binding agent 220 so as to form the emissive layer 214 on the roof surface thus an embodiment of the invention is a composite material for passive radiative cooling may include a base layer such as a building surface or roof surface and at least one emissive layer located adjacent to a surface of the base layer wherein the at least one emissive layer is affixed to the surface of the base layer via a binding agent having a characteristic thickness 223 of the binding agent 220 between about 1 and about 50 microns in one embodiment fig7 is a stylized representation of a layer of a composite material for passive radiative cooling according to one embodiment of the present disclosure fig7 shows one embodiment of the composite material for passive radiative cooling that include an emissive layer that may include up to approximately ten layers of irregular spaced silica particles embedded in a polymer medium with a reflective base layer though more layers may be incorporated as may be beneficial to a given application the reflective base layer reflects a majority of solar energy which is transmitted through the transparent emissive layer the emissive layer emits radiation in the infrared radiation band including the 8 13 micron atmospheric window other embodiments include the application of passive cooling compositions to fabrics and garments and the fabrics and garments so treated these embodiments include the application of a liquid suspension of silica.