Medically focused connected garments fuel smart clothing growth

The role of smart clothing as an effective tool in the fields of healthcare and medicine is driving growth in the line at a time when other connected wearable categories are slowing down. This is what a study conducted by UK-based market intelligence firm Juniper Research last year revealed.

Connected garments are predicted to be the fastest-growing wearables sector in 2020, set to become a $1 billion industry while registering a CAGR of 102 percent. The incorporation of intelligent health-monitoring functions is fuelling demand, especially in the medical field.

In an interview with World Textile Information Network (WTiN),AldjiaBegriche, vice president of smart textiles at OMsignal, said "the medical textiles market was one which benefited substantially from the focus on smart clothing. Scientists and designers realized quickly, through clothing's proximity to the body, that health monitoring applications could be transformed."

"We believe textiles are the future of the smart wearable industry. It is far easier to monitor a person's ECG and breathing rate in sensors close to the body – which is the case in our products – rather than from a watch on the wrist. For this alone, I believe that the wearables industry will continue to move towards textiles and away from some of the traditional wearable products on the market," she added.

The company is a Canada-based biometric smartwear manufacturer specializing in men's and women's clothing that conducts ECG and monitors respiration. It boasts a full range of sports apparel and nightwear, allowing collection of medical data throughout the day. North America and Asia are OMSignal's biggest markets.

France-based Spinali Design has introduced a tech-infused bandage called Datatextile, the company's first venture in the medical field. The e-textile is designed to detect infection and gather information using a smartphone app to guide medical personnel find the most effective way of treating a wound.

"The bandage is connected to ensure a continuous monitoring of scarring tissue over a wound, which alerts of and detects infection, while enabling health professionals to offer a more reliable timeline for recovery," explained CEO Marie Spinali in a WTiN article.

Her company specializes in smart bikinis and dresses, and has a swimsuit line called Neviano that alerts wearers when to use sunscreen and how much to apply, helping prevent UV-related health problems.

One advantage medically focused wearables have over other wearable types is purpose. Unlike some headline-grabbing products from high-profile tech companies unveiled in large electronics shows that seem to have homogenous features and capability, medical smart clothing saves lives, paving the way for a more meaningful growth for the sector.