This new textile can be used to create temperature-responsive clothing. Developed by design firm Otherlab, the material will keep you warm or cool by expanding or deflating. This also does away with the need to wear layers.
The new textile is made out of a shape-changing fabric that increases its thickness when it senses cold. With an objective to "make apparel with superior thermal comfort, both indoors and outside," Otherlabs created prototypes shown to be able to double in thickness with a 10 degree temperature change. The thermally adaptive material uses fibers with a familiar feel such as nylon and polyester.
This example of smart clothing demonstrates how smarter materials can be used to reduce resources too.
Thermally Responsive Apparel
This New Textile From Otherlab Responds to Cold Temperatures
Trend Themes
1. Thermally Responsive Apparel - This trend showcases the use of shape-changing fabrics in clothing to provide customized temperature control, eliminating the need for layering.
2. Smart Clothing - The development of textiles that can adapt to temperature changes demonstrates the potential of integrating technology into the fashion industry for enhanced comfort and convenience.
3. Sustainable Materials - The use of fibers such as nylon and polyester in thermally adaptive clothing highlights the opportunity to create eco-friendly apparel that reduces resource consumption.
Industry Implications
1. Fashion - The fashion industry can harness the potential of thermally responsive apparel to offer consumers innovative and functional clothing options.
2. Textile - The textile industry can explore the production of shape-changing fabrics to supply materials for thermally adaptive garments, catering to the growing demand for smart clothing.
3. Technology - The integration of smart materials into clothing opens up opportunities for the technology industry to develop innovative solutions for enhancing comfort and performance.