Clothing has been developed that could change colour and warn the wearer if they are becoming unwell.
Researchers are working on smart clotheswith conductive fibres in the fabric . This hi-tech fashion will be with us within 10 years. Garments will be woven with “responsive material”, which can alert the wearer if they are getting ill by analysing their sweat.
“Mood-changing” garments will build the technology found in smart wristbands, created by University of Lancaster scientists. They change colour and heat up in response to changes in electrical conductivity of the wearer’s skin. This could help manage diseases such as diabetes, by sensing if the wearer has high glucose levels.
Scientists are also integrating graphene into thread so it becomes a rechargeable power supply. Research shows how graphene inks can be used in textiles to store electrical charges and “release it when required”. Hey presto, automatic phone charging in one’s pockets becomes a possibility.
Will consumers be swayed by the technological and environmental advantages of owning a garment that has multiple uses and lasts for a long time, rather than “fast fashion” which gets discarded after a few months?
But practical challenges remain, including ensuring that smart garments can withstand multiple washes. Up to this point, we’ve become so preoccupied with making fabric cheaply, we haven’t really done anything innovative with it.
So, by 2030 clothes will be more adaptable, boosting the value we get from them. Ultimately, they’ll be part of our ever-increasing arsenal of tech .
