Everyday Clothing Research Articles

Flexible Magnetoelectric Fiber for Self-Powered Human-Machine Interactive.

Flexible large strain sensors are an ideal choice for monitoring human motion, but the current use of flexible strain gauges is hindered by the need for external power sources and long-term operation requirements. Fiber-based sensors, due to their high flexibility, excellent breathability, and the ease with which they can be embedded into everyday clothing, have the potential to become a novel type of wearable electronic device. This paper proposes a flexible self-powered strain sensing material based on the electromagnetic induction effect, composed of a uniform mixture of Ecoflex and Nd2Fe14B, which has good skin-friendliness and high stretchability of over 100%. The voltage output of the magnetoelectric composite fiber remains stable over 5000 stretch-release cycles, reaching up to 969 μV. Based on this novel sensing material, a remote smart car control scheme for a human-machine interaction system was designed, enabling real-time gesture interaction.

Textile Organic Electrochemical Transistor for Non-Invasive Glucose Sensing

The global rise in diabetes has highlighted the urgent need for continuous, non-invasive health monitoring solutions. Traditional glucose monitoring methods, which are invasive and often inconvenient, have created a demand for alternative technologies that can offer comfort, accuracy, and real-time data. In this study, the development of a textile-based organic electrochemical transistor (OECT) is presented, designed for non-invasive glucose sensing, aiming to integrate this technology seamlessly into everyday clothing. The document details the design, optimization, and testing of a one-component textile-based OECT, featuring a porous PEDOT:PSS structure and a glucose oxidase-modified electrolyte for effective glucose detection in sweat. The research demonstrates the feasibility of using this textile-based OECT for non-invasive glucose monitoring, with enhanced sensitivity and specificity achieved through the integration of glucose oxidase within the electrolyte and the innovative porous PEDOT:PSS design. These findings suggest a significant advancement in wearable health monitoring technologies, providing a promising pathway for the development of smart textiles capable of non-invasively tracking glucose levels. Future work should focus on refining this technology for clinical use, including individual calibration for accurate blood glucose correlation and its integration into commercially available smart textiles.

Design and Coupled Moisture-Thermal Transfer Simulation of Opposite Cross-Section Polyethylene Terephthalate Knitted Fabric with Hygroscopic Quick-Drying Capability.

In addition to sportswear and outdoor equipment, moisture-absorbent quick-drying fabrics are also widely used in everyday clothing and home textiles. In this study, three types of weft-knitted fabrics were designed using Coolmax fiber and polypropylene fiber. The Coolmax/PP fabric exhibits good stretchability with a strain of 180.5% and achieves a high cumulative individual transfer capability of 691.6%, with a water absorption rate of 50.2%/s. The moisture conductivity gradient presented good moisture and heat conductivity in a simulated human body temperature environment using an infrared camera. Furthermore, mathematical modeling was constructed and visual simulation analysis was conducted to explore moisture-thermal transfer behavior. The simulation results closely align with experimental data, providing insights into designing flexible and wearable quick-drying fabrics for thermal management.

Advances in textile-based microfluidics for biomolecule sensing.

Textile-based microfluidic biosensors represent an innovative fusion of various multidisciplinary fields, including bioelectronics, material sciences, and microfluidics. Their potential in biomedicine is significant as they leverage textiles to achieve high demands of biocompatibility with the human body and conform to the irregular surfaces of the body. In the field of microfluidics, fabric coated with hydrophobic materials serves as channels through which liquids are transferred in precise amounts to the sensing element, which in this case is a biosensor. This paper presents a condensed overview of the current developments in textile-based microfluidics and biosensors in biomedical applications over the past 20 years (2005-2024). A literature search was performed using the Scopus database. The fabrication techniques and materials used are discussed in this paper, as these will be key in various modifications and advancements in textile-based microfluidics. Furthermore, we also address the gaps in the application of textile-based microfluidic analytical devices in biomedicine and discuss the potential solutions. Advances in textile-based microfluidics are enabled by various printing and fabric manufacturing techniques, such as screen printing, embroidery, and weaving. Integration of these devices into everyday clothing holds promise for future vital sign monitoring, such as glucose, albumin, lactate, and ion levels, as well as early detection of hereditary diseases through gene detection. Although most testing currently takes place in a laboratory or controlled environment, this field is rapidly evolving and pushing the boundaries of biomedicine, improving the quality of human life.

