Electronic textiles, known as e-textiles, have the potential to revolutionize countless aspects of our daily lives. With applications in healthcare, sports, fashion, entertainment, and defense, e-textiles offer features that have the potential to change everything from the way we monitor health complications to improving user experience. Preparing for e-textiles in mass manufacturing comes with its own set of challenges that must be addressed before the integration of these materials into our modern society. 

 

In his article, Martinez discusses the obstacles facing the growing e-textile industry, including the development of durable, fabric-like electronic materials that must be produced ethically and sustainably. With the introduction of new manufacturing processes and automation, previously laborious jobs may become unavailable in traditional textile industries. Governments will need to prepare to retrain and transition workers into new roles and jobs. 

 

Safeguarding users’ rights and safety is also paramount, and regulations will have to be in place to protect the privacy of user data constantly collected from e-textiles. Proactively shaping government policies in regards to these concerns can help ease the integration of e-textiles into society, says Martinez.

 

E-textiles carry the potential to change the way we live our lives. Martinez calls for a holistic approach to e-textile development, involving interdisciplinary collaboration between materials scientists, engineers, fashion designers and healthcare experts to address technical, ethical, and societal dilemmas of e-textile development. 

 

To read Martinez's full article in Nature Reviews, visit the link below.