Intelligence

Innovation: E-Textiles
New advancements in electronic textiles are driving
apparel use cases that could revolutionise remote
healthcare, thermoregulation and sensorial experience in
real life and the metaverse

Yvonne Kostiak & Helen Palmer

05.17.22 · 11 minutes

Huisheng Peng, Fudan University

Overview
E-textiles (electronic textiles) combine fabrics and bres with electronics,
enabling active heating and cooling, data capture and transfer, haptic sensations
and the ability to generate electricity.

Speculative innovation in e-textiles explores building a better future, offsetting

challenges of the climate crisis while empowering struggling healthcare systems and
online-led lifestyles.
Forecast to be worth $475bn by 2025, these fabrics will impact future consumer
lifestyles in recreation, energy consumption and healthcare.
To date, e-textiles have had little success in apparel due to constraints in cost, comfort,
washability and end use, but new developments are shi ing to provide solution-based
function in clothing.
This report identifies three key areas for development – personal climate control,
health and wellbeing, sensorial and immersive enhancement – with case studies for
each and an analysis of the opportunities for future investment.

Nerdist/Fudan University

1
Personal climate control
Extreme weather patterns coupled with increasing energy prices will drive a need for
more cost-effective personal thermoregulating systems. Heating textiles are currently
used in cold-weather endurance wear, but could be an energy efficient solution in the
home or workplace.
War ming: heat can be applied to localised parts of a garment by placing thin heating
panels or conductive print in desired areas. It can also be knitted or woven through a
fabric using conductive heating yarn. The heating systems are usually controlled via
Bluetooth app and charge is supplied by a small, removable battery pack in the piece.
Cooling: air conditioning-like devices can be applied near the back of the neck.
Osmotex's HYDRO_BOT is an active membrane that can pump up to 200 litre/m2hour,
removing moisture from the skin. It is electronically controlled and independent of
climatic conditions.
S elf-s ufficient charging: in early developments, scientists use kinetic movement from
the body to generate energy in self-powered or charge-creating textiles. Innovation in
embedding micro solar panels into textiles and piezoelectric materials could mitigate
the need for external power supply.

Seger

Swedish thermal sock specialists Seger partnered with Swedish innovation company Inuheat to
create the Serger Heat sock

2
Personal climate control: case studies
Heating garments have been used in cold weather endurance sports for some time.
The emergence of products targeting lifestyle uses indicates potential for broader
application.
Electronic heating s ys tems : Red Bull's premium clothing line AlphaTauri launched a
heatable capsule collection in collaboration with Telekom and Schoeller Textil AG.
The pieces integrate Schoeller's E-So -Shell heating technology and Telekom's tech to
facilitate a temperature-controlling app. Similarly, Finland-based UXTEX develops
electronic textiles based on printed electronics technology. The products, which
include a hoodie and a coat, can be washed, ironed and heated without compromising
longevity or durability.
Pers onal air conditioning: Sony's Reon Pocket heating and cooling system is more of
a device than textile, but the company partnered with brands such as Le Coq Sportif
Japan and Descente to integrate it into specially designed shirts. Tokyo-based Shi all
developed a similar gadget that can warm or cool the wearer.
Advanced s weat wicking: Schoeller implemented Osmotex's HYDRO_BOT into
textiles. Unlike passive membranes that do not adapt to human thermoregulation, the
tech enables active, electronically controllable water vapour transport.

Alpha Tauri

AlphaTauri's Heatable Capsule Collection in collaboration with Telekom and Schoeller Textil AG

3
Personal climate control: what's next?
In the future, electronic textiles may enable us to be self-sufficient in regulating our
body temperature without the need for externally sourced power packs.
Lightweight and washable heating: Sri Lanka Institute of Nanotechnology developed
nanomaterial-coated textiles that can be used as lightweight heating devices operating
at low voltages. The technology uses a printable conductive carbon print with a top
layer of PU coating, allowing for stretch, washing and rubbing.
S olar charge mater ials : a team of researchers at Aalto University in Finland is
developing a technique for embedding textiles with invisible solar panels, providing an
energy source for wearable devices.
P iez oelectr ic charging mater ials : DiPole Materials' PiezoYarn behaves like nylon
yarn but can generate electricity when stretched or twisted. It is made from
electrospun nanofibres containing aligned dipoles that are inherently piezoelectric.
Alex Witty's The Piezo Project incorporates piezoelectric crystals embedded in
footwear which, when compressed, generates electricity stored within an internal
battery and accessed via USB port.

