What is Smart Clothing? And Here’s Where You Can Buy It
Levi’s smart denim jackets
What if there were socks your infant child could wear that alerted you if their heart rate is above normal levels? Would you buy them? Well the manufacturers of Owlet smart socks are trying to convince you to do just that. And perhaps the added peace of mind is more than worth the $400 it costs to buy Owlet’s smart baby monitoring socks. Then there is Levi’s that has smart denim jackets that let you change the music you are listening to with a quick tap on the cuff of a sleeve. The smart clothing revolution or more aptly evolution is here do you want to be part of it?
Smart clothing, what is it and why should I buy it?
What exactly is smart clothing anyways? Let me explain. Smart clothing is technology enabled clothing items that can perform a wide range of functions from tracking your heart rate to allowing you to skip to the next song on your playlist. Ian Russell, Chief Commercial Officer of Pireta, a company that creates the technology for smart garments likes to describe smart clothing this way: “typically you might have a little processing unit somewhere on the garment, and via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi it might send that data off to your phone and then something that's got the AI in it, that looks at all of that data and decides if you're going to get ill and whether to start some intervention of various sorts.”
Categories of smart clothing include smart t-shirts, smart pants, smart jackets, smart undergarments and smart socks. The segment with the most promise is smart tops. Brands that sell smart clothing argue that they provide many benefits including the ability to track vital health statistics such as heart rate and blood pressure. Or the ability to make simple commands that you would normally make using your smartphone just by swiping the sleeve of your shirt. So far most of the functionality offered can already be found in smart watches or smart phones or by taping your headphones if you want to advance to the next song. But like any new technology the building blocks need to be laid before there is a tipping point of user adoption.
How big is the market and wear is it headed?
Most people are not opening their front door using their right pocket or using data from a smart shirt to skip an appointment at the doctor’s office. The market for smart clothing still in the infancy stage and it is only expected to reach $1 billion by the end of 2022 according to a study by Juniper Research. Out of all the wearable categories, smart clothing is expected to grow at the fastest rate. For example, the fastest growing segments of the wearables industry are: connected clothing (102% comparative annual growth rate); smart glasses (98%); smart jewellery (55%); hearables (31%) and then smartwatches (31%).
Adoption for this type of clothing will be based on more companies entering the market, and introduction of more moderately priced items as well as consumers becoming more comfortable wearing this type of technology. Google, for example, launched Project Jacquard in 2015. The purpose of the project is to work alongside designers to develop smart clothing and accessories. According to Google‘s website: “Jacquard™ by Google weaves new digital experiences into the things you love, wear, and use every day to give you the power to do more and be more.” The first product that came out of the project was a collaboration with Levi’s in 2017 that featured a smart denim jacket. Speaking about Project Jacquard, Ivan Poupyrev, Head of Jacquard at Google has said: “since we launched the first product with Levi’s at the end of 2017, we were focused on trying to understand and working really hard on how we can take the technology from a single product […] to create a real technology platform that can be used by multiple brands and by multiple collaborators.”
Since 2015 Levi’s x Google has launched two new connected jackets. If products such as this take off then that will spur more companies to enter the market to get their share of the growth. Apple has even filed a number of patents indicating that it might be getting in the smart clothing business. Remember, at first many thought why would I wear my smart phone on my wrist especially when I am carrying my cell phone. No one is asking that question anymore. If Apple could transform the smart watch market imagine what it could do for wearable clothing. If both Google and Apple are in this space they could speed up the commercialization of wearable clothing, which to-date, has had limited adoption.
How much does it cost?
Smart clothing is not cheap. Take Google’s collaboration with luxury brand Saint Laurent. Saint Laurent’s smart backpack is $999.00. Google’s second collaboration with Levi’s introduced a cheaper jacket at $198 but there isn’t a wide range of cheaper options for the entire class of wearable clothing. Part of that is due to the fact that there isn’t a lot of options for smart clothing in general. But that may change in time as new and innovative products tend to be priced high before eventually tapering off when there is more competition in the market.
Who sells smart clothing and accessories?
Although there are not many options to buy smart clothing right now here’s a list of what you should take a look at and in case you are looking for a pair of smart shoes to wear with your smart clothing this list will help you with that.
1. Levi’s
Levi’s Smart Denim Jackets
Will smart denim be the next “it” trend? Levi’s certainly hopes so. These jackets contain an electronic tab in the cuff the jacket that can pair with your smartphone. Similar to the Saint Laurent backpack you can skip the song you are listening to or answer phone calls simply by taping on the cuff of the jacket, swiping over the cuff or covering it with your hand. Currently you can perform 19 different functions while wearing this jacket. The jacket will connect to your iOS or Android smartphone via Bluetooth. The ideal customer for this jacket as well as the Saint Laurent bag (below) is likely someone that is on the move and typically uses headphones. Levi’s says that its mission with its smart clothing is for you to be “connected but not distracted”. The idea being that it might be safer and easier to just tap your sleeve to answer a phone call while on you are on your bike than grabbing at your phone. It costs $198 for the Classic Trucker jacket and $248 for the Sherpa version which can be worn in colder weather.
