Circularity of Smart Products and Textiles Containing Flexible Electronics: Challenges, Opportunities, and Future Directions

Abstract

The integration of flexible electronics into textiles and smart products has revolutionized industries, enabling innovations such as wearable health monitors, interactive clothing, and energy-harvesting fabrics. However, the rapid growth of these technologies poses significant challenges for sustainability and circularity. This paper explores the concept of circular economy in the context of smart textiles and products containing flexible electronics. It highlights the technical, environmental, and economic challenges associated with their end-of-life management and proposes strategies to enhance circularity, including design for disassembly, advanced recycling technologies, and policy frameworks. The paper concludes with a discussion of future research directions to achieve a sustainable lifecycle for these advanced materials.