With the ability to adapt and respond to changing environmental conditions, smart fabrics are changing the way fashion designers think about their clothing products. Smart fabrics are considered by many to be the leading textile innovation in the modern era, and with a vast range of applications, these tech-savvy materials are reshaping the fashion design process and the industry as a whole.
Why Smart Fabrics Matter Now
Smart fabrics are textiles that can respond to environmental changes, like temperature changes or chemical changes. With many smart textiles including digital components, these advanced fabrics are playing a pivotal role in modern life.
From Novelty to Necessity in Fashion Tech
Initially, the concept of e-textiles seemed like a novelty in the industry — they presented a new and exciting way to design innovative fabrics. Quickly, fashion designers and textile experts began to realize that these adaptive fabrics are essential for sports wear, medical garments and adaptive clothing.
What Counts as a “Smart” Textile
A smart textile is one that responds and adapts to environmental stimuli. Applications of smart textiles include the development of color-changing fabric, antimicrobial fabrics, biometric clothing and shape memory fabric.
Types of Smart Fabrics Transforming Fashion
The development of smart fabrics and e-textiles has been an interdisciplinary effort, bringing together materials engineers and fashion designers. According to research published in the Sensors academic journal, smart textiles can engage nearly every sense, allowing scientists and fashion industry thought leaders to develop a variety of adaptive and responsive textiles, such as:
Temperature-Regulating and Moisture-Adaptive Textiles
Temperature-regulating and moisture-adaptive textiles have become increasingly common in the sportswear industry, with these materials giving designers the ability to create adaptive clothing that keeps athletes both comfortable and safe.
Self-Healing and Damage-Responsive Materials
Self-healing textiles are embedded with advanced technology that enables the restoration of damaged fabric, ultimately extending the lifespan of the clothing product and improving textile sustainability efforts overall.
Color-Changing and Light-Emitting Fabrics
Color-changing fabrics, known in the fashion technology industry as thermochromic textiles, are being widely used in the fashion industry to create safer, more energy-efficient clothing items. These color-changing and light-emitting fabrics utilize the power of heating and cooling technology to adapt to extreme conditions. For example, a hiker wearing clothing made from temperature-regulating fabric while rock-climbing will find that their clothing automatically cools if the sun’s rays become too hot.
Sensor-Enabled and Biometric Garments
Sensor-enabled and biometric garments are being widely used in healthcare, particularly in sports medicine. These technologically advanced garments feature embedded sensors that collect and report biometric data, enabling real-time remote monitoring of health conditions.
Energy-Harvesting and Power-Storing Textiles
Energy-harvesting textiles, such as piezoelectric fabric, can generate electrical energy when exposed to specific environmental stimuli. Research published in the Journal of Engineered Fibers and Fabrics highlights these smart textiles being used widely in the healthcare, transportation, civil engineering and security fields.
The Science Behind Smarter Textiles
Scientific advancements have fueled the development of fashion technology, including smart fabrics and e-textiles. Textile innovations that have shaped the most recent advancements in smart fabrics include:
Phase-Change Materials and Microencapsulation
Phase change materials (PCMs) absorb large amounts of heat energy during the transition from solid to liquid. These types of materials can absorb and release heat, ultimately maintaining a consistent temperature.
Conductive Fibers, Yarn Sensors and Printed Circuits
Conductive fibers, yarn sensors and printed circuits are critical components in any type of smart fabric, as they allow for improved interconnectivity and communication, particularly in the development of biometric clothing.
Shape-Memory Alloys, Piezoelectric and Graphene Systems
Shape-memory alloys, piezoelectric fabric and graphene textiles improve temperature regulation and support the development of antimicrobial fabrics.
Design Considerations for Fashion Designers
Fashion designers who want to leverage the power of smart fabrics in their own designs still need to keep industry trends and practical design considerations in mind, such as:
Aesthetics, Comfort and Wearability
Fashion technology may be trending in the industry, but the bottom line is, these tech-enabled products still need to look great, feel comfortable and offer a practical clothing solution for everyday life.
Durability, Launderability and Safety
Depending on the sensors and fabrics included in e-textiles, fashion designers may have to make special considerations for launderability and user safety. Creating durable adaptive clothing that is easy to care for and maintain will lead to greater success once the product is introduced on the market.
Sizing, Fit and Integration With Hardware
As with any clothing product, sizing, fit and comfort play an important role in the design process. Fashion designers may need to make special considerations when incorporating technology hardware into their new designs.
Prototyping To Production
From the design room to the manufacturing facility, these are the steps that fashion designers need to take to enable the circular fashion tech cycle:
Rapid Prototyping Workflows and Sample Testing
Rapid prototyping workflows in the fashion industry enable designers to test new technologies efficiently and effectively. Through rapid prototyping workflows and sample testing, fashion designers can accelerate the time it takes to get adaptive clothing to the market.
Supply Chain Partners and Manufacturing Methods
Fashion designers and industry leaders can leverage the power of supply chain partners to access manufacturing methods that safely and effectively integrate e-textile technology into their products.
Standards, Certifications and Compliance
To better understand the production cycle for smart fabrics, fashion designers can pursue certifications that allow them to study the industry standards and compliance regulations for utilizing the most advanced textile technology.
