ETexWeld · Project

Smart Clothing That Monitors Worker Safety Using Welded-In Electronics

manufacturingTestedTRL 5

Imagine your work jacket could track your heart rate, detect if you've fallen, and alert someone if you're in a dangerous environment — all without any visible wires or clunky add-ons. This project figured out how to weld electronic sensors and processors directly into fabric, the same way seams are sealed in a rain jacket. They built several working protective garments and shoes that can monitor health, activity, and location in risky work conditions. The key trick is using welding instead of stitching, which makes the electronics more durable and the clothing more comfortable.

By the numbers

consortium partners across academia and industry

countries represented in the research network

SMEs involved in technology development

50%

industry ratio in the consortium

EUR 913,500

EU funding for e-textile welding research

total project deliverables produced

The business problem

What needed solving

Workers in hazardous environments — construction sites, chemical plants, mines — need protective clothing that does more than just shield them physically. Current smart wearable solutions are bulky, fragile, and lose functionality after a few washes because electronics are stitched or glued onto fabric. There is no reliable, durable way to embed sensors and processors into workwear that survives real industrial conditions.

The solution

What was built

The project delivered several interactive protective garments and shoes with welded-in electronics, across 6 total deliverables. These prototypes integrated transmission lines, sensors, actuators, microprocessors, and on-body computing systems into textile structures using welding rather than stitching or adhesive bonding.

Audience

Who needs this

PPE manufacturers looking to add smart monitoring features to protective workwearTechnical textile companies wanting to enter the e-textile marketMining and construction safety equipment suppliersMilitary and defense clothing contractorsSports and outdoor gear companies exploring performance monitoring

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Occupational Safety & PPE

mid-size

Target: Manufacturers of personal protective equipment (PPE) for industrial workers

If you are a PPE manufacturer dealing with growing demand for smarter safety gear — this project developed interactive protective garments that monitor worker health, activity, and position in hazardous environments. The welding-based integration means electronics survive industrial washing and daily wear. With 12 partners across 7 countries including 5 SMEs, the technology was validated across multiple textile and electronics disciplines.

Textile & Apparel Manufacturing

SME

Target: Technical textile companies looking to add smart functionality to their product lines

If you are a textile manufacturer struggling to integrate electronics into fabric without compromising comfort or durability — this project developed welding techniques that replace traditional stitching for embedding transmission lines, sensors, and microprocessors directly into garments. The consortium included 6 industry partners who contributed manufacturing know-how. This opens a path to producing smart workwear at scale using existing textile welding equipment.

Construction & Mining Safety

enterprise

Target: Companies managing workers in high-risk environments like mines, oil rigs, or construction sites

If you are a safety manager responsible for workers in hazardous locations — this project built interactive protective clothing and shoes that track health indicators, physical activity, and GPS position in real time. The system provides on-body computing with user feedback alerts when environmental risks are detected. With EUR 913,500 in EU funding and 5 university research groups behind it, the science is peer-reviewed and the prototypes are demonstrated.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to license or adopt this e-textile welding technology?

The project was funded under MSCA-RISE with EUR 913,500 in EU contribution, primarily for researcher exchange and knowledge transfer between 12 partners. Licensing terms would need to be negotiated directly with Istanbul Technical University as coordinator. Costs would depend on the specific application and scale of deployment.

Can this technology be produced at industrial scale?

The project involved 6 industry partners and 5 SMEs, which suggests the technology was developed with manufacturing feasibility in mind. Welding-based integration uses processes already common in textile manufacturing (ultrasonic and heat welding). However, based on available project data, full-scale production lines were not demonstrated — the outputs were several prototype garments and shoes.

Who owns the intellectual property from this project?

IP ownership follows EU MSCA-RISE rules, meaning results typically belong to the partner that generated them. With 12 partners across 7 countries (Turkey, UK, France, Greece, Slovenia, China, Taiwan), IP may be distributed. Contact the coordinator at Istanbul Technical University for specific licensing arrangements.

Does this meet workplace safety regulations?

The protective garments were designed for use in environmentally risky situations, which implies alignment with occupational safety standards. However, based on available project data, specific certifications (CE marking, EN standards for PPE) are not confirmed. Any commercial deployment would require regulatory testing and certification.

How long would it take to integrate this into existing product lines?

The project ran from 2015 to 2019 over 4.5 years, producing several interactive garment and shoe prototypes. A PPE manufacturer with existing welding capabilities could potentially adapt the technology within 12-18 months, but this would depend on the target application and required certifications.

What exactly was demonstrated and how mature is the technology?

The project delivered several interactive protective garments and shoes as demonstrated prototypes, along with 6 total deliverables. These integrated transmission lines, sensors, actuators, microprocessors, and on-body computing into wearable form factors using welding rather than traditional attachment methods.

Consortium

Who built it

The ETexWeld consortium brings together 12 partners from 7 countries (Turkey, UK, France, Greece, Slovenia, China, and Taiwan), with an even 50-50 split between industry (6 partners) and academia (5 universities plus 1 other organization). The presence of 5 SMEs is notable — these are typically closer to market application than large research institutions. The geographic spread across Europe and Asia suggests the technology was tested against different manufacturing environments and market needs. Istanbul Technical University in Turkey coordinates the project, which is significant because Turkey has a strong textile manufacturing base. For a business considering this technology, the mix of textile expertise (Turkey, China, Taiwan) with European electronics and safety standards knowledge (UK, France, Greece, Slovenia) makes the consortium well-positioned to bridge the gap between lab research and commercial products.

ISTANBUL TEKNIK UNIVERSITESICoordinator · TR
PANEPISTIMIO DYTIKIS ATTIKISparticipant · EL
THE UNIVERSITY OF MANCHESTERparticipant · UK
ECOLE NATIONALE SUPERIEURE ARTS INDUSTRIES TEXTILESparticipant · FR
TEXNOLOGIES FOTONIKON KAI HLEKTRONIKON SYSTHMATVN AEparticipant · EL
HONG KONG POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITYpartner · CN

How to reach the team

Istanbul Technical University, Turkey — contact through university research office or project website

Order a report on this consortium See ISTANBUL TEKNIK UNIVERSITESI profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to explore how welded e-textile technology could upgrade your PPE product line or workplace safety systems? SciTransfer can connect you with the right research partners from this consortium.

Order a report on this topic More in Manufacturing & Industry 4.0