Key Facts
Sectors covered: Technological innovation in textiles and clothing
Innovation priority: Advanced
The Feel More Knitwear prototype consists of knitted sportswear with integrated-textile sensors. These sensors, which are partially part of the textile, collect and analyse data such as heart rate and body movements to improve the wearer’s physical and emotional health and well-being during their everyday activity. They are integrated into the fabric so that the clothes remain comfortable and appealing.
What's the goal?
The prototype has already been tested in a lab environment. The goal during the ELIIT funding period is to use this support for two purposes
1) ensure the upgraded prototype meets the requirements to begin trials in a real environment for feedback on the accuracy of the ECG signals. These allow health experts to extract valuable information about the wearer’s cardiac health.
2) improve the manufacturing process and configure all relevant technical systems to produce a solution close to the requirements of the wellness market.
Key challenges
Given the fast-paced nature of the smart clothing market, it is vital to provide a unique product that can keep up with the rapid evolution of sports, wellness and health solutions.
Moreover, production should be based on a combination of competitive advantages, such as using established manufacturing processes natural yarns and a high degree of sustainability. The partners’ main objective is to achieve a compound annual growth rate of 9.4%.
How has ELIIT helped?
ELIIT's support has been crucial for the partners’ business development in e-textiles and has enabled them to identify new opportunities offered by various high-tech textile products. They have learned more about combining textiles, science and electronics successfully. They will use this experience and the working relationships developed during the ELIIT support period to expand their e-textile technology solutions offerings further.
It would be impossible to meet partners from so many different EU countries, exchange cross-offerings opportunities, and develop a new range of textile offerings if we did not have support from ELIIT. These are procedures that require time, money and investment in people and relationships. ELIIT’s experience was priceless here.
The partners recommend accessing ELIIT support for the networking assistance and visibility the project provides. It also offers opportunities to test teams’ capabilities and develop new business models, partnerships and products.
Meet the partners
Pepper Vally combines design, innovation and sustainability with a robust brand approach to create a revolutionary business model in the textile sector. It continuously invests in machinery, craftsmanship, new techniques and quality raw materials. It adds technological features to its products while retaining sustainability benefits and functional designs.
Blautic is a wireless electronics design company that develops wearables and Internet of Things devices for the health, industry and sports sectors. These are based on advanced sensors, wireless technologies and artificial intelligence.
SME: Pepper Vally
Country: Greece
Year of creation: 2011
Technical provider: Blautic Designs SL
Country: Spain
Year of creation: 2017