Editorial: Human Power Boost for the Smart Fabric and Interactive Textiles Market?

Great strides have been made in recent years in the field of smart and interactive textiles, especially “wearable electronics”.

Fabrics which incorporate integrated electronics are capable of interfacing with, or accommodating, iPods, mobile phones and laptop computers, and are being used in the manufacture of a wide range of products—including sports jackets, bags, business suits and fabric keyboards.

As well as being of interest to consumers, smart and interactive textiles also have great potential in the military. For example, they could aid communications on the battlefield—or monitor a soldier’s general health or any injuries which the soldier may have sustained. One manufacturer in the UK has developed a conductive polymeric yarn which can be knitted into fabrics to manufacture clothing which is capable of producing heat—using a power source—to keep the wearer warm.

One thing which all these developments have in common, however, is the need for some form of power supply. Batteries can be cumbersome, bulky and heavy relative to the products they are powering. Also, they usually have to be recharged periodically from an external source. At best, this is inconvenient. At worst it could be life threatening. Soldiers relying on their communication devices could be a long way from a power source where their devices could be recharged.

To read the full report buy issue 71 now	Subscribe

• Performance apparel markets: product developments and innovations, 2nd quarter 2007, (2nd Quarter 2007)
• Smart Fabrics and Intelligent Textiles in the UK: Seven Companies at the Forefront of Innovation , (May-June 2007)
• Editorial: New Technologies for Smart Fabric and Intelligent Textile Products: Dye-Sensitised Solar Cells and Plastic Electronics, (1st quarter 2007)

Technical Textile Markets provides intelligence, analysis and insight on the global man-made fibre, nonwoven and technical textile industries.

What's in it? Each issue contains data and expert analysis on key industry topics, including: automotive technical textiles; biopolymers; chemical protective textiles; circularity; composites; e-textiles; environmental sustainability; filter media; flame resistant fabrics; glass fibre; graphene; Industry 4.0; insulation; medical textiles; military textiles; nonwoven specialities; personal protective equipment (PPE); synthetic fibre; and wearable technology. A single issue of Technical Textile Markets includes: an editorial think-piece on a topical issue from an industry expert a report on the latest product developments and innovations a profile of the world's top producers of nonwovens a main feature on a new or established market a round-up of the latest business news statistical data and analysis of fibre and fabric production in a key geographical market An annual subscription to Technical Textile Markets is a cost-effective way to keep informed about trends and developments in the global man-made fibre, nonwoven and technical textile industries. Subscriptions are available in printed and/or digital formats. Printed and digital subscribers receive each issue in printed format in addition to a digital PDF file, which is available immediately on publication. Subscribers also receive a complementary digital subscription to Technical Textiles Business Update, delivered directly by email once a month. This free supplement contains essential information on business news and the latest product developments. Like all Textiles Intelligence publications, Technical Textile Markets is a reliable source of independently sourced business information, and it does not carry advertising. This is what our customers say: "The quality of your reports is very high" (The British Textile Technology Group (BTTG))