Sensors and Materials for Smart Clothing: The Rise of a Pair of Billion-Dollar Markets, According to the New Study on ASDReports

Friday 24 October 2014, Amsterdam

The market for sensors and "smart" materials used in clothing will grow from roughly $212 million this year to more than $1.8 billion by 2021, according to a new report now available on ASDReports.

About the Report:
 
Wearable computing is lauded as the next evolution of computing and interactivity. Today this is manifesting in the market with "smart" watches and the first wave of "smart glasses." The next step in wearable computing is in "smart" clothing, i.e. fabrics integrated with various electronics and computing components and energy harvesting, and even fabrics that incorporate some of those capabilities themselves. The report sees this category poised to emerge into the spotlight and becoming a significant revenue generator for various levels in the supply chain, from materials suppliers to retailers. The key lies in the progress of development and commercialization of new and improved fabrics and sensors that are the essential building blocks for the capabilities -- and value -- of various smart clothing products.
 
This report focuses on the opportunities in the smart clothing space for suppliers of sensors and smart materials, the enabling technologies for smart clothing's current and future market trends. We examine the relevant developments in these product categories as they pertain to smart clothing, explore the full integration of high technology and fashion design and discuss all the technical problems (such as integrating microchips into clothing and washing issues), and where the money will be made for those suppliers in a number of smart clothing markets and industry sectors. We include eight-year forecasts of relevant component and material shipments both in volume and value terms, with breakouts by type of materials/components and application sector.
 
The report also analyzes the product/market and technology strategies of firms that we believe will shape the smart clothing materials and components space as it evolves. Companies discussed in this report include: Adidas, AIQ, Applied Materials, Athos, Carre Technologies, Clothing+, Corpo Nove, CSEM, Eeonyx, Exmoverve, Footfalls & Heartbeats, Globe Firefighters, Hexoskin, Inntex, Infoscitex, Intel, Intelligent Textiles, Mcube, Measurement Technologies, Medical Technologies, Moritz Waldemeyer, Moticon, Myontec, Nike, No Contact, Novonic, NTT DoCoMo, Nuubo, Ohmatex, Orpyx, Outlast Technologies, Owlet Baby Care, Pauline van Dongen, Phillips, Plug & Wear, PowerFilm Solar, Prospie, Ralph Lauren, Safe@Sea, Sefar, Sensoria, SmartSense, Stryker, T-Wave, Xyber Mind Technologies, and Zephyr Technology.
 
Highlights from the Report:
 
Smart clothing might finally evolve to become the computing devices of the future with watches, displays, etc. being printed on fabrics. However, the materialization of either scenario depends on the industry’s response in the direction of removing the main barriers to mass adoption of smart clothing. These historically have been, and continue to be, three key areas at the center of development: improved connectivity between modules, improved washability of smart fabrics, and standardized protocols. Here, then, lies the opportunity for both materials and sensor manufacturers to develop new and improved types of smart fabrics and sensors: lighter and soft flexible sensors, functional fabrics, conductive polymers, and even fibertronics -- electronically functionalized textile yarns without the need for attached sensors.
 
For suppliers of sensor devices, new techniques are in development, and attempts to standardize smart clothing are underway. Devices must also satisfy the requirements of end consumers and be perceived as value-integrated products, well-integrated with other devices and the greater Internet-of-Things. Siloed solutions will be replaced by wearable clothing that integrates multiple sensors, ultimately solving application-oriented needs -- though such functionality may not find favor with customers if it's merely what can be achieved through a smartphone, nor if it requires such a peripheral device as a control unit. The report projects the market for sensors in smart clothing will grow from roughly $187 million in 2014 to $476 million by 2018, and $983 million by 2021.
 
For fabric and material suppliers, we see areas of opportunity in developing smart sensing fabrics, replacing metallic fibers with conductive polymers, and ultimately integrating nanomaterials (especially carbon nanotubes). Flexible and stretchable electronics, either through structural consideration or by exploring novel materials, have imparted mechanical compliance and bio-compatibility to otherwise rigid and brittle electronic devices. The report projects The market for such smart materials in smart clothing is currently (and understandably) quite smaller compared with the sensor side, but we expect a far higher growth trajectory that will nearly equalize the two by the end of our forecast period -- growing from roughly $24 million in 2014 to $225 million by 2018, and $849 million by 2021.
 
Overall, the report projects the smart clothing materials and sensor market to grow from $212 million in 2014 to $701 million by 2018 and $1.8 billion in 2021. Sports and healthcare segments are expected to lead the way, followed by military and fashion segments. In sensors, bio-sensors will dominate followed by pressure sensors. In the case of materials, we expect conductive polymers and conductive yarns to capture the most market share.