The past few years have seen the introduction of a number of wearable technologies, from fitness trackers to “smart watches” but with the increasing use of smart textiles, wearables are set to become ‘disappearables’ as the devices merge with textiles, according to a new report from Cientifica - 'Wearables, Smart Textiles and Nanotechnologies: Applications, Technologies and Markets'.

The textile industry will experience a growing demand for high-tech materials driven largely by both technical textiles and the increasing integration of smart textiles to create wearable devices based on sensors.  This will enable the transition of the wearable market away from one dominated by discrete hardware based on MEMS accelerometers and smartphones. Unlike today’s ‘wearables’ tomorrow’s devices will be fully integrated into the the garment through the use of conductive fibres, multilayer 3D printed structures and two dimensional materials such as graphene.

This represents significant opportunities for both existing smart textiles companies and new entrants to create and grow niche markets in sectors currently dominated by hardware manufacturers such Apple and Samsung.

The market for wearables using smart textiles is forecast to grow at a CAGR of 132% between 2016 and 2022 representing a $70 billion market. Largely driven by the use of nanotechnologies, this sector has the potential to be one of the largest end users of nano and two dimensional materials such as graphene, with wearable devices accounting for over half the demand by 2022.

“Wearables, Smart Textiles and Nanotechnologies: Applications, Technologies and Markets”, a new report from Cientifica, looks at the technologies involved from antibacterial silver nanoparticles to electrospun graphene fibers, the companies applying them, and the impact on sectors including wearables, apparel, home, military, technical, and medical textiles.

This report is based on an extensive research study of the smart textile market backed with over a decade of experience in identifying, predicting and sizing markets for nanotechnologies and smart textiles. Detailed market figures are given from 2016-2022, along with an analysis of the key opportunities, and illustrated with 120 figures and 15 tables.      

Table of Contents      

Executive Summary  

• Why Wearable Technologies Need More than Silicon + Software  
• The Solution Is in Your Closet
• The Shift To Higher Value Textiles    
• Nanomaterials Add Functionality and Value

Introduction   

• Objectives of the Report       
• World Textiles and Clothing  
• Overview of Nanotechnology Applications in the EU Textile Industry         
• Overview of Nanotechnology Applications in the US Textile Industry         
• Overview of Nanotechnology Applications in the Chinese Textile Industry 
• Overview of Nanotechnology Applications in the Indian Textile Industry    
• Overview of Nanotechnology Applications in the Japanese Textile Industry           
• Overview of Nanotechnology Applications in the Korean Textile Industry  
• Textiles in the Rest of the World      
• Macro and Micro Value Chain of Textiles Industry   
• Common Textiles Industry Classifications    
• End Markets and Value Chain Actors

Why Textiles Adopt Nanotechnologies        

• Nanotechnology in Textiles   
• Examples of Nanotechnology in Textiles      
• Nanotechnology in Some Textile-related Categories           
• Technical & Smart Textiles   
• Multifunctional Textiles        
• High Performance Textiles    
• Smart/Intelligent Textiles     
• Nanotechnology Hype

Current Applications of Nanotechnology in Textile Production       

• Nanotechnology in Fibers and Yarns 
• Nano-Structured Composite Fibers   
• Nanotechnology in Textile Finishing, Dyeing and Coating    
• Nanotechnology In Textile Printing   
• Green Technology—Nanotechnology In Textile Production Energy Saving  

