Disruptive Tech Innovation is Reshaping the Fashion Industry for an Agile, Dynamic and Sustainable Lifestyle

Smart Textiles: Are ? fabrics and garments with embedded fibers that can be woven into wearable fabric. ? These fabrics have integrated funtionalities that can sense, store, process and communicate information in a seamless, scalable, and unobtrusive manner and could completely transform as to how people interact with their environment and with each other. See Smart Textiles

Fashion, Sports, Healthcare and Industry

Smart materials find excellent use cases in fashion, sports, leisure, healthcare, the automobile industry, and construction, to name a few. They have been a major fascination of mine ever since my first venture into fashion and e-commerce in 2010.

I found a renewed interest in 2019 when I began influencing in emerging technologies in fashion, neuroscience, health, energy and sustainability. While reading scientific articles, I came across research studies on smart textiles/materials, artificial skin and wearable technology. A terrific article by the Wyss Institute caught my attention, as it is about the development of textiles and materials using 3D and 4D-printing techniques that result in shape-shifting structures, inspired by nature. These structures are able to change their shape in response to external stimuli, such as heat and humidity. See Shape-Shifting Structures

Smart Textiles for an Agile, Dynamic and Sustainable Lifestyle

With sustainability guidelines in place, such as ESG compliance, SDGs, and the FABRIC Act, the fashion industry is compelled to undertake major decarbonization efforts. In fact, the industry is radically reinventing itself to achieve a carbon-neutral supply chain. New textiles from garment waste, recyclable packaging, fair labor conditions, resales of ? pre-loved clothing ?, recycling, etc. all of which are adding up to noticeable and positive changes with sustainability in mind.

• A recent article published by MIT News, entitled? ? Is this the future of fashion ? ? describes the production of a 4D Knit Dress. Ministry of Supply, the high-tech performance ? work wear ? fashion company, whose founders are MIT graduates in engineering and business, together with the MIT Self Assembly Lab, demonstrated the manufacturing of this 4D Knit Dress to in-store customers, as a robotic arm was finishing the final touches. In the past, such a personalization of a perfectly fitting dress or garment, has only been achieved by bespoke tailoring.
• However active fibres and 4D knitting processes are dramatically changing the textile industry and in turn the fashion industry as a whole. Noteworthy is the fact that such a 4D Knit Dress can be altered and reseized after use. Furthermore, the specific garment design is programmed into the robot arm and, therefore, a quick production of multiple dresses is possible.
• Such innovative processes, like the 4D printed dress, are a most cost-effective and sustainable way to manufacture garments as they are produced ?entirely in one piece, which virtually eliminates waste. ? In addition, personalization, self-expression, comfort and durability further enhance the competitive advantage. See Is this the future of fashion?

• Ministry of Supply’s unique approach to smart textiles, represents an inspiration for other fashion houses to create active and smart textiles that accommodate today’s tech-minded clientele in business, sports, leisure and healthcare, while further taking into account an agile and dynamic lifestyle.

Final Thoughts

Innovations, such as the 4D Knit Dress, are transforming work, sports, leisure, and health clothing with a specialized focus on functionality, durability, wellbeing and sustainability.

As technology advances, humans evolve alongside it, transforming not only themselves, but also the very fabric of the clothes they are wearing.

Thank you for reading!

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Sources?: 美国麻省理工学院 Wyss Institute at Harvard University ThredUp Vogue Business Ministry of Supply

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