Bioengineered Textiles and Nonwovens – the convergence of bio-miniaturisation and electroactive conductive polymers for assistive healthcare, portable power and design-led wearable technology

Today, there is an opportunity to bring together creative design activities to exploit the responsive and adaptive ‘smart’ materials that are a result of rapid development in electro, photo active polymers or OFEDs (organic thin film electronic devices), bio-responsive hydrogels, integrated into MEMS/NEMS devices and systems respectively. Some of these integrated systems are summarised in this paper, highlighting their use to create enhanced functionality in textiles, fabrics and non-woven large area thin films. By understanding the characteristics and properties of OFEDs and bio polymers and how they can be transformed into implementable physical forms, innovative products and services can be developed, with wide implications. The paper outlines some of these opportunities and applications, in particular, an ambient living platform, dealing with human centred needs, of people at work, people at home and people at play. The innovative design affords the accelerated development of intelligent materials (interactive, responsive and adaptive) for a new product & service design landscape, encompassing assistive healthcare (smart bandages and digital theranostics), ambient living, renewable energy (organic PV and solar textiles), interactive consumer products, interactive personal & beauty care (e-Scent) and a more intelligent built environment

Rapid Manufactured Textiles

Rapid Manufacturing (RM) is increasingly becoming a viable manufacturing process due to dramatic advantages that are achievable in the area of design complexity. Through the exploration of the design freedom, this paper introduces the concept of manufacturing textiles for potential smart and high performance textile applications. This paper discusses the current limitations associated with the manufacture of textiles through RM and presents a novel methodology for the generation of 3D conformal RM textile articles. The paper concludes that through RM it is entirely possible to manufacture a structure that incorporates drape and free movement properties directly comparable to conventional textiles.Mechanical Engineerin

Textile-based wearable sensors for assisting sports performance

There is a need for wearable sensors to assess physiological signals and body kinematics during exercise. Such sensors need to be straightforward to use, and ideally the complete system integrated fully within a garment. This would allow wearers to monitor their progress as they undergo an exercise training programme without the need to attach external devices. This takes physiological monitoring into a more natural setting. By developing textile sensors the intelligence is integrated into a sports garment in an innocuous manner. A number of textile based sensors are presented here that have been integrated into garments for various sports applications

Functioning of the Clothing Networks on the Global Markets - Comparative Analysis

In the clothing sector the partnership networks are being created between the economic subject, because such actions are aimed at minimising the risk, as well as to reducing the production and distribution costs. The most often encountered networks in the textile-clothing branch are the franchising networks. The present article concentrates on the competitiveness aspect of the global clothing networks. A comparative analysis of the action of the commercial clothing networks was made, in order to show some features of its operation and proceeding, while focusing on the specified elements of the marketing-mix strategy. The obtained results allowed to show the differences and similarities in the used marketing strategies.W niniejszym artykule skoncentrowano się na aspekcie konkurencyjności globalnych sieci odzieżowych. Dokonano analizy porównawczej działania odzieżowych sieci handlowych, w celu ukazania pewnych cech jego działalności i postępowania skupiając się na określonych elementach strategii marketing-mix. Uzyskane wyniki pozwoliły na pokazanie róznic i podobieństw w stosowanych strategiach marketingowych

Incorporating the knowledge management cycle in e-business

In e-business, knowledge can be extracted from the recorded information by intelligent data analysis and then utilised in the business transaction. E-knowledge is a foundation for e-business. E-business can be supported by an intelligent information system that provides intelligent business process support and advanced support of the e-knowledge management cycle. Knowledge is stored as knowledge models that can be updated in the e-knowledge management cycle. As illustrated in examples, the e-knowledge cycle aids in the business decision taking, production management, and costs management

From commercial travellers to sales representatives: the evolution of the sales profession in Britain, 1930s to 1960s

In analysing the development of modern marketing, business historians have focused on the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries in the United States and Europe. This paper reviews the debates about the sources and timing of key changes in relation to the role of commercial travellers or travelling salesmen in Britain. It explores the later evolution from the 1930s to the 1960s with the transition to sales representatives, highlighting the gradual process of change and the hesitant, often negative, attitudes of managers and salesmen towards new ways of working