Smart Clothing?

Smart Clothing?

Smart clothing is exactly what one lab is working on producing now for future use.  The lab located in Canada is producing technology on clothing by working with different fibers.  The fibers, which are woven loosely, will allow lights and screens to be seen on clothing.

Tron sound familar?  But unlike in the movie the lab is making the clothing to be more than just a light up accessory.  It can be used in cars such as being able to swipe a finger across a sit to turn up or down your heat or swiping up or down your arm to change the volume of a MP3 player.  The lab has stated that you want you to not be aware of what you are wearing, they do not want the clohting to burden the wearer.  This technology will include batteries, multi touch screen, and microchip transistors.  This could possibly be the base line for clothing that could check vital signs or even be worn as a computer.  The lab was able to pull a fiber out of fabric that is able to conduct electricity and was able to make a prototype touchpad much like the IPad that did work.  This clothing is here and does need to be perfected but a bigger obstacle is the manufacturing.  Many manufacturers are hesistant when working with new materials especially one that require engery.  Many obstacles can arise within these process whether duirng the producing or after.  How can they manufacturers be sure that the product with this technology will last in the consumers hands for an extended period of time.

This technology has proven to be difficult but it has great potential for the future.  For instance, how to keep the technology charged and keep the performance at a high quality.  In addition, since most tehnology is made of chips these chips are not meant for soft fibers so finding the right path to do this is proving to be a challenge.  Another challenge is being able to create the soft textile fibers for the transistors which can prove to be a downfall, but being able to accomplish this feat would mean a huge advancement for apparel.  Consumers would have clothing that would act like gadgets but would fit into everyday wardrobe easily.  Unfornately they lab has the textile they seem to just be missing the electronics.  Who knew that technology could become so futuristic in just a few short years.

Waterless Washing Machine

Well... not exactly.

While watching a video by Natalia Allen about sustainable fashion she mentioned somethign very interesting to me: a washing machine that does not use water.  While doing independent research I was not able to find an existing washing machine that uses no water, but there was one that uses very little water, and only 2% of the energy that a conventional washing machine uses.  

 

This machine is named Xeros after the Greek work for dry.  It uses a just cup of water, 90% less than a conventional machine. It also requires a drop of detergent and reusable nylon polymer beads to clean clothing.  The beads are added to the wash and after the water and detergent dissolve the stains, the beads soak up the water and dirt.  The dirt is absorbed into the core of the nylon polymer beads and is trapped so it does not get the clothes dirty again.

The machine automatically separates the beads from the laundry to save the user the trouble of separating them out on their own, and the beads can be used for about 100 washes.  Since this process does not have a spin cycle or rinse cycle it uses much less energy, and because the beads absorb most of the water from the clothing, using a dryer is not necessary.  Overall Xeros estimates a 40% reduction in carbon emission over a conventional washing machine.

This innovation is invaluable to saving the world's clean water supply since only 2% of the water on earth is drinkable.  Conserving water during the care of a garment is critical because the care of the garment accounts for a large percentage of the total water that goes into a garment's lifecycle.  Hopefully the Xeros machine will be available for purchase soon.

Sources:

http://www.xeroscleaning.com/

By William Diak

3D Body Scanning with a Sustainable Twist

One of the most attractive aspects of 3D body scanning is the fact that you can do much more with than see a 360 degree view of yourself. The biggest let down of the technology is that the machines are large and take up to much space. With the development of the Xbox Kinnect body scanning is suddenly not just a advance for small businesses but also for large ones. The many ways that the technology can be incorporated in the consumers shopping experience is mind boggling. The first video explains how the technology works, though the terminology is much more suited to a technological advanced being the concept can be understood in layman's terms.

The next two videos shows how the technology can be incorporated into the retail environment. The biggest disadvantage of online retailing is that the return rate is so large and with the incorporation of the body scanners in the home this can lower the return rate because one can virtually try on the clothes and therefore make a more informed decision.

This is the future of retailing consumers are moving online and out of stores and with the advancements in technology increasing retail is in for an exciting ride. The return rate is unsustainable and by incorporating this technology retailers can not only deliver a more relaxed customer experience but also make the online sectors more sustainable.

By Simone Mueller

Sustainable fashion talks

"Surfer, designer, member of Fast Company's 100 Most Creative People in Business list for 2010, graduate of Parsons -- where she received the highly coveted Designer of the Year Award - Natalia Allen is the founder of Design Futurist, a New York-based product design consultancy. Design Futurist partners with clients such as Calvin Klein, Dupont and Donna Karan to create innovative and sustainable fashion, accessories and textiles. Design Futurist is using modern technology to create eco-friendly and socially responsible products that are free of "gimmicks and greenwashing." 

Natalia's work has been featured in WWD and New York Magazine, and she has shared her ideas on sustainable design and consumption with audiences at events around the world, including Wearable Futures, Textiles: the Next Horizon and Davos. The World Economic Forum honored her as as a Young Global Leader, a distinction given to a remarkable group of entrepreneurs, academics and politicians under the age of 40 who strive to find innovative solutions for current and future global challenges.

