Five fashion technologies changing the way you dress
Fashion has been around since time immemorial. And recently, we have witnessed some amazing innovations in the industry, courtesy tremendous technological advancements. The coming together of clothing and tech has given us some shocking yet useful innovations. From built-in sensors to color-changing patterns, here are five new clothing and fashion technologies changing the way you dress.
Vibrating sportswear
Sportswear that gives you step-by-step direction while exercising? Oh yes! Certain brands such as the WearableX are embedding accelerometers and vibrating motors into the fabric around the hips, knees and ankles that gently vibrate to instruct you on how and how much to move. When paired with a mobile app, visual and audio cues break down poses via vibrations.
Color changing clothes
If you are too moody about your color choices, or end up misjudging the dress code at a party, there is no need to worry- the scope of color-changing clothes is widening. Many designers have (successfully and unsuccessfully) experimented with embedded LEDs and e-Ink screens in clothing and accessories. And they are not stopping anytime soon.
Built-in sensors to collect medical data
Move over from your fitness watch, clothing companies are now integrating built-in sensors in your cloth fabric to collect crucial medical information from your body. These companies are designing and developing activewear, workwear and sleepwear using smart stretchy fabric with built-in, strategically-placed ECG, respiration and physical activity sensors. The data so collected can then be accessed and analyzed using certain mobile apps.
#4: Environment-friendly shoes
Most of our clothing and shoes, especially those made from non-biodegradable fabrics, have a negative impact on the environment. But some shoe companies like Adidas are making greener trainers, made mostly from ocean plastic and plastic bottles plucked from beaches.
Self-cleaning clothes
If you do not love doing your laundry (who does?), self-cleaning clothes are the innovation you have been waiting for. Researchers claim that tiny metal structures attached to cotton fibers can break down grime exposed to sunlight. However, the research is still in the nascent stage, and we have a long way to go before we start throwing away our washing machines.