Saint Laurent’s Smart Backpack
Google partnered with Saint Laurent to create a connected backpack. The Saint Laurent Cit-E backpack has a chip embedded in the straps of the backpack. By simply touching the strap you can control your phone and send commands that, for example, turn up the volume on your music or answer phone calls. The bag pairs with any Android or Apple iOS phone. This lux meets technology is not cheap. The backpack will set you back $995.
3. Under Armour
Under Armour’s Smart Sleepwear
Do you want to recover faster after your next session at the gym? Then Under Armour’s Athlete Recovery Sleepwear might be for you. “The soft, bioceramic print on the inside of the sleepwear absorbs natural heat and reflects Far Infrared back to the skin, helping the body sleep better and recover faster.” A pair of these pyjamas that Tom Brady says he wears cost over $100.00
4. Owlet
Photo of Owlet smart socks
These smart socks were designed to give parents peace of mind. These little socks track a baby’s heart rate, oxygen levels and hours asleep. If a baby had a serious issue like a blocked airway or an irregular heart beat the parents are alerted potentially averting a life threatening situation. The Owlet Smart Sock 2 is $399.00. The socks are compatible with either Android or iOs smartphones.
5. Athos
Athos’ smart shirt
If you are looking to take your workout to the next level with advanced performance tracking you might want to look at Athos’ smart clothing. The company sells compression shorts and leggings with sensors that track muscle movement using electromyography (EMG) along with motion-sensing technology.
Data is collected while you are wearing the smart clothing and is transmitted via Bluetooth to the Athos smart phone app. Some of this data the clothing collects using biometric tracking including: muscle activity, heart rate, calorie expenditure and active time versus rest time. It also tracks the level of exertion of key muscle groups such as your pecs and biceps to see if you are really working those muscles as hard as you think you are. The Athos app is only available for iOS. A men’s smart shirt from Athos costs: $398
6. Hexoskin
Hexoskin smart shirt
Hexoskin sells a smart shirt featuring built in ECG, respiratory and activity sensors. If you are wearing this shirt you will be able to gather data on your heart rate, breathing and activity levels such as your pace while running or steps while walking. Hexoskin smart shirts also track calories burned and cadence. If you wear it to sleep it will also track your sleep. Hexoskin smart shirts are compatible with iOS and Android smartphones. A Hexoskin ProShirt and the Hexoskin Smart recording device costs $579.
Ralph Lauren, smart jacket
Imagine if you didn’t have to dress in layers in wintertime? Instead why not wear a jacket from Ralph Lauren that can heat up using a smartphone app. Ralph Lauren’s Polo 11 Heated Jacket is controlled through the RL Heat app which is connected to a heating unit in the lining of the jacket. The jacket can keep you warm for up to three hours and you can control the temperature with the app. This is one of the best bets on the list if you are looking for a combination of style and function in a clothing item. The jacket costs £999.00.
8. Pivot Yoga
Pivot Yoga’s smart yoga wear
If you have ever tried yoga you know how difficult it can be to get started and to progress overtime. Since everyone isn’t comfortable working out in a yoga studio Pivot wants to serve those that fall into that gap with its connected yoga clothing. Its yoga wear is outfitted with smart sensors that pair wirelessly with iOS compatible mobile phones. The app provides feedback on whether you are posing in the correct manner.
The Pivot Yoga Pant and Shirt cost $99.00 and there is also a monthly subscription fee of $19 per month. The subscription includes online yoga classes. While doing one of Pivot’s yoga classes which you can stream on Apple TV for example, the smart clothing will allow you to see an avatar of yourself on the screen beside a virtual teacher. As you move, the Avatar moves, enabling you to have a better sense if you are moving correctly compared to your virtual teacher. You can ask your teacher for feedback and it will tell you how you should adjust your pose to the correct position.
9. Nike
Nike’s smart basketball shoe
Nike has as a smart shoe, the Adapt BB its first self-lacing basketball sneaker. Controlled by a small motor in the shoe the laces can either be tightened or loosened by the touch of a button on the shoe or by using a smartphone app. The app can help customers get the perfect fit as the laces adjust seamlessly to the wearer’s foot size and dimensions. The smartphone app that connects to the sneakers via Bluetooth can control the laces and in the future may be able to provide shoe owners with performance data and/or helpful tips on how to improve. The shoe needs to be charged every 10-14 days using a charging mat. The app that controls the shoes are available on iOS and Android. The shoes are $350.
10. Under Armour
Under Armour has created a smart shoe called HOVR. The shoe contains a fitness tracker which can measure nearly every running metric that exists including distance, time, calories burned, average speed, maximum speed, cadence, stride length and distance. It can even measure a runner’s gait in order to reduce the risk of injury. The chip that is placed in these shoes is connected to Under Armour’s MapMyRun app which is available for iOS and Android. The app also provides training advice based on your performance. Users can even go for a run without their smartphone using these shoes. The data recorded in the shoe synchs up with the app when the user returns home.
Additional sources
https://www.cnet.com/news/unique-wearables-that-do-more-than-count-your-steps/
https://www.theverge.com/2018/11/28/18116831/smart-yoga-pants-clothing-pose-built-in-sensors
https://techcrunch.com/2019/09/30/google-brings-its-jacquard-wearables-tech-to-levis-trucker-jacket/
https://techcrunch.com/2019/04/18/google-project-jacquard-ted/