Come on. Admit it. By now you thought we’d all be wearing clothes that would be unrecognisable from the shirts and trousers of the 20the century. Like the coat in Back to the Future that adjusted itself to fit tiny McFly. But where are they? They’ve been taking sooooooo long to arrive. Do you feel cheated? I do. Science fiction films promised all sorts of cool stuff would be here by now. Hover boards. Robot maids. Microwaves that turn tiny pills into roast chicken or pizza.
Every so often you get a taster, predicting that they’re just around the corner. A programme about London Fashion week on radio 4 showcases a designer who has created a suit that doesn’t need to be washed because it has self-cleaning bacteria living in the fabric. Or an article in New Scientist mentions a coat that has tiny solar panelsso it can provide heat using energy from the sun. But then nothing happens. Same old, same old in the shops. Where are my socks that tell me it’s about to rain and turn my coat into an umbrella damn it!!
But oooh. What’s this? Today I received an e-newsletter from Uniqlo telling me about its new Innovative Clothing range. It promises to transform lives. To suit anyone and fit anyone. This sounds more like it.
What does this mean in practice then Uniqlo?
It’s about adding a number of practical features using innovative technology.
For example, the coat above has a special agent attached to the fabric. Not a tiny man with a PPK that saves the world obviously, something special that repels water so it doesn’t get wet. It also stops any wind from passing through the fabric. And it has a drawstring in the pocket so you don’t need to freeze your toasty hands to adjust it.
There’s also stuff that is anti-bacterial, that provides UV protection and that dries any perspiration immediately so things don’t get wet as you sweat.
Is this the future of clothing? OK it’s a far cry from trainers that enable you to walk up walls or even a cardigan that can tell you Waitrose has run out of beetroot. But it’s a step in the right direction.
Find out more about how they make their fabrics here or check out the full range to see how they work here
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