Made of bamboo, merino wool and microfibre fabric, the breathable and moisture wicking layer draws liquid away from the body and secures them to the waterproof outer layer.
For example, the New York-based Sydney-born company Wearable-X teamed up with condom manufacturer Durex to create an interactive lingerie called Fundawear. Fundawear has a “vibration touch” that can be transmitted from anywhere in the world via a smartphone app. Underwear contains actuators (similar to devices that vibrate smartphones). The couple wearing it talks through the app and passes the feelings to each other’s underwear.
At the same time, brands Modibodi and Thinx have developed reusable underpants for menstrual periods or experiencing urinary incontinence.
Made of bamboo, merino wool and microfibre fabric, the breathable and moisture wicking layer draws liquid away from the body and secures them to the waterproof outer layer.
Fabric technology allows the panties to be rinsed in cold water, machine washed, and once dried, reused. Since its launch in 2014, Modibodi has become the leader in the Australian reusable lingerie market.
The British brand Shreddies has even developed “flatulence filtration” underwear for men and women who use carbon absorbing cloth. According to its website, the underwear uses “the same activated carbon material as the chemical warfare suit”. Which is good.
Medical underwear for postoperative and postpartum patients is also widely available in Western hospitals, providing infection control and wound care.
Advances in materials manufacturing, additive fabric coatings, and body-centered smart textile applications can monitor a patient’s physiology and provide personalized care and direct user feedback to medical professionals. Researchers at the University of California have developed a textile-based printable electrochemical sensor with capabilities for a variety of medical and safety applications. Flexible textile sensors, for example, can be printed from the skin when printed onto the elastic waistband of the undergarment.
