Eco-Friendly E-Textiles

Eco-friendly e-textiles are revolutionizing the wearable technology industry with a focus on sustainability. Developed through the SWEET project, these e-textiles are made with biodegradable materials like Tencel and use graphene-based electrodes, which are inkjet-printed onto the fabric. This method minimizes material waste and reduces water and energy use compared to traditional manufacturing. These advancements address the critical issue of electronic waste in fashion while offering functionality in applications like medical monitoring.

The innovation allows e-textiles to decompose effectively, with tests showing a 48% weight reduction after four months in soil. This decomposition, coupled with a life cycle assessment highlighting 40 times less environmental impact than standard electronics, underscores the product’s potential for a greener future. Reliable heart rate and temperature monitoring achieved during testing demonstrate the practicality of sustainable materials in essential applications.

SWEET aims to expand into garment production, focusing on early disease detection, proving sustainability can coexist with technological innovation.

Image Credit: Marzia Dulal