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Editor’s note: North Carolina State University (NC State) colleagues Kavita Mathur, Ph.D., and Amanda Mills, Ph.D., have jointly contributed the following responses to questions from Janet Preus, senior editor of Textile Technology Source, about current research in materials science. It has been edited for space and clarity.
Question: What’s the focus of your current research, and what is motivating it?
Answer (Mathur): My primary research focuses on the design, manufacture and structure-property relationships of textile materials, with an emphasis on end-use performance and applications. Prior to joining NC State, my research and development work in the industry encompassed health care textiles, including the impact of textiles on health, sleep, performance and comfort; functional and interactive textile solutions; material innovation; end-use performance; and fiber composites.
My current academic research program bridges design, materials science and biomedical applications, with a translational “bench-to-bedside” approach. It focuses on generating multidisciplinary, health-centered innovations. One of my areas of research focuses on advancing textile fabrication technologies to support next-generation wearable health systems. Specifically, I develop and validate simulation-based tools that enhance the design and functionality of garments for biomedical applications, such as
ECG-monitoring sports bras and medical compression wear.
By integrating artificial intelligence (AI)-powered textile digitization, virtual-fit modeling and contact pressure prediction, my work addresses the critical relationship between fabric behavior and biosignal performance. Through comparative analyses of physical and virtual drape characteristics and the use of commercial 3D garment-simulation platforms, I aim to bridge textile science with digital innovation, enabling more precise, inclusive and performance-driven fabrication of smart garments.
Answer (Mills): My research focuses on developing methods for integrating electronics into textiles and creating smart systems. It is important to use a holistic approach to create electronic textiles, considering not only the material and performance requirements but also end-user preferences and aesthetics. To that end, my group utilizes a range of fabrication methods, including weaving, knitting, embroidery, screen printing and inkjet printing, that enable us to embed soft sensors and electronics both within and
onto the textile.
I also use these techniques to investigate connection and interconnection methods across a garment. Soft connections that maintain mechanical and electrical durability are critical in achieving consumer adoption of smart textiles. … [With this approach] we can create smart, textile-based platforms that address multidisciplinary challenges in health care, information gathering, rehabilitation and thermal comfort, among other applications.
Q: Challenges, generally, have been powering these devices so they work reliably, are washable and, increasingly, are comfortable. Could you describe improvements in wearable textile technology and what is in the works?
A: Recent improvements focus on embedding functionality directly into fabrics. [This includes] biosignal sensing, pressure distribution and responsive fit, without compromising comfort or aesthetics.
One key advancement is the use of simulation-based contact pressure modeling, which allows researchers and designers to predict and optimize how garments interact with the body, especially for medical-grade wear like compression waistbands or ECG-monitoring bras. AI-powered textile digitization and virtual fabric drape modeling are also improving how we prototype and fabricate garments before physical sampling, saving time and resources.
Washability remains a major barrier to the broader adoption of e-textile products, as there are currently no standardized wash testing methods or protocols to reliably assess durability. This leads to inconsistency, with e-textiles labeled as washable showing significant variation in reliability after repeated laundering.
Initial findings from a comprehensive washability study suggest that ink durability is influenced more by the combination of temperature and agitation type than by detergent type. Notably, inks printed on smooth, soft knit fabrics showed lower resistance values compared to those on rougher woven fabrics. This is likely due to the smoother surface enabling more uniform ink application and the greater flexibility of knits reducing cracking caused by fabric creasing—ultimately preserving the functionality of the printed electronics.
Wearable textile technology [in development] spans multiple fronts—from immediate design enhancements to long-term infrastructural advancements. Near-term efforts focus on refining digital twin technologies for textiles, enabling personalized-fit simulations and advancing inclusive design practices that better account for different body types and movement patterns.
At the same time, there is growing momentum behind multifunctional e-textiles that can adapt in real time, adjusting compression levels or biosignal fidelity based on biometric feedback. …
Key technological gaps exist in three main areas: performance prediction, generative design, and optimization and supply chain integration.
In terms of performance prediction, there are tremendous opportunities to develop soft avatars, fabric hierarchy models and sensor performance simulations that integrate dynamic avatar motion and electrical signal mapping. Circuit modeling and tools borrowed from the electrical engineering domain … are of particular interest for advancing this space. These innovations are crucial for creating a digital ecosystem that supports accurate CAD/CAE/CAM tools capable of representing the complexity of real-world textile behaviors.
On the design optimization front, future tools must improve both development efficiency and product sustainability. This includes optimizing e-textile patterns for minimal material waste, enhancing fit and biosignal data quality, and automatically routing circuit traces or components based on avatar geometry and required performance characteristics. Generative design tools with performance-driven algorithms will be essential for enabling these efficiencies.
Finally, the development of digital infrastructure to link the e-textile supply chain … is essential for scalable manufacturing. A promising area of research is the creation of machine-readable technical data packages (TDPs), which would allow seamless translation of design intent into production parameters. …
Additionally, the creation of standardized process design kits, similar to those used in flexible hybrid electronics, offers a blueprint for how the e-textile industry can build upon advances in parallel sectors to create scalable, interoperable and manufacturable smart textile systems. Together, these research trajectories aim to transform smart textiles from promising prototypes into practical, everyday solutions.
Q: Perhaps improvements now need to be multifaceted. For example, it would be desirable to create a more efficient means of powering an e-textile if the e-textile is also more eco-friendly.
A: While much of the work so far has focused on enhancing functionality, such as optimizing biosignal quality, fit and durability through simulation-based pressure modeling and digital textile design, there is a growing recognition that performance alone is not enough. Researchers and developers are now exploring ways to improve both the sustainability and energy efficiency of e-textiles.
For instance, ongoing efforts in pattern optimization aim not only to enhance technical performance but also to reduce material waste, a key step toward more eco-conscious fabrication. Similarly, supply chain digitization initiatives and machine-readable TDPs are designed to streamline manufacturing while reducing excess production and resource consumption.
On the powering side, the integration of flexible hybrid electronics opens doors for using low-power, high-efficiency systems in garments. While not yet fully mainstream, there is active exploration of energy-harvesting textiles, biodegradable components and more efficient circuit design—aligned with broader goals of eco-friendliness, wearability and user safety.
Q: How does ongoing materials science research for textiles approach multifunctionality?
A: Ongoing research in textile materials is increasingly geared toward multifunctionality, recognizing that future e-textiles must serve multiple roles—such as sensing, responding, adapting and enduring—without compromising comfort, safety or sustainability.
Research is also exploring how textiles can adapt in real time, such as adjusting compression levels or biosignal fidelity based on user movement or biometric feedback—essentially enabling garments to sense and respond dynamically. These smart materials are often developed in conjunction with simulation-based modeling, allowing for optimized placement of sensors, circuit traces and mechanical functions in a single integrated system.
Additionally, future material innovation is being informed by the development of digital design and manufacturing tools … that enable more precise integration of multifunctional capabilities into the textile design phase—from comfort and fit to data acquisition and power efficiency.
Altogether, the materials research landscape is moving toward a systems-level approach, where textiles are no longer just passive substrates but become active, responsive platforms—bridging functionality, user experience and sustainability in a unified fabric architecture.
Kavita Mathur, Ph.D., is an associate professor at the North Carolina State Wilson College of Textiles (NC State) in the Department of Textiles and Apparel, Technology and Management and the interim director of graduate programs.
Amanda Mills, Ph.D., is an assistant professor at the NC State Wilson College of Textiles in the Textile Engineering, Chemistry and Science Department and co-director of the textile engineering/textile technology capstone course.