Fashion inspiration from space technology

Astronautics and fashion design seem to be two independent fields, but astronauts' costumes and accessories can inspire the textile industry. Space technology is promoting the fashion sector, from bras, baby clothes equipped with check-out systems to protect athletes and adventurers from the dangers of life on Earth.

Leather sports jacket with internal cooling system. David Raitt of the European Space Agency's promotion and technology transfer division, ESA, said: 'The space program over the years has been considered a catalyst for the progress we are seeing today. in the textile industry ' . The harshness of the space environment such as extreme cold to extreme heat, cosmic radiation, gravity and no light, all posed great challenges for scientists. Each year ESA spends about 400 million euros for research and development, and now many people on Earth benefit from this specialized technology.

In order to reduce the cost of flying missions into space (since each kilogram is launched into space costs 10,000 euros), ESA researches to make fabrics 100 times stronger than steel but very light and resistant. Get extreme temperatures . In 2002, the MacLaren Formula 1 racing team, when playing in the British Grand Prix, wore a jacket made of this special fabric, derived from the idea of ​​simulating space suits. 'In the cockpit, the temperature reached nearly 700C so McLaren asked us to help the riders feel cool while behind the wheel,' said Raitt. Cold water is guided by 2mm long plastic tubes into a lightweight jacket so it can create a cool feeling

Bra for breast cancer patients.

for wearers in 90 minutes. This jacket with a cooling system is then produced and distributed widely by Italia Spidi sports apparel company.

Although this outfit is for professional athletes, Italian designer Grado Zero is about to launch a leather jacket with integrated motorbike protection and technology application of ESA. The special gel system in the shoulder and elbow ensures a soft shirt when worn but this area immediately hardens when a collision occurs. With a selling price of about 1,000 euros, the shirt is also treated to keep people warm in winter and cool in the summer. The company is also researching light jacket business for climbers, can protect them in a negative environment of 500C by using special compound Aerogel.

Meanwhile, clothes (washable) that monitor the heart and respiratory frequency of babies will appear on the market next year. Based on astronauts' costumes, this design will help prevent sudden infant death by telling parents if their baby's breath or heart rate changes. Researchers are also developing products that help people with serious illnesses such as bras have an internal screening system for breast cancer patients or clothing to protect children from the harmful effects of ultraviolet rays.