TEXTILES.ORG
We are in the middle of a historic leap in textile technology. Whether it’s the development of new yarns and coatings, or the integration of electronics into existing textiles, the future of wearable technology is rapidly evolving—and the future is bright. It seems like every week brings another breakthrough from R&D firms and universities, unveiling textiles that can sense, generate heat, cool and shape-shift in ways never seen before.
These advancements open exciting possibilities, but moving from innovation to large-scale, commercially viable products requires careful consideration. Developing functional, durable, and manufacturable wearable technology comes with unique challenges—but also opportunities for creative problem-solving.
Bringing these technologies to market may be compared to running a 100-mile race through the desert. Is it possible? Yes. Is it inspiring? Yes. Does it push boundaries? Yes. Is it logistically burdensome? Yes. Is it worth the effort? Absolutely—for both those who are driving innovation and those who will ultimately benefit from them.
The durability and sourcing barrier
Washability is a critical factor in wearable technology. Depending on how power-supplying or conductive textiles are created, laundering may be a limiting factor. Whether the conductive element is coated, applied post-production, or integrated directly into the textile, degradation must be considered. While many standard wash cycle tests range from 10 to 20 cycles (depending on testing protocol requirements), power-supplying elements often begin to degrade well before 20 wash cycles. This isn’t always the case, but factors such as detergent type, water quality, wash cycle settings and material selection all impact longevity.
Sourcing is another hurdle. Smart textiles and conductive materials are notoriously expensive and are produced by a limited number of vendors worldwide. Long lead times, high costs and trade regulations add to the complexity of large-scale production. Even when these materials are available, they often require significant investment, making cost a key factor in determining commercial viability.
A complicated relationship
Powering textiles requires solving the challenge of seamlessly integrating soft and hard goods in a way that is both electrically and mechanically reliable while ensuring comfort and manufacturability. This makes for a somewhat complicated relationship between wearable tech and electronics.
There are multiple ways to approach this, from permanently integrated electronics to modular electronics with interconnects, such as those used in the Therabody RecoveryPulse series. Each approach comes with tradeoffs in washability, charging and power delivery, and overall user experience, and these must be carefully evaluated based on the specific application.
For integrated electronics, both the electronics and enclosures must be designed to withstand environmental exposure and washing processes. The requirements for these systems can vary significantly—a tent or backpack will have vastly different durability and exposure concerns compared to an overgarment or undergarment.
A good starting point is to define the expected environments and cleaning methods, and from there, establish the necessary IP ratings and temperature ranges for both the electronics and their enclosures. Fully encapsulating electronics offers strong protection, but it also creates challenges for charging and external connections, as sealed components often require specialized solutions for power and data transfer.
Modular electronics, which can be removed for washing and charging, solve many of the design challenges that integrated electronics face but introduce new ones. Exposed interconnects between modular electronics and textiles must be designed to withstand washing and drying without degrading electrical or material integrity. The interconnection area also adds size and weight, which can impact comfort and wearability, particularly in garments designed for movement.
Both approaches must address the critical interface between the soft nature of textiles and rigid nature of electronic components. This interface is where many failures occur. Flex cycles can degrade mechanical and electrical connections, textiles can wick moisture into the electronics, and strain can pull apart conductive elements, all of which can compromise performance over time. This soft-to-hard interface is often the most expensive part of the design, both in terms of engineering effort required to get it right and the manufacturing costs involved in creating reliable interconnections. If not properly designed, this area becomes a primary point of premature failure.
Bridging the soft-hard interface
A common issue in wearable technology is the junction between soft goods and hard electronics—whether it’s batteries, wiring or circuit boards. These junction points are often the “make or break” factor for integrated assemblies. A clear understanding of the product’s needs is essential to mitigating these common failure points.
Flexibility is both a challenge and a source of innovation. Anytime a flexible or stretchable textile must terminate and connect to a rigid electronic component, stress is introduced into the system. In garments, this challenge is even greater because stretch and movement compound strain on junction points. To reduce potential failure, engineers incorporate strain relief designs, flexible epoxies, and strategic positioning of circuit boards and wiring, which can significantly lower warranty issues and premature degradation.
Material adherence is another major consideration. Many textiles feature coatings, dyes or functional films that provide important performance characteristics but can also create adhesion barriers when integrating flexible circuit boards or heating elements. However, recent innovations are helping improve bonding techniques, making it possible to integrate electronics more effectively.
Manufacturing complexity is an often-overlooked barrier. With global trade shifts and supply chain challenges, it can be difficult to find manufacturers that can handle both soft goods and electronics production. While a few vendors exist that offer full integration, they often require high minimum-order quantities (MOQs), or come at a significant cost.
Scaling wearable tech
Many wearable technology concepts perform well in controlled lab environments where sizes are limited and circumstances are controlled, but scaling them for real-world use requires additional refinement. Beyond demonstrating feasibility, product development must ensure that designs are durable, manufacturable and cost-effective at scale.
A significant portion of time and cost in development is spent defining expected operating environments, testing material durability, and refining designs to handle real-world use cases. Even with rigorous testing, once a product reaches consumers, unexpected failure points often emerge. For example, early versions of smart fitness apparel struggled with sensor degradation due to sweat exposure. Through multiple iterations, manufacturers improved waterproofing, material coatings, and sensor integration, ultimately enhancing both performance and product longevity.
The reality is, no matter how much testing and refinement goes into a product, once it reaches the market, it will inevitably face new and unique scenarios. It’s a balance; designs can be developed to be foolproof, but the world will always find a way to challenge them.
Continuing evolution
Despite the challenges, wearable technology continues to evolve, with new materials, smarter electronics integration and advanced manufacturing techniques shaping the next generation of products. Industries such as healthcare, sports performance and defense are already seeing high demand for functional, durable wearables.
As industries continue to advance, collaboration among textile engineers, electronics specialists and manufacturers will be key to overcoming design challenges and unlocking new possibilities. The journey to commercialization is complex, but the progress made so far proves that it’s possible. With continued investment in materials, engineering and manufacturing solutions, wearable technology will only become more sophisticated, durable and widely accessible. Scaling wearable technology isn’t easy—but with the right approach, it’s an exciting challenge worth tackling.
Daniel McKewen is Sr. Soft Goods Developer and Craig Morin is Sr. Electrical/Biomedical Engineer with Columbus, Ohio-based Priority Designs, a product development and innovation firm offering solutions in research, brand, design, UX+UI, engineering, prototyping, and soft goods. prioritydesigns.com.