WEAR Sustain Network: Ethical and Sustainable Technology Innovation in Wearables and Etextiles

As wearable technologies and etextiles mature they are being increasingly used in couture and high street fashion. However, much of the innovation in this space has been driven by technological and commercial imperatives. As the wearables and etextile markets mature it is time to consider this technological landscape in the bigger picture of a sustainable human-centred world. This paper reports on initial findings from 48 projects supported through the EU funded WEAR Sustain network to examine sustainable and ethical approaches to wearable technology design. Case studies of collaborations between artists and technologists in designing and realising sustainable and ethical wearable technologies are presented, and an initial set of themes emerging from detailed analysis of all the project updates are outlined highlighting the importance of cross-disciplinary hubs, mentors, and networks.