October Techtiles Storytime
The fashion tech world is figuratively blowing up. I don’t plan to make a habit of links posts, but since...
The fashion tech world is figuratively blowing up. I don’t plan to make a habit of links posts, but since I can only cover a small portion of the industry on Techtiles, here are my 10 favorite fashion science/tech stories from October. Happy weekend, everyone!
The Army has now invented a stain- and dirt-resistant fabric. Yahoo News
And so has Penina First, a New York mother with a Masters in biotechnology! She set up a Kickstarter to fund the kid version of what the Army spent presumably loads of money on to engineer. Her 100% cotton clothes repel food, water, oil, and, she notes, drool. Give her your money here.
Philips released a video about how they designed the Black Eyed Peas’ light-up costumes. Eh? Black Eyed Peas? Anyone? Takers? YouTube
We now have “spider silk technology,” meaning cloth as strong, proportionally, as spider silk. The Japanese company Spiber (not a typo) designed a dress made of the stuff in May, although who knows why you’d need a dress that is tougher than Kevlar. American companies Kraig and Warwick Mills have teamed up to try to commercialize the fabric. WSJ MarketWatch
We’re one step closer to having the magnetic strips of our credit cards embedded in our hands. PSFK
Wearable tech etiquette is pondered once again. Previously covered: Is it OK to wear Google Glass while pooping? Forbes.
Ruth Benerito not only created wrinkle-free cotton in her 97-year-long life, but she also found the perfect red lipstick for her skin tone. Seriously, she looks amazing. New York Times
In more Army news, the Army’s pricey new uniforms are allegedly already being replaced after being mass-produced before testing of the new, pixelated camo pattern was complete. Natick Army design center spokesman David Accetta wrote to me: “We really can’t say anything about camouflage or new patterns other than we have been supporting the Army’s Phase IV camouflage evaluation program.” Noted. Daily Beast
And one incredible long read to get you through the weekend: “I got hired at a Bangladesh sweatshop. Meet my 9-year-old boss.” The Star
But if you prefer to listen rather than read: This isn’t particularly new, but it’s a good look at what it’s like to really, truly dislike fashion. Sensory Processing Disorder makes clothes deeply uncomfortable, if not painful, to wear. Here, a mother talks about figuring out why her nudist child hates pants more than the rest of us. The Longest Shortest Time