Use Cases and Case Studies
Aspiring fashion designers can unlock the vast potential within the emerging field of smart fabrics by examining their latest applications. This specialty area presents endless opportunities within the fashion design industry.
Performance Sportswear and Outdoor Apparel
- Nike’s Flyknit (USA) – Introduced digitally engineered yarn for lightweight, durable sneakers, reducing waste in production.
- Adidas x Parley for the Oceans (Germany/Global) – Uses recycled ocean plastics in performance footwear and apparel.
- Patagonia (USA/Global) – Known for technical outdoor gear built with sustainable materials like recycled polyester and organic cotton.
- Icebreaker (New Zealand) – Famous for pioneering the use of merino wool for breathable, natural performance wear.
Health and Wellness Wearables
- OMsignal (Canada) – Designed a smart clothing line that monitors biometrics like heart rate and breathing through conductive fibers.
- Sensoria (Italy/USA) – Developed socks and sports bras with embedded textile sensors to track running form and vital signs.
- Xenoma (Japan) – Created “smart pajamas” with integrated sensors to monitor elderly patients’ health in a non-intrusive way.
- Hexoskin (Canada) – Developed smart shirts that capture advanced health data for sports, research and medical monitoring.
Adaptive Fashion and Inclusive Design
- Tommy Hilfiger Adaptive (USA/Global) – Offers fashion-forward clothing with magnetic buttons, adjustable hems and easy closures.
- Izzy Camilleri Adaptive Clothing (IZ Adaptive, Canada) – Focuses on stylish, functional clothing for wheelchair users.
- Kintsugi Clothing (UK) – This inclusive fashion brand designs adaptive clothing with input from people with disabilities to ensure functional beauty.
- Ffora (USA) – This accessories brand by designer Lucy Jones creates functional, stylish products for wheelchair users.
Couture Experiments and Runway Tech Moments
- Hussein Chalayan (Cyprus/UK) – Known for integrating technology into couture, such as dresses that mechanically change shape.
- Iris van Herpen (Netherlands) – Renowned for blending fashion, science and 3D printing into avant-garde runway collections.
- Ying Gao (Switzerland/Canada) – Creates interactive garments using light-sensitive and kinetic materials.
- Anouk Wipprecht (Netherlands) – Develops sensor-driven couture like the “Spider Dress,” which reacts to personal space.
Sustainability and Ethics
Textile sustainability and other ethical considerations need to be made during the design process. These are some of the ethical concerns that designers should keep in mind when developing fashion technology products:
Longevity, Repairability and Modular Components
The fast fashion industry is the second-largest consumer of the world’s water supply and emits more than 10 percent of the world’s carbon emissions. As a result, sustainably-minded fashion designers need to consider the longevity and repairability of their e-textiles. Fortunately, these smart fabrics, particularly self-healing textiles, are considered among the most durable and functional fabrics on the market today.
Recycling Challenges and E-Textile Waste
Due to the advanced technology, such as electronic sensors, that are embedded into smart fabrics, there may be some recycling challenges to consider. Minimizing e-textile waste should be a top priority of fashion designers.
Data Privacy and Responsible Innovation
Given the fact that many smart fabrics have biometric data technology incorporated into them, fashion designers also have to consider the importance of data privacy. Embedding secure technology into e-textiles can ensure responsible innovation in the fashion industry.
Skills and Tools for the Next-Gen Designer
Aspiring fashion designers who want to be part of the smart fabric revolution will want to focus on developing the practical, technical and design skills required for success, such as:
Material Literacy and Electronics Basics
E-textile designers may need to branch beyond their fashion design studies to learn more about materials engineering and electronics. Fashion designers can integrate smart fabrics into their creations by acquiring a deeper understanding of these specialized engineering areas.
Collaboration With Engineers and Fabric Mills
E-textile development is an interdisciplinary process, requiring fashion thought leaders to work closely with materials engineers, data scientists and fabric mills to create safe and effective smart fabrics.
Building a Smart-Fabric Portfolio
To specialize in this niche sector of the design industry, you will want to begin curating samples to include in a smart fabric portfolio. By building a portfolio specifically for your work in smart fabric design and development, you can showcase your technical and design expertise in this growing field.
What’s Next
These are the emerging trends shaping the future of smart fabric design:
Everyday Adoption and Invisible Tech
Soon, smart fabrics will become the standard in the fashion industry, with the majority of consumers choosing adaptive clothing that responds to environmental conditions. As a result, invisible tech that is comfortable and durable will be incredibly important.
Open-Source Materials and Community Labs
Open-source materials are available to anyone through ongoing collaboration. Due to the interdisciplinary nature of smart fabric design and development, open-source software and community labs will play a vital role in future advancements.
Explore the World of Fashion Tech Design at Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design
Technology and fashion are merging in new and exciting ways, and Rocky Mountain College Art + Design students have the opportunity to be at the forefront of these innovations. Both the on-campus Bachelor of Fine Arts in Fashion Design degree and the online Bachelor of Fine Arts in Fashion Design degree explore the emerging smart fabric trends shaping the fashion industry, including e-textiles, adaptive clothing and antimicrobial fabrics. Equipping students with fashion illustration, patternmaking, CAD design and sustainable design-thinking skills, this degree program uniquely prepares graduates for roles in the ever-evolving fashion industry.
Request more information about our fine arts degree programs today.
