Wear-Abouts explore how high quality garments, adjustable, can propose an additional content to the clothes through the fabric’s patterns, which can be updated regularly.
In June 2020 we participated with the Wear-Abouts project in the SmartToys++ IDC 2020 workshop on ‘Smart Toys, Smart Tangibles, Robots and other Smart Things for Children’.
What if the future of fashion was smart fabric’s patterns?
We believe that more than a shift within the fashion/clothing sector, the meaning and attention we give to garments could be radically transformed by giving more value to it.
Consume less and better
The fashion and clothing sector has to make a radical shift in order to become circular and sustainable. While a lot of research is ongoing and new concepts are developed for the industry, time is pressing.
A lot is put on the shoulders of the consumer, to sort out, be able to find and select more sustainable options, not knowing if they are in fact really sustainable, navigating between different labels and certifications, new advanced materials.
Nevertheless, we will have to consume far less and better. We believe that more than a shift within the fashion/clothing sector, the meaning and attention we give to garments could be radically transformed by giving more value to it.
What makes the personal meaning and consideration for a garment is the brand (and the promise that goes with it, including quality), the shape/model and the colours/prints/patterns. In one word, the style of it as well as the meories associated. People dispose of the garment, either because it is too worn (quality) or small/big (especially for children) or again they are fed up with it.
Augmented environments
Wear-Abouts explore how high quality garments, adjustable, can propose an additional content to the clothes through the fabric’s patterns, which can be updated regularly.
This approach is made possible by the use of augmented-reality technology, linking the patterns/motifs printed on the fabric with extra content displayed on/around the garment.
While wearing the garment, the wearer can “scan/read” the fabric’s patterns to displayed an extension of the patterns and navigate a new digital environment. From there, sounds and illustrations are displayed, as well as information and links.
These contents can be updated, therefore the extension of the garment’s patterns are renewed and more environments and stories can be discovered regularly by a simple update. If you dispose the garment, you can’t access these digital environments anymore.
More about the project: https://worth-partnership.ec.europa.eu/projects/wear-abouts-baltic-sea_en
ILLUSTRIOUS LAB 