Technology has become an integrated part of every other part of our lives, why not in our clothing?
Would you rather your clothing be an expression of yourself or tell you when you were about to have a heart attack? As crazy as it may seem, our clothing is so much more than just telling strangers how cool you are. Smart clothing can be anything from making clothing comfier to making you bulletproof. But this isn’t all that new to us. Smart technology has been around since the late 1960s, but it wasn’t till 2004 that it became a part of our everyday appearance. ees, smartphones, and smart clothing have been on the rise; now technology is officially taking over.
“I would put [smart clothing] in the last 20 years or so,” says Diana Saiki, professor of fashion merchandising at Ball State.
Saiki says that while technology in the industrial revolution did improve mass production of clothing, the 20th century was when significant development of “ready-to-wear” clothing began. Smart clothing refers to clothing that does more than just cover you. It has buttons to push and features like temperature control. Most notable is the incorporation of technological accessories, such as smartwatches.
“I personally have a Fitbit, and I love it to death,” says senior fashion major Hanna Evelyn. “I mostly use it to track my exercise, sleep, and water intake. It has definitely helped me keep track of my wellness and make the necessary changes to keep myself healthy.”
For the first time in history, physical technology can be found in our everyday fashion. For example, different soled shoes use technologies involving arch support to heal your feet. Hanna’s winter coat has heat insulation technology. This feature is possible because of a technology that makes polymers of fabric react when exposed to heat. Like your own skin has pores, so do the materials that make up temperature-controlled garments. Pores close up to trap heat and open up to let air flow in when the wearer gets too warm.
“I have a big passion for fashion sustainability,” says Hanna. “There are already a lot [of sustainable companies] out there but until companies stop greenwashing and more consumers stop overbuying, there isn’t much we can do.”
Greenwashing is a PR tactic to trick buyers into believing companies are doing more to protect the environment. It was created in the 1960s because nuclear power needed a way to compete with the anti-nuclear movement. The encouragement to be green moved to hotels asking customers to reuse towels and car companies covering up violating the Clean Air Act. Now companies like Nestle are trying to convince you that their single-use plastic bottles are “environmentally responsible.” As you can see, the lies companies tell to be trendy are endless, so it’s no shock that it’s woven into the fashion industry too.
“I’ve seen that there is research happening to turn spider webs into silk, and I find it so interesting and can’t wait to see how that turns out,” says Hanna. “As a woman, I also would hope that more clothing will start to have larger pockets and more of them. In general, there is always so much happening behind the scenes so it’s very difficult to expect specific things regarding technology in fashion.”
Hanna aspires to make convenient clothing, especially for women. She says that because we are a society with our phones on us constantly, it would be interesting to try and create charging jackets and pockets. While she might not be able to use spider silk to make clothing just yet, nanospinning and 4D printing are leading the way for technology-made fashion.
“In merchandising, some trends might be a virtual reality in shopping might become a reality – where you can try on clothing in VR 3D rather than having to go to a store,” says Saiki. “The consumer will be able to design their products more individualized and it should come to them custom more easily than in the past.”
With the coronavirus pandemic shutting down stores, virtual fitting rooms came to the rescue. Company websites and apps like Zeekit allowed customers to “try on” earrings, clothes, and even makeup. Unfortunately, there are some hiccups. Personal and biometric data is given to the companies in an instant, letting them know in real-time what your lifestyle is. It’s important to check your surroundings and privacy settings before you try on your next top. But there is hope that as technology advances, 3D body scanners could be used to make “contactless” fitting rooms to bring back traffic to America’s malls.
“The pros [for technology in clothing] are mainly for monitoring health, exercise clothing that monitors movement or motivates you to move, color changes of clothing in emergencies, tracking a loved one by adding tracking devices to the clothing,” says Saiki.
As for the future of clothing, Saiki says the goal is to make everyday life more convenient. Clothing that motivates you is a big seller in our pandemic lifestyles. Safety and aesthetics need to be considered too. Bags that could alert you if it has been stolen or if you left it somewhere could be a big hit for that one friend who is always forgetting their things. Mood clothing could be the next big thing, changing how you want it to be that day. And for all the people who fight with the washing machine, self-cleaning clothing is in the works.
“I think adding technology to fashion can be a very good and important thing,” says Evelyn. “It can allow for more accessibility and comfort, and it would just add to the general ease of life. It could assist in making clothes more sustainable and maybe even biodegradable. However, it would make the cost of clothing go up. Clothing is a necessity and the more expensive it becomes, the less available it will be.”
When it comes to imagining what the future of technologically integrated textiles will be, the possibilities are endless. Research labs are working on making their own reusable materials and even power suits. Some researchers are testing mood clothing and touch-screen clothes. Maybe one day you will be able to fly to work by putting on your work suit, but for now, you get to be stylish and comfortable. Don’t believe me? Just take a look at your smartwatch.
