sports the band

Innovation – both interactive and engaging – has changed the dynamics of retail. In times that are tough, in order to reshape the concept of traditional retail, product innovations are gaining attention, aiding experiential retail and consumer engagement. These innovations usually fall somewhere in between the real world and the virtual world.

One such revolution is the advent of Smart Apparel.

However, only a handful of retailers in India have been bold enough to adopt this dynamic solution to provide an enriching shopping experience to their consumers. Here is the list of retailers and the innovations they have introduced:

Turms intelligent wear is not a small step, but a giant leap for apparel as it fuses fashion and fabric nano technology to make life easy and comfortable with smart clothing. Every piece of apparel from Turms is infused with nano technology that gives the clothing a host of great functional benefits that includes anti-viral, anti-stain, anti-odour, super-stretch as well as cooling and wicking, all without compromising on comfort or the style quotient.

The range includes t-shirts – Henley shirts, crewnecks and polos made with the world’s finest cotton, Supima – formal-wear such as poplin shirts, linen shirts as also semi-formal and casual wear, bottom-wear such as jeans, chinos, joggers and shorts, athleisure wear, winter-wear and more – all of which are crafted from the finest fabric, feature the latest trends as well as timeless classics and created using nano-technology to make the most stylish smart wearables around.

These cutting-edge fabric technologies are the result of the R&D efforts and the outcome of the continuous innovation. Turms is known for in its quest to make its intelligent apparel better. Driving this is the mission of providing real-world solutions that suit the consumer’s lifestyle and solve their problems, and make life more comfortable and convenient with stylish, smarter clothing.

All smart clothing have two or more technology features, each of which deliver unique benefits to wearers depending on the nano technology that goes into their construction:

– Anti-Viral: A unique finish created using biological compounds derived from coconut, ensures that clothing from Turms actively fight viruses and other microorganisms by inhibiting their growth and providing much-needed protection to the wearer.

– Anti-Stain: The hydrophobic technology increases the liquid contact angle of the garment to >90 degrees causing liquids to form droplets and stay ‘suspended’ instead of getting absorbed into the fabric. This provides resistance to water-based stains to keep clothes stain-free and clean for longer.

– Anti-Odour: Enriched silver ions prevent odour-causing bacteria from multiplying by blocking the division process, and neutralising bacteria before they interact with sweat to keep clothes smelling fresh and clean for longer.

– 4-way Super-Stretch: Elastane and spandex incorporated into the primary fabric in the optimum mix to increase its flexibility, both horizontally and vertically which gives the wearer high flexibility in movement and great stretch for added comfort.

– Cooling: Moisture-activated technology that helps absorb body heat when the garment comes in contact with moisture or sweat through and makes the wearer comfortable by making his body cooler by up to 3 °C.

– Breathable: Coolant and moisture management technology makes the garment breathable and keeps it dry and helps the wearer stay cool, dry and comfortable.

– Wicking: Moisture-wicking fabric transports sweat to the surface of the garment through a capillary force known as wicking and dries it quickly helping regulate body temperature better and while giving the fabric a dry, non-sticky feel

Winterwear from Turms is unique in that the range goes beyond just sweaters and includes jackets, sweatshirts, track pants and joggers, all of which feature the Turms Warm-In Technology. This technology is used to give these garments a special nano-tech soft coating that provides for better insulation and prevents body heat from going outside. This nano-tech feature not just makes for warm and comfortable winter clothes but does so without adding weight to the garment so wearers can enjoy the warmth without the weight. In other words, this nano technology eliminates the need for bulky clothes or multiple layers to stay warm in winter.

Von Wellx Germany

Von Wellx Germany, the first ever healthy footwear brand in India aims at providing much more than just style. The footwear is made up of 5 bed zone technology, which offers the wearer to have a soft massage all day long and also relieves the knee, heel and back pain. The technology also helps in achieving balanced metabolism and increased blood circulation. It also has a special range of footwear for diabetes, hallux valgus, flat foot etc. The leather used in each of the footwear is breathable and therefore doesn’t allow fungus growth. The footwear is made available for both men and women in different styles. For men the styles are – formals, sandals/ chappals, sneakers and boots. For women the styles are – sneakers, platform heels and flats.

