Mission Athletecare – which was co-founded by a group of athletes including tennis champion Serena Williams – has launched its ‘EnduraCool’ instant cooling towel in the UK.

The company also counts NBA basketball players Dwight Howard and Dwyane Wade, MLB baseball all-star David Wright and Olympic football gold medallist Mia Hamm among its co-founders, and was launched in 2009. A number of athletes from across the sporting world are using the cooling towels.

EnduraCool has been designed to prevent overheating, with patented technology allowing the fabric to cool instantly when wet. According to Mission, the cooling effect is fast and sustained, and the fabric does not feel heavy or wet. The product is intended for athletes at all levels of play.

The cooling process does not involve chemicals and the towel is washable, re-usable and safe for skin. It also comes in a range of different colours and patterns.

Serena Williams, a 13-time Grand Slam champion, said she was “blown away” by the cooling towel. “It’s important to cool down quickly during heated competition, and the cooling towel is the most effective method during short breaks of play,” she commented.

Mission has also developed grip and traction enhancing technologies to increase hand grip, court grip and performance on the court and the playing field.

EnduraCool is being distributed in the UK by Sport Factory.