While she likes the idea of being a thought leader, Natalia knows that as a designer, it's essential to materialize concepts, goals and visions into tangible products and services."

By Moriah Akrong

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

It's 2012, many consumers are trying to save money especially in fashion.  Brand names are still going strong but getting those brands for a lower price is the main goal.  Many companies today are making that goal possible, by recycling clothing and reselling to the ultimate consumer at a fraction of the cost.  These companies are helping to reduce the amount of clothing dumped into landfills each year.  

Plato's Closet, a company that recently gained a big following.  They company resells gently used clothing for guys and girls in addition, to shoes, bags, and jewlery.  The company strictly takes gently used brand name clothing such as American Eagle, Abercrombie and Fitch, Hollister, Forever21, etc.  The company wants to continue the life of clothing by reselling to another consumer.  What better way to expand your wardrobe and help the economy at the same time.  

The order of Purple Heart, a organziation run by veterans of the purple heart.  The organzation takes everything used from clothing to cars.   They are taking reduce, reuse, recycle to the highest level.  The company is all over the world sending trucks to collect the goods which in turn helps veterans with welfare and rehabilitation services.  They recieve donations from the community level, annual level, and donation level.  These in turn also help hospitalized veterans and their family.  This is at no cost to the consumer except handing over unused products.

Shwopping, a term coined by Sunny Cove Studios where consumer and swap or donate their clothing within their stores.  A plus do not have to buy anything but you can still donate your clothing, which they turn and sell through a company called OxFam.  All this with the intention of reducing the one billion items dumped into UK landfills each year.  In addition, if you have a pair of riz boardshorts you can wear them and then return to the company called, rizcycling, the company will recycle them and they also will give a 25% off for a new pair.  This company is the only swimwear company where the clothing is recyclable and who offer this amazing service.

You as a consumer can be involved in these companies and organzation for no money and with two companies and you can receive money.  Next time you are going through your clothes dont' trash them take them to your local plato's Closet and get some money, call the purple heart and have them donated.  Let's give clothing a life of more than just a few short years, let's give it a lifetime with tons of love from  generation to generation.

plato'scloset commerical

Sustainability and Economic Recovery for Haiti

More than two years have passed since an earthquake devastated Haiti, and Haiti is still in the early stages of recovery.  As of August 25, 2012 more than 400,000 Haitians are still displaced or homeless as a result of the 2010 earthquake.  While food, money and medical supplies have made it to Haiti little has been done to improve the long-term economic stability of the country.

A group of entrepreneurs is trying to change that.  The Haitian Redevelopment Directive (THREAD) is devoted to building a factory that turns plastic bottles into fabric for apparel.  The factory would initially be able to employ 10 to 15 workers and pay them a fair wage, and later expand to hire more workers.  The factory would be able to supply their fabric to end users at lower costs that companies in other parts of the world.

“I’ve been all over world,” said THREAD’s president and CEO Ian Rosenberger. “The two things I see most are poverty and trash."  The proposed factory would solve both problems.  It would encourage Haitian citizens to recycle while providing jobs that would help to develop Haiti's economy.  

The technology to turn soda bottles into polyester already exists and I've attached a video that explains the process if you are unfamiliar with it.  Recycled polyester is already being used by companies such as Patagonia and Nike, but the plan for THREAD's factory would be to re-engineer the production process so it could be done on a smaller scale. THREAD also believes that Haiti is well-suited for textile exports because Haiti already has a foundation in the textile industry.  

Here's a video showing how plastic bottles are turned into polyester.

The factory is expected to be open by the end of the year so it will be interesting to see if this project comes to fruition.


Sources: http://www.livescience.com/9248-haiti-key-economic-recovery-garbage.html

 -William Diak

The Role of Social Media in Sustainable Fashion

I have recently been introduced to Pinterest. Yes I do realize the website has been up for a while but like most things technological I'm slow on the up take but fast on the follow through. Our main focus as a group is sustainable fashion and the use of technology to promote or keep it that way. While browsing through the Pinterest website I started to see how designers and crafters alike were marketing their ideas through the site. They were coming up with creative ways of reusing and recycling garments to make new products.

 

For those who do not know about Pinterest, it is a website that allows people to gather points or "pins" of interest and pin it to a board. The site allows the user to pin projects, photos even quotes they like. Others view the " pins" and may decide to "repin" the project thereby allow many users to see the project. The mission statement of the company explains it very well, "Our goal is to connect everyone in the world through the 'things' they find interesting. We think that a favorite book, toy, or recipe can reveal a common link between two people. With millions of new pins added every week, Pinterest is connecting people all over the world based on shared tastes and interests".

The combination of the technology, Pinterest and the ideas on reusing garments or fabric is making unfashionable items more useful by extending the life of that product. Below I have grouped various pins, which show how different apparel and footwear can be refashioned into different products. To continue with the spreading messages through social media, I clicked the “like” button and now all my Facebook friends can view the post. The more people like it the further the images travel. Social media has really played a big role in spreading the message of sustainable fashion

Reuse it's not Refuse

Simone Muller