Electronic Textiles and Wearables   

• Nanotechnology in Electronic Textiles          
• Concept          
• Markets and Impacts 
• Conductive Materials 
• Carbon Nanotube Composite Conductive Fibers       
• Carbon Nanotube Yarns         
• Nano-Treatment for Conductive Fiber/Sensors        
• Textile-Based Wearable Electronics 
• Conductive Coatings On Fibers For Electronic Textiles         
• Stretchable  Electronics         
• Memory-Storing Fiber           
• Transistor Cotton for Smart Clothing
• Embedding Transparent, Flexible Graphene Electrodes Into Fibers
• Organic Electronic Fibers      
• 'Temperature Regulating Smart Fabric'       
• Digital System Built Directly on a Fiber        
• Sensors          
• Shirt Button Sensors  
• An integrated textile heart monitoring solution       
• OmSignal’s  Smart Bra          
• Printed sensors to track movement  
• Textile Gas Sensors   
• Smart Seats To Curtail Fatigued Driving.      
• Wireless Brain and Heart Monitors  
• Chain Mail Fabric for Smart Textiles
• Graphene-Based Woven Fabric        
• Anti-Counterfeiting and Drug Delivery Nanofiber     
• Batteries and Energy Storage
• Flexible Batteries      
• Cable Batteries          
• Flexible Supercapacitors       
• Energy Harvesting Textiles    
• Light Emitting Textiles          
• Data Transmission     
• Future and Challenges of Electronic Textiles and Wearables          
• Market Forecast        

Smart Textiles, Nanotechnology and Apparel          

• Nano-Antibacterial Clothing Textiles
• Nanosilver Safety Concerns   
• UV/Sun/Radiation Protective
• Hassle-free Clothing: Stain/Oil/Water Repellence, Anti-Static, Anti-Wrinkle        
• Anti-Fade       
• Comfort Issues: Perspiration Control, Moisture Management         
• Creative Appearance and Scent for High Street Fashions    
• Nanobarcodes for Clothing Combats Counterfeiting
• High Strength, Abrasion-Resistant Fabric Using Carbon Nanotube 
• Nanotechnology For Home Laundry  
• Current Adopters of Nanotechnology in Clothing/Apparel Textiles 
• Products and Markets
• Market Forecast

Nanotechnology in Home Textiles   

• Summary of Nanotechnology Applications in Home Textiles          
• Current Applications of Nanotechnology in Home Textiles  
• Current Adopters of Nanotechnology in Home Textiles       
• Products and Markets
• Costs and Benefits     
• Market Forecast        
• Nanotechnology Applications in Military/Defence Textiles 
• Summary of Nanotechnology Applications in Military/Defence Textiles    
• Military Textiles         
• Current Applications of Nanotechnology in Military/Defence Textiles        
• Current Adopters of Nanotechnology in Military/Defence Textiles 
• Light Weight, Multifunctional Nanostructured Fibers and Materials          
• Costs and Benefits     
• Market Forecast        

Nanotechnology Applications in Medical Textiles   

• Summary of Nanotechnology Applications in Medical Textiles       
• Current Applications of Nanotechnology in Medical Textiles           
• Current Adopters of Nanotechnology in Medical Textiles    
• Products and Markets
• Costs and Benefits     
• Market Forecast        

Nanotechnology Applications in Sports/Outdoor Textiles   

• Summary of Nanotechnology Applications in Sports/Outdoor Textiles       
• Current Applications of Nanotechnology in Sports/Outdoor Textiles          
• Current Adopters of Nanotechnology in Sports/Outdoor Textiles    
• Products and Markets
• Costs and Benefits     
• Market Forecast        

Nanotechnology Applications in Technical Textiles 

• Summary of Nanotechnology Applications in Technical and smart textiles
• Current Applications of Nanotechnology in Technical Textiles        
• Current Adopters of Nanotechnology in Technical and smart textiles         
• Products and Markets
• Costs and Benefits     
• Market Forecast        

APPENDIX I: Companies/Research Institutes Applying Nanotechnologies to the Textile Industry

• Companies Working on Nanofiber Applications       
• Companies Working on Nanofabric Applications     
• Companies Working on Nano Finishing, Coating, Dyeing and Printing Applications           
• Companies Working on Green Nanotechnology In Textile Production Energy Saving Applications
• Companies Working on E-textile Applications          
• Companies Working on Nano Applications in Clothing/Apparel Textiles                
• Companies Working on Nano Applications in Home Textiles          
• Companies Working on Nano Applications in Sports/Outdoor Textile        
• Companies Working on Nano Applications in Military/Defence Textiles    
• Companies Working on Nano Applications in Technical Textiles     

APPENDIX II: Selected Company Profiles     

APPENDIX III: Companies Mentioned in This Report