Elina Ilen, Aalto University

Elina Ilén led the Sun-Powered Textiles project at Aalto University. At scale, researchers believe the
garments could reduce our need for traditional energy sources

4
Health and wellness
Integrating connected smart solutions into clothing can improve quality of life and
make wellness more accessible. Consumers will be looking to take better care of
themselves and each other, adopting products that facilitate healing as habit. McKinsey
estimates $265bn worth of healthcare services could shi to the home by 2025.
Biometr ic data cap ture: integrated sensors such as ECG sensors measure vitals
including body temperature, heart rate, heart health, muscles and respiratory health.
Tracking biometrics builds a picture of a person's health that can help diagnosis as
well as prevent injuries, medical conditions and burnout.
Connected care: electronic sensors transmit information to an app or professional
healthcare partner. This can keep loved ones connected or alert people to warning
signals.
Remote coaching: using a mesh of sensors, a digital version of a person can be
captured in real time to facilitate remote physiotherapy or sports coaching. In-built
haptic vibrational guidance can help a wearer correct their form or be reminded to
move.

SKIIN

Skiin's underwear connects the wearer to loved ones and has three ECG channels that record live
heart rate, resting heart rate and heart rate variability

5
Health and wellness: case studies
E-textiles can play a part in improving and maintaining health.
Early detection of health is s ues : Siren's (US) washable socks help wearers avoid
diabetic foot ulcers by monitoring foot temperature and sending information to a
licensed nurse and doctor to flag potential injuries the patient may not feel. UK-based
KYMIRA is aiming for predictive diagnostic apparel that can monitor vitals. Tracking
ECG, blood pressure, respiration rate and oxygen saturation can help predict an acute
cardiac event such as a heart attack 48 hours before it occurs, or stillbirth in pregnancy.
An integrated yoga teacher: US-based Wearable X's machine-washable yoga apparel
offers posture monitoring and haptic vibrational guidance to help the wearer improve
yoga poses.
3D vis ualis ation for remote therapy and coaching: Cipher Skin (US) uses Cipher
Mesh, a network of sensors printed on a unique lattice construction that can cover the
entire surface of any body. It measures trillions of data points that can be visualised in
3D animation, allowing for real-time remote physical therapy and athletic training.
Op timis e health through analys is : Canada-based Hexoskin's smart clothing measures
cardiac and respiratory activities, activity level and sleep data, translating these
metrics into the Connected Health Platform for wearers to visualise and manage.

Siren

Siren helps to reduce the risk of ulcers through early detection of potential injuries

6
Health and wellness: what's next?
Affordability, comfort and seamlessness will be key for mass uptake.
Data cap ture shi s from the wr is t to the body: data capture apparel or footwear has
potential to be more accurate and comfortable than wrist trackers. Taiwan-based ITRI
offers iSmartWear, a contactless, washable and abrasion-resistant smart textile that
can track vital signs without bodily contact through its nanosecond pulse near-field
sensing tech.
Body p owered s mar t textiles : integrating sensors into textiles can be bulky, costly
and impractical. A five-year project at Loughborough University aims to overcome
limitations associated with motion detection techniques. It targets smart textiles that
can capture biometrics, self-charge and wirelessly communicate data to a mobile
device, resulting in durable, lightweight wearables that could unlock low-cost
rehabilitation monitoring products.
Phys ical rehabilitation: innovations such as OmniFiber can aid in regulating and
rehabilitating breathing. Developed by researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of
Technology, the 'robotic' pilot fibre can help athletes train their breathing. Portuguese
company Nuada's glove acts as an electrically charged exoskeleton that helps those
with hand weakness, injury or arthritis restore strength.

