Abstract
Wearable technologies involve the integration of technology into clothing or accessories to bring new functionalities for people on the move. Many examples of wearables are emerging, from simple fitness tracking watches to electronics deeply embedded into garments for multi-touch sensing and control for personal music players. Without careful development, wearables can have a negative impact on the environment due to increased production of electronic components, increased e-waste from abandoned devices, and increased energy usage. We examine environmental sustainability issues through a review of recent research and cases across three broad areas including the fashion industry, information and communications technology (ICT), and wearable technologies. In the analysis, we examine stages in the product life cycle and identify the unique issues for each sector, including the extraction of materials, production process, distribution of products, use, and disposal of products that have reached the end of their life. The findings are gathered as implications for design so that researchers, educators, designers, developers, and product managers will gain an overview of the issues related to environmental sustainability. Related examples of products and prototypes are provided to enable informed choices during the design and development of wearables that are more environmentally sustainable.
Highlights
The past two decades have experienced a rapid proliferation of various consumer targeted high-tech products [1]
We introduce an overview of the major considerations in the design process in order to design smart clothing that is environmentally sustainable, functional, and aesthetic, with the following research question in mind: “How should fashionable wearables be designed to better meet consumer needs and preferences in a more environmentally sustainable way?” To address this question, environmental sustainability is considered in this article in a number of models and principles
In this article we performed an analysis of literature across the fashion industry, information and communications technology (ICT), and wearable technologies to understand the challenges and progress in achieving environmental sustainability goals in the product development life cycle
Summary
The past two decades have experienced a rapid proliferation of various consumer targeted high-tech products [1]. Examples of wearables include accessory-based devices such as smart watches, glasses, and activity trackers, among others. As they become more widely adopted, wearables are expected to have a major impact on individuals’ everyday lives, social institutions, and the functioning of the society as a whole [3,4]. Despite optimistic predictions about the explosive increase of demand in wearable technology, growth in the market has instead come at a slower pace [8]. Just as the introduction of smart watches and fitness trackers expanded the market and drove consumer demand in the past, the market for wearables still relies on companies to unlock consumer demand with innovative products
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