What are smart textiles?
Smart textiles (STs), also referred to as intelligent textiles or e-textiles, are advanced fabrics capable of sensing, reacting to, and adapting to environmental or physiological stimuli. These innovative materials combine traditional textile structures with cutting-edge components such as sensors, actuators, conductive fibers, and microelectronics, surpassing the capabilities of conventional fabric.
Smart textiles can actively respond to changes in their surroundings or the user’s body. For example, they may:
Monitor vital signs like heart rate or body temperature
Adjust thermal insulation in response to weather conditions
Change color or texture dynamically
Harvest and store small amounts of energy from motion or light
By integrating digital functionalities directly into the fabric, smart textiles act as interactive interfaces between the physical and digital worlds. They are designed to be comfortable, wearable, and capable of delivering real-time data while adapting to the needs of the user.
The development of STs illustrates the convergence between traditional textile craftsmanship and emerging digital technologies. Advances in material science, nanotechnology, and flexible electronics have accelerated the progress in this field, leading to diverse applications in healthcare, sports and fitness, fashion, and home automation.
As the technology matures, smart textiles are expected to play a transformative role in enabling personalized, responsive, and sustainable solutions across multiple industries—turning garments, furnishings, and wearables into active participants in our daily lives.
Classification of Smart Textiles
A widely accepted classification system, proposed by Maestri et al. (2023)【1】, categorizes smart textiles into three main types based on their functionality and responsiveness:
Passive Smart Textiles
These are the simplest type. They can detect external stimuli (e.g., temperature, light, or pressure) but do not respond or adapt. Their function is primarily diagnostic or observational.
Active Smart Textiles
These fabrics not only sense stimuli but also react to them, often through embedded actuators or responsive elements. Applications include responsive garments or tactile sensors.
Very Smart Textiles
The most advanced category, capable of sensing, reacting, and adapting in real time to specific conditions. These textiles provide dynamic and personalized performance.
This classification reflects the evolution from passive sensing to intelligent adaptation, showcasing how smart textiles are moving towards highly integrated and interactive systems.
ProtoQSAR and the SUBBIMATT project
ProtoQSAR is currently participating in the SUBBIMATT project, which incorporates the development of Smart Textile Materials (STMs) as a central innovation.
An STM is the core element that enables a textile to become “smart” by providing a specific functional property. In SUBBIMATT, two main approaches are being pursued:
Surface modification of conventional textiles (e.g., yarns, woven, knitted, or non-woven fabrics) using functional additives.
Intrinsic material design, where the fabric is created using base materials that inherently provide the desired smart properties.
The goal is to develop fully bio-based STMs with a focus on three target functionalities:
Inflatable actuator textiles
Energy-harvesting fabrics
Tuneable openness materials
These innovations aim to foster the creation of sustainable smart textiles for various industrial sectors, contributing to a safer, smarter, and greener textile ecosystem.
Reference
[1] Maestri, G., Ferreira, L. B., et al. (2023). Recent advances in piezoelectric textile materials: A brief literature review. Journal of Engineered Fibers and Fabrics, 18(1), 1–11.
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme (Innovation Action) under grant agreement No. 101129911.