Nuada

Nuada's exoskeleton glove can hold up to 40kg and is designed to help those with weak or injured
hands

7
Sensorial and immersive
Our lives continue to be increasingly intertwined with digital worlds and experiences.
New technologies will allow for more immersive experiences in the digital realm and
greater expression in real life.
Hap tic technolog y: materials with embedded tech can create an experience of touch
by applying forces, vibrations or motions to the user. This allows for a more sensorial
experience within a virtual setting. It can also provide another form of communication
to the wearer in connected garments.
Tracking: investments in gamified and move-to-earn fitness platforms will drive
demand for wearables that capture IRL physical activity. Materials with sensors for
heart rate, muscle activity, movement and GPS could facilitate recreating the wearer
within a digital space.
Pers onal exp res s ion: creative expression in the digital realm is reigniting inspiration
within the real world. There is a re-emergence of experimental electronic textiles
spurred on by an 'art-school' # NoughtiesNostalgia sentiment and the availability of DIY
e-textile kits on platforms such as Etsy.

adidas

Google, adidas and EA teamed up on a smart shoe insole that connects to your phone and can
turn your kicks and movement on the soccer eld into rewards in FIFA Mobile

8
Sensorial and immersive: case studies
Emerging innovations can integrate our experience in the digital world and enhance our
IRL experiences and creativity.
Phys ical s ens ations in digital worlds : Spain-based OWO patented a wireless haptic
vest that allows users to feel more than 30 different sensations. The algorithm has
potential to create infinite sensations such as a gunshot or a hug.
S ens ing s ound: London-based CuteCircuit's SoundShirt allows a deaf person to feel
music on their skin via haptic sensations. This tactile immersion could make a live
symphony inclusive and shared by everyone.
Clothing that exp res s es emotion: Polish fashion designer Iga Węglińska's conceptual
Emotional Clothing collection consists of two pieces that change colour or flash to
help the wearer identify stress or anxiety. The interactive garments use biofeedback,
which signals psycho-physiological changes taking place in the user's body.
Activis m through e-textile communication: experimental artist Kathleen McDermott
created a jacket that records and displays levels of sound pollution around her
neighbourhood in Brooklyn, NY.

Iga Węglińska

The Emotional Clothing collection, which formed Węglińska's doctoral dissertation at the
Academy of Fine Arts in Krakow, is designed to "broaden the experience of clothing"

9
Sensorial and immersive: what's next?
New developments in e-textiles have the potential to expand our sensorial interaction
with materials and digital worlds.
Multifunctional e-fibre: an international team of scientists led by the University of
Cambridge produced a fully woven smart textile display that integrates active
electronic, sensing, energy and photonic functions. These are embedded into the
fibres and yarns, which are manufactured using textile-based industrial processes.
This textile also has the potential to be self-powered.
App earance changing mater ial: associate professor Stefanie Mueller and her team
developed the Photo-Chromeleon, a personal fabrication technique that could enable
end-users to alter the design and appearance of the products they own on demand. It
utilises a combination of photochromic dyes, UV and LED lights, as well as an
optimisation algorithm to alter these designs for everyday items.
Acous tic fibre: inspired by the human auditory system, scientists at MIT developed a
material that operates as a microphone while retaining the traditional qualities of a
fabric. It can detect noises or a wearer's heartbeat and serve as a speaker when
voltage is applied. This could have a noise cancelling application or even lend to
something more expressive.

University of Cambridge

First scalable large-area complex system integrated into textiles using an entirely bre-based
manufacturing approach, led by the University of Cambridge

10
1 2 345
Action points
Partner with experts in
the eld
Collaborate with specialist
businesses or scientific
institutions with in-depth
knowledge in this field.
Combining the tech with an
early understanding of
apparel end use will increase
application success
11
Explore health and
wellbeing opportunities
optimised for e-textiles
E-textiles present an
opportunity not only in
managing and increasing
health by tracking biometrics,
but also preventing serious
conditions and improving
wellbeing. They can also
facilitate tele-healthcare,
connecting the wearer to
health professionals and
loved ones
Personal heating and
cooling markets are
growing; assess and
invest where it can add
value
Increasingly acute global
climate and economic shi s
will demand ingenious
solutions for personal
comfort. Natural and man-
made materials with
thermoregulating properties
already exist, but e-textiles
could mitigate the reliance on
heating or air conditioning at
home, during commute or in
the workplace
Invest in R&D for charge-
producing materials
Make the wearer their own
power bank via innovation in
piezoelectric and solar
charging materials. At scale,
this tech could represent
hyper-localised self-
sufficiency and an alternative
clean energy resource
Integrate and advocate
for a sustainable
approach to
manufacturing and end
of life
Use responsible or recycled
fibres such as circular
polyester, cellulosics or wool.
Ensure items can be easily
washed and withstand
repeated wear, charges and
washes for longevity or
resale. Take responsibility for
the item's end of life, setting
up infrastructure for
disassembly, recycling and
disposal and incentivising
returns to ensure products
will be part of a circular
framework