Publication Date
Spring 3-18-2026
Presentation Length
Poster/Gallery presentation
College
O'More College of Architecture & Design
Department
Fashion Design and Merchandising
Student Level
Undergraduate
Faculty Mentor
Priscilla N. Gitimu
Presentation Type
Poster
Summary
If you watched the 2019 Met Gala or pay attention to celebrity culture, you might have seen a Cinderella inspired dress that had lights embedded into the gown, which provides the dress with a gorgeous glow. This is an example of smart textiles in high fashion. Smart textiles were first introduced in the late 20th century through the usage of microphones and mp3 players in fabrics. Since then, developments in technology have evolved to help support sustainability. Smart sustainable textiles are composed of technology woven into fabrics to improve practicality, aesthetics, and health with the purpose of being eco-friendly. Efforts on environmental health have been used in smart textiles in various places like solar powered fabric and energy harvesting clothing. We will demonstrate how eco-friendly and smart technology can be used to combat the harmful effects of waste in the current fashion industry using both visual and real life applications. Through this demonstration, we will be able to prove how sustainable efforts can be utilized within smart sustainable textiles.
Recommended Citation
Miller, Marissa G.; Van Gaasbeek, Mataya G.; Patnaik, Shivam S.; and Meadows, Dasha Akira, "Wearable Innovation: How Smart Technology Transforms Fashion Sustainability" (2026). SPARK Symposium Presentations. 654.
https://repository.belmont.edu/spark_presentations/654
