H&M technology head wants smart clothes to compete with wearables

El director de tecnología de H&M está tratando de convertir la ropa inteligente en la corriente principal, en un momento en que los fabricantes de ropa están luchando con cadenas de suministro complejas y presión ambiental.

Alan Boehme actualmente está examinando cómo la ropa de H&M podría controlar su frecuencia cardíaca o sus niveles de hidratación, y cómo la inteligencia artificial podría reducir la cadena de suministro de H&M, lo que podría reducir la huella de carbono de la empresa. En septiembre, H&M no pudo satisfacer la demanda debido a retrasos e interrupciones en los flujos de productos.

The technological approach of the Swedish company arrives at a crucial moment for the clothing industry, since people are increasingly buying in physical stores to buy online;And fast fashion brands are criticized for their environmental impact, often negative.

Clothing companies have been experiencing how to integrate technology into garments, which until now have had difficulties in obtaining significant sales.Levi's produced a series of jackets with Google, which used Bluetooth in his fists to communicate with his smartphone, while Nadi X manufactures yoga equipment that use vibrations to improve their technique.

H&M se asoció con la compañía de tecnología de moda Boltware durante la pandemia para crear una chaqueta de mezclilla que puede imitar un abrazo.Consumers were allowed to vote if the design would be developed, but the demand was not strong enough for the jacket to be available for sale.

In comparison, giant wearables like Apple Inc.have experienced an boom.Apple smart watches have been one of their fastest growing products.

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Boehme is aware that his vision of the future faces obstacles.Making clothes that can be synchronized with 5G would be difficult in countries with low network penetration.

"All components are there," Boehme said in an interview."It is the ability to unite things in patterns that, as individuals or as a society, we have not yet done,".

Boehme, quien trabajó como oficial de innovación tecnológica en Procter & Gamble y Coca-Cola antes de ser contratado por H&M en 2020, insiste en que esta tecnología no está lejos.

Para hacer que la ropa sea más sostenible, H&M ha trabajado con el Instituto de Investigación de Textiles y Confección de Hong Kong para construir una máquina que pueda desarmar la ropa no deseada y convertirla en nuevos productos.

The fashion industry faces a uphill battle for its climatic statements.It was responsible for approximately 4% of all greenhouse gases produced by humans in 2018, according to the non -profit organization Global Fashion Agenda.If the industry were a country, it would be the fourth largest issuer in the world after China, the United States and India.