A groundbreaking study by UK scientists has introduced SWEET (Smart, Wearable, and Eco-friendly Electronic Textiles), a new type of e-textile designed to biodegrade at the end of its life. Made with wood pulp-based Tencel and eco-friendly electronic materials like graphene and PEDOT:PSS, these fabrics provide smart functions like health monitoring while addressing the growing e-waste crisis.
The textiles, tested for functionality on gloves, successfully monitored ECG signals and skin temperature, meeting industry standards. When buried in soil, the fabric degraded significantly, losing 48% of its weight and showing a 98% decrease in strength after four months.
With wearable tech demand expected to reach 612.5 million units by 2028, SWEET offers a promising solution to reduce the environmental impact of smart textiles, paving the way for eco-friendly advancements in healthcare and beyond. Researchers emphasize the importance of sustainable innovations to tackle rising e-waste and create a greener future.