Care and circularity: how the enactment of care enables and shapes the circular consumption of clothing

In a circular system, consumers need to acquire, use, look after and part with products in ways that recirculate or reuse materials and minimise waste. Thus, although seldom made explicit, consumer care is built into the circular economy project. In this article, we aim to contribute to the emerging body of sociological work on circular consumption by foregrounding the role of care in the performance of circular clothing practices. Theoretically, we combine previous care literature with theories of practice. The analysis builds on an ethnographically inspired study of 24 households’ circular clothing consumption. Our findings suggest that accomplishing circularity in everyday clothing consumption involves developing care awareness and taking on responsibility for the care of clothes as a way of caring for distant others. We also show that multiple care struggles and care dilemmas complicate the accomplishment of care in this context. The article ends by outlining the possible contributions of developing an awareness and understanding of how care and circular consumption are intertwined.

Markerless three-dimensional gait analysis in healthy older adults: test–retest reliability and measurement error

In older adults, gait analysis may detect changes that signal early disease states, yet challenges in biomechanical screening limit widespread use in clinical or community settings. Recently, a markerless method from multi-camera video data has become accessible, making screenings less challenging. This study evaluated the test–retest reliability and measurement error of markerless gait kinematics and kinetics in healthy older adults. Twenty-nine healthy older adults performed gait analysis on two occasions, at preferred walking speed, using their everyday clothes. Lower limb angles and moments were averaged from 8 gait cycles. Integrated pointwise indices [Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICCA,K) and Standard Error of Measurement (SEM)] were calculated for curve data, as well as ICCA,K, and SEM [95 % confidence intervals] for selected peaks. Generally, kinematic ICCs were good (>0.75) and reasonably stable throughout the gait cycle, except for the hip kinematics during the swing phase in the sagittal plane and pelvis tilt and rotation. The integrated and peaks SEM were <2.4°. The reliability of kinetics was similar (ICC>0.75), except for the transverse hip moment and abduction peak, fluctuating more during the swing than through the stance phase. SEM were < 0.07Nm/Kg. In conclusion, these results showed good overall test–retest reliability for markerless gait kinematics and kinetics for the hip, knee, and ankle joints, moderate for the pelvis angles, and error levels of ≤5°, and SEM%≤5% for the sagittal plane. This supports this method’s use in assessing gait in healthy older adults, including kinetics, for which reliability data from markerless systems is difficult to find reported.

Current Trends on Advancement in Smart Textile Device Engineering

AbstractSmart textiles represent a revolutionary approach to wearable technology with applications ranging from healthcare to energy harvesting. This review paper explores the importance of textile technologies and highlights their potential to revolutionize consumer electronics. Conventional technologies are sometimes heavy, and lack comfort and flexibility, but smart textiles seamlessly integrate into everyday clothing, improving wearability and user experience. The article emphasizes the need for sustainable sourcing and environmentally friendly production methods, as well as responsible manufacturing and disposal practices. Manufacturing techniques such as wet spinning, melt spinning, electrostatic spinning, weaving, knitting, and printing are detailed and shed light on their role in incorporating electronics into textiles. Several applications of textile‐based devices are being explored, including biochemical sensing, temperature monitoring, energy harvesting, energy storage, and smart displays. Each application demonstrates the versatility and potential of smart textiles in different areas. Despite optimistic progress, challenges remain, from improving energy efficiency to protecting user privacy and data security. The review analyzes these problems and suggests future improvements, including interdisciplinary collaboration to find new solutions. Finally, an overview of the current state of smart textiles provides the future of this technology. It serves as an in‐depth reference for academics and readers interested in understanding recent advances and discoveries in textile technologies, highlighting the importance of this rapidly growing industry.

