The report contains an assessment of the entire e-textiles value chain today

Long-term vision

Many companies continue to investigate this sector, fuelled by a clear long-term vision for the potential around e-textiles. Textile products have a ubiquity, which electronics companies can only dream of, the report says. Electronic products and their surrounding digital ecosystem which they fuel are the key products for the four largest companies in the world (by market capitalisation, as of 2019). The idea to combine the features of each, providing a comfortable, fashionable, customisable interface between humans and digital products, creating huge value in the process, is central to the “big picture” thinking of many speculative investors today.

However, the industry remains a very long way from this eventuality. Many much more real challenges exist for e-textiles companies today, from optimising supply chain and manufacturing to validating product value in the mind of consumers, through to end of life management of the products once they are sold. Steps are being taken across these challenges, in investing to consolidate advanced manufacturing in house, pursuing medical approval routes for biometric monitoring after consumer routes have proven unfavourable, and by optimising materials with recycling or disposal in mind.

These early steps are critical to establishing real short-term revenue, before developing towards the bigger picture ideas.

Comprehensive overview

E-textiles 2019-2029: Technologies, Markets and Players has been compiled by IDTechEx over six years of work. It is the most comprehensive overview of this emerging technology space, enabling readers to learn from the past, assess partners or competitors in the present, and plan for the future of this industry.

The report contains an assessment of the entire e-textiles value chain today, from the materials and components, through to the products and markets, both currently being served and being targeted in the future. The report lists details of 200 companies, including primary research where IDTechEx analysts have met and interviewed over 100 of these players.