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Levi's RedWire DLX jeans
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Alliances with major brands are resulting in a sudden wave of new commercially-available wearable electronic products.
Many of them come in response to the continued success of the iPod, and the majority have been developed by UK companies, who can safely claim to be taking a lead in this field.
Fibretronic, based in North Yorkshire, has announced a brace of new launches, including the custom-designed iPod control system for the new RedWire DLX jeans to be launched by Levi's this Autumn.
Burton Snowboards, meanwhile, has added Fibretronic's PTT (push to talk) technology to its Audex range of jackets and packs.
In addition to the previously-announced iPod business suit for men from Israel-headquartered Bagir, Eleksen's touch-sensitive fabric is being employed in the wireless keyboard just introduced by G-Tech, based in Waltham, Massachusetts, USA, and part of Goodhope Bags.
Another North Yorkshire, UK-based specialist in wearable textile electronics is Peratech, which is to have its fortunes boosted by leading Milan-headquartered fashion retailer Ermenegildo Zegna.
Zegna, which had global sales of (euro) €713 million in 2005, with 473 retail outlets exclusively devoted to its brand, is to introduce the Zegna iJacket with a textile-based iPod control supplied by Peratech before the end of this year.
This follows Peratech's acquisition of Softswitch from New Zealand-headquartered Wool Equities Ltd. in a deal worth €241,000.
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Full story in Future Materials, Issue 5, 2006, out on October 19, 2006....
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Future Materials
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Reporting the fusion of disciplines in technical textiles, nonwovens, paper, resins, films, composites, coatings and laminates.
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Service links
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Used textile machines for sale
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Textile Jobs - Latest opportunities
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World Index of Yarns & Fibres
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