Von Wellx Germany is sold over 80 countries and has 100 million customers. The footwear is available at Metro, Mochi, Central, Centro, Lulu and other leading shoe stores at 500+ locations and online on Amazon, Flipkart and www.vonwellx.com. The price of the footwear starts from Rs 2,499 and it exceeds up to Rs 4,999. Von Wellx Germany provides health benefits to the wearer and at the same time maintains their fashion level.

Roadster

Roadster, one of India’s leading casual outdoorsy lifestyle brands, has announced the launch of Augmented Reality Tees (AR Tees) or the talking tees. With this launch, Roadster marries fashion, design and technology, offering shoppers a set of t-shirts that brings their roadster visual to life. This new range has been developed in-house by Myntra’s own Innovation Labs and is set to take the level of Innovation in fashion to the next level.

Although talking tees appear as normal graphic tees, it has in it, a readable AR code that the Myntra app can read and bring the graphic to life. Viewers get a taste of the concept through sounds and visuals of being on the road, with each graphic design bringing to life, the brand’s philosophy of hitting the road and creating experiences through a simple shake of the phone, or by aiming the devise at the AR reader on the shirt.

From an experienced wanderer, to a soulful camper, the limited-edition collectible is for everyone who loves their tech-grease, for those who love to stay in trend and certainly for all those who like to hit the road. The tees are 100 percent cotton, with 6 different AR stories to collect with each design and priced at Rs 999. The AR experience is only available on Android for now.

Girggit

With all kinds of innovation and technology already taking over the fashion industry, we almost forgot there is always something new coming this way. And now, we have been offered a range of colour changing t-shirts by a new entrant in the market, Girggit. Standing true to its name, Girggit (meaning, chameleon, in English) t-shirts change its design and colour in sunlight. The same t-shirt looks different in design and colour if worn indoors, and changes form when one steps out.

These men’s t-shirts are made from super fine-combed cotton and are available in extra small, small, medium and large sizes on all the leading e-commerce portals.

Talking about the innovations involved in the making of these, Himanshu Thakur, Founder, Girggit says, “Based on solar active technology, colour-changing inks and dyes are engineered for application on Girggit t-shirts. Much like a fl ower that blooms in the sun’s rays, the hidden colours found in Girggit’s exclusive prints unfold into vibrant colour upon exposure to sunlight, then returning to their original state without sunlight.”

Girggit is a part of Shree G. Pingaksh Finsol Pvt. Ltd., which always emphasises on creativity, commitment and accountability to make the brand transparent yet trendy. Priced affordably between Rs 699 – Rs 1,499, the brand stands for change in terms of both technology and innovations in the fashion industry. Thakur assured that Girggit will very soon apply this ‘colour- changing technology’ to other apparel categories as well.

Girggit has gained a lot of popularity and acceptance among its customers and retails through major e-commerce websites like Flipkart, Snapdeal, Limeroad, Paytm, Amazon and Shopclues.

Sygnal

Broadcast Wearables Pvt Ltd., an AI based firm, is creating ripples across the globe with its blend of technology-infused fashion. It also is the parent holding of Sygnal, who has the distinction of producing the world’s first programmable, touch-enabled t-shirt.

“We are an AI based wearables company on a mission to make everyday devices smart. We created the world’s first programmable LED clothing line and haven’t looked back ever since. We now specialise in the art, science, design and in-outs of integrating electronics with fashion. Our market offerings now range from smart fitness tracking t-shirts that tracks fitness levels without using any additional device, glow LED clothing line for women, kids, smart accessories and many more,” says Sumil Shah, Co- Founder, Broadcast Wearables Pvt Ltd.

Indian companies prepare to buy vaccines for employees

Several Indian companies are making plans to buy COVID-19 vaccines for their employees, just days after the country’s government began one of the world’s largest vaccination drives with healthcare and other frontline workers, as per a Reuters report.

Steel producer Jindal Steel and Power Ltd, autos-to technology conglomerate Mahindra Group, consumer goods giant ITC Ltd and Tata Steel have begun initial checks on hopes that vaccines will be available for purchase after the government covers priority segments, according to Reuters.

Global consumer goods giant Unilever last week said it was strongly encouraging employees to get vaccinated as soon as possible and floated the idea that it could buy shots to share with people in poorer countries.