Women Panic Stun Jacket for Self Defense Using ESP32

Women Panic Stun Jacket is a self-defense product designed to provide safety and protection for women. The Women Panic Stun Jacket is specifically designed for women who want an extra level of personal safety while out and about. It is equipped with several advanced features to provide a sense of security and deter potential attackers. One of the key features of this jacket is the built-in stun technology. This stun feature is easy to activate with a discreet button located on the sleeve or collar of the jacket. Additionally, the Women Panic Stun Jacket is equipped with a panic button linked to a personal safety app. When pressed, this button sends an immediate distress signal to pre-selected emergency contacts, providing them with the wearer's precise location. This feature is beneficial in situations where immediate help is required. Comfort and style are also priorities in the design of this jacket. A panic stun jacket for self-defense for women could be designed to integrate discreetly into everyday clothing, activating with a quick gesture or button press in times of distress. The jacket could deliver a non-lethal electric shock to deter attackers, while also alerting authorities or sending distress signals to pre-set contacts. Its design would prioritize comfort, mobility, and effectiveness, empowering women with a proactive safety solution in potentially dangerous situations.

Distributed sensing along fibers for smart clothing.

Textile sensors transform our everyday clothing into a means to track movement and biosignals in a completely unobtrusive way. One major hindrance to the adoption of "smart" clothing is the difficulty encountered with connections and space when scaling up the number of sensors. There is a lack of research addressing a key limitation in wearable electronics: Connections between rigid and textile elements are often unreliable, and they require interfacing sensors in a way incompatible with textile mass production methods. We introduce a prototype garment, compact readout circuit, and algorithm to measure localized strain along multiple regions of a fiber. We use a helical auxetic yarn sensor with tunable sensitivity along its length to selectively respond to strain signals. We demonstrate distributed sensing in clothing, monitoring arm joint angles from a single continuous fiber. Compared to optical motion capture, we achieve around five degrees error in reconstructing shoulder, elbow, and wrist joint angles.

Uniform and welded networks of silver nanowires surface-embedded on cellulose yarns with PEDOT:PSS passivation for sustainable E-textiles

Electronic textiles are critical for wearable electronics and real-time health care monitoring. The use of cellulose fibers with conductive components to construct optimized materials for enhanced performance remains an ongoing mission. We report the use of continuous dip-coating of hydrogel fibers to fabricate conductive cellulose yarns (CCYs). Uniform, interwelded and compact silver nanowire (AgNW) networks are embedded on the surfaces of the cellulose yarns, after which a PEDOT:PSS passivation layer is applied to ensure the reliability and practicality of the CCYs. This unique AgNW network provids high electrical conductivity of the CCYs, high strain sensitivities and good Joule heating. Wearable fabric devices embroidered with CCYs exhibit superior performance in strain sensing and electrothermal insulation. This CCY realizes the organic combination of manufacturing, practicability and functionality in sustainable E-textiles. The CCY has the potential to enable scalable manufacturing of low-cost wearable sensors integrated into everyday clothes.

