Integration of solar cells and other electronic components into clothes

Abstract

Wearables and smart textiles are a growing field in the fashion trade. Primarily, the textile industry can thereby expand and become again more local in Germany. The interest in clothes and textiles with new functions rises continuously, resulting in the fact that functionality and design should be well joined to convince the end-consumer. In an interdisciplinary project of designers and engineers, a flexible solar module was integrated into clothes that it is not visible at first sight. It was hidden behind a laser-cut to provide a good integration of technology in clothes and to enrich the design. The influence of the laser-cut was analyzed in various measurements and was optimized so that the solar cells can still provide enough power to control a sound module for MP3 files. With textile buttons, which contain conductive textiles and threads, it is possible to operate the music. The results are two androgynous outfits with electronic components. The intention was to develop garments for both genders, to give them a function for increasing the value and to put forward the sustainability.