

But that hasn’t deterred Uniqlo from getting an early start on sales of its fall-winter lineup of Heattech thermal underwear. Actually, Uniqlo started selling some Heattech products on July 29. But the major launch was held this week at Tokyo Midtown.

Uniqlo and synthetic fiber maker Toray Industries have been collaborating on the Heattech line of thermal underwear and some outerwear since 2003, and the clothes have been a success.

For the coming fall-winter season, the men’s line  features tank tops with a deodorization effect. For women, the items are lighter and retain moisture better. The children’s wear are 2 cm longer to keep their stomachs warm.

Uniqlo is counting on big sales because it thinks the power conservation campaign, currently in place for summer, will continue into winter. That means we’ll have to turn off the heating and keep warm with thermal undies.