Communication clothing design

Communicative clothing is emerging as the next generation of intelligent clothing, with communication being achieved between clothing and the wearer or between clothing and the external environment or people. In both cases, “communicative” clothing refers to any clothing or textile accessory that receives or emits information out of the structure that composes it. The market for this clothing is foreseen in specific area applications, including professionals, healthcare, everyday life, sports or leisure, and so on; however, large-volume production and application in everyday use is still a dream for manufacturers. One of the main roadblocks to successful adoption of these technologies among fashion designers and retailers is that access to ready materials with which to experiment and develop commercially successful products is limited. Communication clothing is the result of integration of a number of different technical elements such as control interfaces, sensors, data-processing devices, output devices, energy sources, and connectors. It is reasonable to expect that these technologies/elements are known and available as standard tools and accessories, usable by fashion designers to add value to any garment ensemble.