Challenges in knitted E-textiles

Abstract

This paper considers the progress made in E-textiles within knitted textiles and discusses what “Project Jacquard” and the debut of the woven Levi’s Commuter X Jacquard by Google jacket helps reveal about the relationship between E-textiles and textiles manufacturing. The paper considers research conducted within the fields of Art, Design and Technology, along with materials with interesting and novel properties that have been integrated into knitted textiles by practitioners and researchers. Such materials can embellish or enhance knitted fabric, from creating additional visual interest to practical functions. However, due to the physical properties of these types of materials, not all materials can be knitted into the fabric with ease; the optimal machine settings and techniques must be determined. Adapting to the physical characteristics of these innovative materials is a logical design requirement of the prototype development process but when we look to adopt the same principles as “Project Jacquard”; manufacturing knitted E-textiles to scale, the challenges of the material/machinery relationship become more of an issue. This raises the question as to whether it is better to develop the material for better textiles integration, or to optimize the production process to suit the material.