Black Women in the Rijksmuseum’s Sixteenth- and Seventeenth-Century Collection

The few studies of the depiction of Black people in Western art have focused primarily on the rendering of Black men. This article discusses the depictions of Black women in the Rijksmuseum’s collection, specifically in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, from the moment that Europeans and Africans met until about 1660, when representations became increasingly stereotyped. Black women in this period are depicted in a number of genres. The illustrations in travel journals and separate drawn records are concerned primarily with the differences in status between local inhabitants: the more clothes they wore, the higher their status. Yet the texts accompanying these depictions link nakedness to barbarity and lewdness. That nudity was retained as the way to represent allegorical Africa, in the form of a nearly naked Black female surrounded by wild animals, as was also prescribed in the iconographic manual by Cesare Ripa. When she was positioned in the company of the other continents, she was assigned a subordinate role as being less civilized and ripe for the taking. The Black woman also has a minor part as the allegory of Night or Darkness. In Biblical scenes the Black female is an individual character in some cases while in others she is a bystander, like white onlookers. There are no examples known of Black women who commissioned portraits themselves. There are, however, tronies that were intended to represent African facial features and a black skin, sometimes including an ‘exotic’ costume. Two etchings of Black females in everyday clothing might depict members of the Black communities that had settled in Antwerp, like they did in Amsterdam. Such illustrations made from life are too few in number, however, to express with subtlety the image of the Black woman countering the predominant image of her as an ‘exotic’, sexual apparition. It is possible that this analysis can be adapted on the basis of research into depictions in other – non-Northern-European – collections.

On the attractiveness of clothing libraries for women: Investigating the adoption of product-service systems from a practice-based perspective

Clothing libraries, an application of product-service system in the clothing sector, could potentially combat clothing overconsumption but consumer adoption is limited so far. Research so far has largely overlooked the diversity in adoption barriers depending on the context. Using a practice-based approach, this paper explores how adoption barriers differ across clothing consumption profiles and types of clothing libraries. A focus group methodology is used to examine two types of clothing libraries (occasional vs. everyday) intended for women and four clothing consumption profiles (fashionista, rational, emotional, restrained). This paper shows that occasional clothing libraries are perceived as more attractive than everyday clothing libraries because they require a smaller change of practice. Factors such as the possibility of wearing the garment again, existing alternatives (second hand purchase or exchanges with friends or family), the type of occasion (event, seasonal or daily), the need for garment renewal, and the price interact in a similar way for clothing purchases and occasional clothing libraries. This paper also shows that the barriers to practice change differ between consumption profiles. For example, not feeling the need to renew one's wardrobe is an obstacle to subscribing to everyday clothing libraries for the rational profile, while this same factor, feeling the need to regularly renew one's wardrobe, is a lever for subscribing to everyday clothing libraries for the fashionista profile. The findings can be used to tailor clothing libraries to specific consumption profiles' needs in order to shift their fashion practices towards sustainable consumption.

Non-invasive glucose detection with smart textiles

The increasing prevalence of diabetes worldwide has heightened the need for innovative and patient-friendly glucose monitoring technologies. Wearable devices that integrate non-invasive glucose sensors into everyday clothing can further enhance user comfort and seamlessly fit into daily routines, making health management more intuitive and less intrusive.

Advances in Fiber-Based Wearable Sensors with Machine Learning

Fiber sensors, with their high sensitivity and flexibility, have contributed to the integration of wearable technologies into everyday clothing, enabling both comfortability and efficient data collection. Meanwhile, the rapid advancements in machine learning have substantially boosted the capability of wearable technology to process intricate information collected from the human body and environment. This work offers a comprehensive review of wearable devices that utilize both fiber sensors and machine learning. Various fiber sensors are discussed based on their working principles and dimensions, and an overview of the machine learning algorithms that have been applied with these fiber sensors is presented. Additionally, the advantages, limitations, and concerns of different approaches are highlighted, paving the way for the future development of intelligent wearable devices and systems.

