By Jasmin Malik Chua / Source: Ecouterre

SOLAR FASHION

But cellphones aren’t the only things the Solar Shirt can keep humming. Van Dongen’s garment can also juice up MP3 players, cameras, Global Positioning System units, and other USB-compatible portables. Plus, any excess electricity can be stored in the shirt’s battery pack for later use.

“Wearing solar cells lets us harness the sun’s potential energy and become a power source ourselves,” van Dongen says in a statement. “As a designer, I’m excited by how solar cells can add to the aesthetic of a garment.”

While previous attempts to combine with fashion resulted in one-off haute-couture designs, Holst Centre’s stretchable—not to mention washable—interconnect technology made the process more seamless proposition.

“We’ve taken solar fashion from the catwalk to the high street, with an attractive yet practical garment that people could wear every day,” van Dongen says.

Solar Shirt isn’t just a proof of concept; it’s something textile manufacturers could bring to market in a matter of months with current production capabilities, according to Holst Centre’s Margreet de Kok.

Read more @ Ecouterre