Clothing

Enzymes are catalysts that boost chemical reactions by lowering the activation energy required for the reactions to occur. Added to detergents, they help break down the dirt into smaller pieces that can be more easily removed with water. While enzymatic detergents do work better than non-enzymatic ones, they are also more expensive. But what if the enzymes could be reused? A recent study by C.S. Pundir and Nidhi Chauhan, members of The American Chemical Society, may lead to cheaper laundry days and less in the way of valuable enzymes going down the drain.  Read More

When it comes to cycling apparel, it's right that style plays second fiddle to safety. But if high visibility can be achieved without making the ultimate sartorial sacrifice, so much the better. With its Sporty Supaheroe cycling jacket, the Utope Project aims to achieve just that - integrating 64 RGB LEDs into its stretchable, wearable circuit boards. And the inclusion of in-built sensors means the LED array can display a variety of patterns depending on circumstance.  Read More

Cycling clothes have long been some of the least stylish sporting apparel known to man. We're talking skin-tight Lycra, bib shorts and nipple-hugging jerseys. Nothing about that is flattering or acceptable more than two feet from your bike saddle. Since cycling has lately grown more towards the trendy, eco-conscious urbanite and less the endurance/fitness dork, cycling clothing has made a move toward more casual, socially acceptable styles. The Vaude Homy Rain Pants exemplify this transition with a look of pure denim and the protection of rain pants.  Read More

Avalanche airbags have been around for decades and have been gaining a lot of steam in the North American market over the past few years. These airbags are almost always integrated into or added onto backpacks, but The North Face has a different idea: avalanche airbag clothing.  Read More

Leaving the car at home and biking to work certainly has its benefits - to the air we breathe, to the fitness of the rider and to the bank balance. For white collar workers though, this presents an attire problem - unsightly creases, mud splashes and a soaking from the elements don't do much for your business suit. The Cambridge Design Partnership has just announced a possible alternative to stowing away a spare suit at the office or trying to flatten out the creases with a portable iron - the Suitpack. Just out of prototyping, the design is designed to keep clothing crumple-free while commuting to work, and has various compartments for storing accessories and shoes.  Read More

Outdoor clothing manufacturers are determined to solve the one problem that the world's ultimate insulator has: ineffectiveness when wet. Sierra Designs and Brooks Range are both introducing specially treated down jackets, that they claim work effectively in both wet and dry conditions.  Read More

The Repair It Yourself (RIY) concept by Design Academy Eindhoven graduate Eugenia Morpurgo is a canvas shoe designed to be as repairable as possible. It's a design that not only addresses the shortcomings of traditional shoemaking, but also poses questions as to the sustainability of our consumer habits.  Read More

Working from the premise that very few people use drawstrings on their hoodies, HB3Labs has developed Hoodiebuddie - a lineup of garments that integrates earbuds into the end of the drawstrings and a 3.5 mm headphone jack in front pocket.  Read More

Recycling an old car seems like a reasonable idea, but what about recycling it into clothes? Lexus recently challenged four designers to create fashion masterpieces out of a dismantled Lexus CT hybrid as part of an advertising campaign. Photos of models wearing the final products will be pictured in the January 2012 edition Vogue.  Read More