Students develop a sun-powered jacket

April 1, 2023  |  Swatches

In a program called “The Wardrobe of the Future,” students at Finland’s Aalto University are experimenting with the development of photovoltaics in garments. There are many smart textile and e-textile applications already widely used, but the sensors, devices and visual effects that are added …
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This baby hat detects fevers

April 1, 2023  |  Swatches

A researcher at Louisiana State University (LSU), Baton Rouge, La., is exploring ways to use “smart clothing” to track a newborn’s temperature. Sibei Xia, assistant professor in the LSU Department of Textiles, Apparel Design, and Merchandising, is developing body-tracking wearable technology …
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MotorSkins develops soft robotic textile assistive devices

April 1, 2023  |  Swatches

By integrating soft robotics into textiles, Berlin, Germany-based wearable robotics producer MotorSkins bridges the gap between science and design with a novel metamaterial. Without requiring an external battery or motor, the company’s textiles support muscle weakness and disability through spec…
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Dior unveils its 3D-printed shoes

April 1, 2023  |  Swatches

French fashion designer Dior has jumped into the innovative footwear space with its newly launched 3D-printed shoes. The launch, which includes a Derby and a boot, has been realized under the direction of Dior Menswear artistic director Kim Jones and head men’s footwear designer Thibo Denis.
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ETFE enhances Oregon stadium acoustics, fan experience

March 1, 2023  |  Swatches

Envisioned as the “finest track and field facility in the world,” the reimagined Hayward Field, Eugene, Ore., is designed to give University of Oregon’s (UO) student athletes, and athletes from around the world, an unparalleled stage on which to push the limits of what is possible.
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Plant-based additives for PPE

March 1, 2023  |  Swatches

AIMPLAS, the Spanish Plastics Technology Centre based in Valencia, is participating in the Dotmask Project led by specialty chemical manufacturer Lamberti, which is working to develop new antimicrobial coatings and plastics obtained from plant extracts using nanotechnology for personal protective eq…
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Unifi, Hologenix team for infrared textile additive

March 1, 2023  |  Swatches

North Carolina-based recycled-fiber company Unifi, manufacturer of REPREVE®, is partnering with California-based Hologenix, creator of Celliant®, on a new product that offers a sustainable solution for apparel, upholstery and more.
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Turning leather waste into textile coatings

March 1, 2023  |  Swatches

CITEVE, The Technological Centre for the Textile and Clothing Industry of Portugal, has developed a process for turning natural leather waste and byproducts from the tanning industry into new textile coatings.
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World’s first T-shirt dyed using black algae

March 1, 2023  |  Swatches

Carbon black, a pigment derived from petroleum, is commonly used to create black for everything from clothing and phones to cars and ink. It comes from tracts of land called tar sands, that are stripped of all life and vegetation to extract the heavy petroleum.
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Textile additive reduces car odors

March 1, 2023  |  Swatches

Cambridge, England-based Aqdot says there is a lot of interest from major automotive fabric suppliers over its AqFresh additive technology. This technology significantly reduces volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are known to be detrimental to health, in automotive interior materials.
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