Scalable all-textile embedded electrode triboelectric nanogenerator: Hybrid single-electrode and contact-separation working functions for wearable body motion monitoring

Textile-based triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) hold considerable promise as sustainable power sources for wearable electronics, yet their seamless integration into everyday clothing remains a challenge. This paper introduces a scalable woven TENG structure that utilizes core−shell yarns composed of commercially available wool and polyester with an inner copper electrode. The device achieves notable performance with an output voltage of 18.5 V, a current of 3.7 µA, and a power density of 51 mW/m2. The novel multilayer design combines hybrid single-electrode and contact-separation approaches, significantly enhancing triboelectric performance and the device’s durability. The multilayer functionality amplifies energy conversion efficiency by increasing the contact area and optimizing charge accumulation through multiple interacting layers. This advanced textile TENG is comfortable, flexible, and aesthetically pleasing while being compatible with large-scale textile manufacturing processes. It demonstrates excellent washability, durability under diverse weather conditions, and resilience to repeated mechanical loading. Highly responsive to a broad range of forces, from gentle taps to strong impacts, this TENG is versatile for body motion monitoring and wearable applications. It represents a significant advancement in creating practical, efficient, and durable energy-harvesting textiles, with promising applications in garment production for precise motion detection, such as for professional athletes and individuals requiring specialized monitoring.

Hybrid knitted fabric for electromagnetic radiation shielding: thermo-physical properties

Textile materials for protection against electromagnetic radiation are used now not only for special purposes but in everyday clothing too. In this regard, the thermo-physical properties of such materials are very important. In this study, the hybrid knitted fabrics with electromagnetic shielding properties manufactured on 8E flat-bed machine from 0.12 mm stainless steel wire and 30 × 2 tex cotton yarn have been tested. Fabric samples differ by variant of stainless steel wire incorporation (separately or along with cotton yarn) and their positioning in the structures (loop and/or tuck). Hybrid fabric formed by the alternation of two courses of rib 1 × 1 from cotton yarn and two courses from steel wire has higher porosity and therefore higher relative water vapor permeability and lower thermal conductivity compared with fabric formed from cotton yarn and a steel wire simultaneously. The research results showed that the introduction of stainless steel wire along with cotton yarn into the knitted structure leads to changes in stitch density and therefore in the area of porosity compared with cotton fabric. The thermal conductivity coefficient and evaporative resistance of these fabrics are similar to cotton 1 + 1 rib fabric. Thus, the studied hybrid knitted fabrics with shielding properties against electromagnetic radiation can be recommended for clothing manufacturing. The half-Milano rib fabric knitted from cotton yarn and a steel wire with the greatest electromagnetic interference shielding effectiveness has a good level of comfort similar to cotton fabric.

A dual-mode fiber-shaped flexible capacitive strain sensor fabricated by direct ink writing technology for wearable and implantable health monitoring applications

Flexible fiber-shaped strain sensors show tremendous potential in wearable health monitoring and human‒machine interactions due to their compatibility with everyday clothing. However, the conductive and sensitive materials generated by traditional manufacturing methods to fabricate fiber-shaped strain sensors, including sequential coating and solution extrusion, exhibit limited stretchability, resulting in a limited stretch range and potential interface delamination. To address this issue, we fabricate a fiber-shaped flexible capacitive strain sensor (FSFCSS) by direct ink writing technology. Through this technology, we print parallel helical Ag electrodes on the surface of TPU tube fibers and encapsulate them with a high dielectric material BTO@Ecoflex, endowing FSFCSS with excellent dual-mode sensing performance. The FSFCSS can sense dual-model strain, namely, axial tensile strain and radial expansion strain. For axial tensile strain sensing, FSFCSS exhibits a wide detection range of 178%, a significant sensitivity of 0.924, a low detection limit of 0.6%, a low hysteresis coefficient of 1.44%, and outstanding mechanical stability. For radial expansion strain sensing, FSFCSS demonstrates a sensitivity of 0.00086 mmHg−1 and exhibits excellent responsiveness to static and dynamic expansion strain. Furthermore, FSFCSS was combined with a portable data acquisition circuit board for the acquisition of physiological signals and human‒machine interaction in a wearable wireless sensing system. To measure blood pressure and heart rate, FSFCSS was combined with a printed RF coil in series to fabricate a wireless hemodynamic sensor. This work enables simultaneous application in wearable and implantable health monitoring, thereby advancing the development of smart textiles.

