Sport and proper nutrition make a person healthier and significantly extend their life. What if the clothes of the future have the same effect? Just imagine: tangible benefits for physical fitness simply because we put on a T-shirt or sneakers. Next, we will talk about what the smart clothing industry is , in what direction it is moving, what its benefits are for each person and what the clothes of the future will be.
Look beyond the horizon
You will be surprised, but smartphones, watches and bracelets that track the number of steps taken per day are only a small part of what awaits us in the future. The clothes of the future or smart clothes that are being developed today will make your hair stand on end from the anticipation of what will be available to everyone in the near future. Modern clothes made of metamaterials will also not leave you indifferent.
Imagine that in 10 years your clothes and shoes will be much smarter than modern smartphones and watches. Impressive? Of course! And at the same time it becomes a little scary with delight.
Does clothing make a person?
As long as the clothes peacefully sway on the clothesline, there is nothing special about it. But as soon as we put it on, various difficulties begin. Even the most practical clothes crumple, rustle loudly, creep into pieces in the rain, fade in the sun, easily get dirty and difficult to clean, instantly covered with spools, it can be uncomfortable or hot in it.
About Materials
These problems are as old as the world. People are used to thinking that perfect clothes do not exist in nature. About two thousand years ago, the entire population wore hoodies made of prickly and coarse fabric of delicate cadaveric color, which are sewn with thick threads. Today, clothes and shoes are made of nylon, elastomers like lycra, polyester fibers and other synthetic materials. This can be considered the main achievement of the fashion industry of the 20th century.
What have we achieved? Our new clothes began to make a longer journey from the hanger to the trash. But is there more benefit from her? Clothing still only protects from the weather and covers the body - she did the same thing during the time of the pharaohs.
There are things that time has no power over. For example, a space infantryman’s boat will look the same as a Roman legionnaire’s spoon. But clothes are far from the ideal of functionality. Yes, you can sew reflective tapes on it or increase the number of pockets. But why is clothing - the thing we wear more often than smartphones - still not affected by high technology?
Metamaterials
Clothing of the future will be made from metamaterials. What it is? These are materials created artificially, and such a strange name is due to the fact that they have special characteristics that ordinary fabrics do not have.
Clothing companies strive to make their products more beautiful and functional: often metamaterials have unusual optical, acoustic or electromagnetic properties. The simplest example is the Harry Potter Invisibility Cloak. If such a raincoat goes on sale, it will be created from metamaterials. In addition, universal clothing that would make its wearer invisible is the dream of many scientists, and attempts to create it have been undertaken for a long time. It is impossible not to notice that certain successes have already been achieved in this matter.
Andrea de Falco, for example, was able to create a metaflex - the name of the material, which, by refracting the light incident on it, makes the object that was wrapped in it invisible and even almost invisible. However, we are more interested in the use of such materials in the sports industry, because it is during sports that our body works at the limit of its own capabilities, and it is extremely important to obtain the maximum amount of information about its condition.
Columbia invented technology to make sure metamaterials are the future of humanity. The concept of this technology is a special material, which contains aluminum, which prevents the release of heat and returns it back to the owner. Incredibly, this technology really works.
Smart clothes: are we from the future?
If metamaterials will not be available to ordinary people yet, smart clothes are available today. For example, the miCoach series of clothes from the largest brand-manufacturer of sportswear and shoes Adidas. It includes many wardrobe items: from a T-shirt to a bra. What is the feature? In the built-in cardiac sensor, which reads the heartbeat of the clothes carrier and then synchronizes with one of the gadgets for storing statistics.
Polyester is the main component of the material of modern clothing. It uses a lot of unusual technologies. One of the most interesting is Techfit. What is so special about her? And the fact that it allows you to make the human body 5% stronger! How? Only science and no magic. The laws of physics were also useful in the fashion industry: due to the hard material, much stronger compression is achieved. At the same time, the stretching elements of the suit act on the principle of springs and help a person perform physical exercises. For example, if you lowered the barbell to the chest, then you will not be able to squeeze it out all alone - your T-shirt will help you.
Another technology from the Adidas brand that is already in active use is called Climacool. Its characteristic feature is that it promotes the elimination of sweat and air circulation. Sweat is absorbed into clothing due to special breathing materials, after which it is displayed on the surface of the fabric, where it evaporates. This technology is actively being introduced into those items of clothing that touch the sweatiest areas of the human body, such as T-shirts, T-shirts and sneakers.
Modern technologies of the fashion industry
What can be considered the pinnacle of the smart clothing industry? For example, Hexoskin T-shirts introduced in 2015. Their characteristic feature is a built-in sensor that reads indicators such as activity level, respiratory rate, calories burned, sleep efficiency, speed of movement and, of course, heartbeat.
We live in an age of advanced high technology. What yesterday was high technology, the latest achievement of science and technology, today is already an inverted page in history. Modern technologies penetrate into all spheres of human life: education, career, communication, and even fashion. It will not be surprising if in a couple of years such a famous brand, such as Apple, will be engaged in the production of high-tech clothing of a new generation.
Modern clothing designers are experimenting with a variety of innovative materials today. Until recently, polyester was considered a revolutionary material. And today, all this has long been very actively used in the production of clothes and shoes.
“Clothing of the future”, which can be bought in the present
- The Japanese textile company invented a ventilation system for warm outdoor clothing. So fashionistas even in the hottest days of summer will be able to stay true to their style.
- Adidas has released "smart sneakers" - a fundamentally new shoes for sports. A microchip is mounted in their sole, which determines the type of surface with which the sole interacts. Depending on it, the chip automatically adjusts the stiffness of the sole, which ensures the most optimal grip and cushioning.
- The British company Bodymetrics and the most famous jeans manufacturer Serfontaine Jeans have combined their efforts to create the perfect denim pants. The light scanner captures the exact parameters of the client’s figure. This procedure lasts no longer than eight seconds. Then the client chooses the style and color of the jeans, and two weeks later the ideal pants come to him by mail. Such a pleasure will cost a pretty penny - $ 530 - which is twice as expensive as an ordinary pair of jeans from Serfontaine.
- Burton has released a jacket model in which a mini-disc player is integrated. The operation of the player simplifies the remote control, which is built into the sleeve. An interesting feature is that both the player and the remote control are placed in a jacket so that they are protected not only from shock when dropped, but also from dust and moisture.
The near future: what can we expect?
Adjustable sleeves. US scientists say that they managed to create a material that can change its length depending on the temperature of the world. Clothing companies will certainly be interested in new technology, because it can also be used in the manufacture of textiles. Sweatshirts and sweatshirts from such material will turn into t-shirts in hot weather, and again become sweaters when it gets cold.
Dress spray. Susan Lee in one of her interviews stated that in the near future, a spray dress will become very popular. According to her, it is necessary to spray special material from a spray can around you, after which a person will be enveloped in a cloud of non-fibrous material, from which you can fashion a dress for yourself.
Children's clothing of the future
What will be the children's clothing in the future, you can imagine now. Scientists will invent pajamas that will sing lullabies to the baby, and diapers with microchips that will inform parents that it is time to change the diaper. And until all this has yet been invented, to everyone's happiness, we will bring up our children with tenderness and love, rejoicing in their smiles and first words.
Smart clothes are our near future. We are knocking down in search of ways to extend our life, without even thinking about the fact that one of the tools for this can be our clothes.