5 Emerging Technologies for Clothing

Clothing technology is moving quickly, and the newest arrivals bring a long list of advantages with them. From performance materials that are breathable and lightweight to shoes charged by the sun, these advances are built around comfort, convenience, efficiency, and sustainability. Here are five emerging technologies worth knowing.

1. Ecological and sustainable fabrics

Ecological fabrics have grown in popularity in recent years because they are sustainable and because they offer health benefits over the alternatives. They are usually made from organic substances such as bamboo, hemp, and soy, and they cover a wide range of products: outerwear, everyday clothing, bedding. Being both eco-friendly and healthier than traditional fabrics, they keep gaining traction across fashion.

2. Wearable technology

Wearables are becoming popular as fashion and technology hybrids. The tech can be added to hats, jackets, bikes, and more, bringing trackers, sensors, and similar functions into things people already own. The result is convenience and better safety, which matters a great deal to athletes, frequent travelers, and commuters.

3. Adaptive fabrics

Adaptive fabrics change their properties in response to environmental factors such as heat, motion, and humidity. A single garment can then handle heat control, stability, and comfort on its own. Outdoor athletes adopted them first, and they are becoming more common in fashion circles generally.

4. Solar charging shoes

Solar charging shoes are an inventive take on technology built into fashion. A solar panel on the upper of the shoe charges a battery, and that battery powers your devices. You can top up wherever you happen to be standing, which is a real gain for travelers, hikers, and anyone spending long days outdoors.

5. Virtual fitting rooms

Virtual fitting rooms are going mainstream because they let shoppers try clothes on without a changing room, using a phone camera or an augmented reality device. They also give retailers insight into shopping behavior, information that can be used to improve customer service. As more retail moves into the digital realm, this one will only spread further. We covered how the technology works in detail in our piece on virtual fitting rooms, and you can see it running in the virtual try-on studio.

Design for what comes next

New materials and new technologies still need someone to design the garment around them. Open the AI fashion design studio and try an idea before it exists.