Insights into Materials, Physics, and Applications in Flexible and Wearable Acoustic Sensing Technology.

Sound plays a crucial role in the perception of the world. It allows to communicate, learn, and detect potential dangers, diagnose diseases, and much more. However, traditional acoustic sensors are limited in their form factors, being rigid and cumbersome, which restricts their potential applications. Recently, acoustic sensors have made significant advancements, transitioning from rudimentary forms to wearable devices and smart everyday clothing that can conform to soft, curved, and deformable surfaces or surroundings. In this review, the latest scientific and technological breakthroughs with insightful analysis in materials, physics, design principles, fabrication strategies, functions, and applications of flexible and wearable acoustic sensing technology are comprehensively explored. The new generation of acoustic sensors that can recognize voice, interact with machines, control robots, enable marine positioning and localization, monitor structural health, diagnose human vital signs in deep tissues, and perform organ imaging is highlighted. These innovations offer unique solutions to significant challenges in fields such as healthcare, biomedicine, wearables, robotics, and metaverse. Finally, the existing challenges and future opportunities in the field are addressed, providing strategies to advance acoustic sensing technologies for intriguing real-world applications and inspire new research directions.

Reducing Transdermal Uptake of Semivolatile Plasticizers from Indoor Environments: A Clothing Intervention.

Models and laboratory studies suggest that everyday clothing influences the transdermal uptake of semivolatile organic compounds, including phthalate plasticizers, from indoor environments. However, this effect has not been documented in environmental exposure settings. In this pilot study, we quantified daily excretion of 17 urinary metabolites (μg/day) for phthalates and phthalate alternatives in nine participants during 5 days. On Day 0, baseline daily excretion was determined in participants' urine. Starting on Day 1, participants refrained from eating phthalate-heavy foods and using personal care products. On Days 3 and 4, participants wore precleaned clothing as an exposure intervention. We observed a reduction in the daily excretion of phthalates during the intervention; mono-n-butyl phthalate, monoisobutyl phthalate (MiBP), and monobenzyl phthalate were significantly reduced by 35, 38, and 56%, respectively. Summed metabolites of di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) were also reduced (27%; not statistically significant). A similar reduction among phthalate alternatives was not observed. The daily excretion of MiBP during the nonintervention period strongly correlated with indoor air concentrations of diisobutyl phthalate (DiBP), suggesting that inhalation and transdermal uptake of DiBP from the air in homes are dominant exposure pathways. The results indicate that precleaned clothing can significantly reduce environmental exposure to phthalates and phthalate alternatives.

Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles in &lt;i&gt;Psidium Guajava&lt;/i&gt; (Guava) Leaf Extract for Antibacterial Textiles

Textiles, an integral part of everyday clothing, are exposed to varied sources of dirt, leading to bacterial accumulation and cross-contamination. As such, antibacterial textile has become a widespread research interest. One method to create antibacterial textiles is the incorporation of silver nanoparticles (NPs) due to their efficacy in stopping multi-drug resistant (MDR) bacteria. However, most synthesis techniques in producing silver NPs are complex and expensive. Guava leaf extracts (GE) have a high quantity of metabolites and carbohydrates that can reduce and stabilize silver (Ag) ions. Guava leaves also have an innate antimicrobial property, making them highly compatible with biomedical applications. This study synthesized Ag NPs using Ag nitrate and Ag acetate as Ag precursors and guava leaves extract as reducing agents to create an antimicrobial fabric. The green synthesis successfully produced spherical Ag NPs with mean diameters around 24 nm. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) analysis confirmed the formation of Ag NPs after the reaction. The Ag NPs were deposited on cotton fabrics, which showed significant antibacterial activity even after 5 washings. Generally, the Ag NPs synthesized with larger amounts of guava leaves extract showed larger clearing zones, indicating better antimicrobial activity.