Technological advances are changing the way clothing is manufactured. Manufacturers are turning to recycled materials to create new technologies that are both beautiful and functional.
This California-based clothing company uses the remains from coffee production to produce clothing that traps body heat, which adds 10 degrees of warmth. In addition to the increased warmth, Virus’s clothing helps to wick away moisture and keeps wearers smelling great even after an extremely long power lifting session or fitness routine.
LED shoes have been illuminating the footwear market for a short while now and Get Lit Shoes has led the way providing these attention grabbing products to men, women and children alike. The soles of the shoes come complete with a strip of LED lights, making these shoes ideal for everything from EDM to dancing, to skateboarding.
VFILEs teamed up with Mountain Dew to create outdoor wearable technology. The collection entitled Camo Out offers wearable technology such as personal audio systems and body cameras. The clothing includes baseball caps with cameras and jackets and tracksuits that play music. Finally, the collection includes solar powered backpacks to power other electronics.
Spray-on Fabric was created by Manel Torres, a fashion designer from Spain and Paul Luckham a particle technology professor. The two worked together to create a spray material that can create clothing with no seams. This technology has been dubbed Fabrican Spray-On. The spray contains polymers that bind together when the solvent in the liquid touches surfaces like the body and evaporates. The goal of this company is not clothing. It is seeking to create a sanitary spray on bandage that would be used to cover burns and other wounds.
Believe it or not, clothing can be made using everyday items such as beer bottles and plastic bags. Much like how bamboo can be converted into thread to make sheets and clothing, recycled plastics are broken down, melted and turned into wearable fabrics. Now that is recycling at its best!
These jeans manufactured by I Am Not a Virgin are manufactured using 25 percent bottle fibers and 75 percent cotton. The jeans are soft, yet durable and perform as well as other denim jeans.
TOME Smart Handbags and Bracelets
TOME, a New York fashion house has paired with intel to create a line of smart jewelry. Intel smart bracelets will help women remain connected. These bracelets receive alerts and monitor a woman’s health. The fashion house designed a handbag that measures ambient temperatures, the barometric pressure and toxic gasses in the area.
Helly Hansen designed the H2Flow jacket to help regulate body temperature. This jacket features three layers. The first layer pulls humidity away from the body. The second layer contains Polartec fleece that helps collect warm air to help regulate a person’s temperature. The outer polyester layer helps block the elements. The fabric is breathable and allows moisture to escape.
As more and more designers realize the advantages of recycled materials and new technological advances are discovered, new smart clothing and accessories will be developed. This is an exciting time in the clothing industry. Stay tuned for further clothing advancements.
