Standardising smart textiles research

Several EU research projects have studied and designed a number of smart textiles, including protective gear (SMART@SEA), building materials (POLYTECT) and flexible photovoltaics (DEPHOTEX). Because all of these products must comply with legal regulations, there is a need for better standardisation during the research phase.

The EU-funded 'Supporting standardisation for smart textiles' (SUSTA-SMART) project aimed to address this need. The research consortium included members from all of the previously mentioned projects to ensure uptake of the results.

Team members promoted standardisations through a three-step approach. First, they mapped and audited all relevant standardisation authorities and issues encountered during the earlier research projects.

Next, they collated and prioritised this information to create a standardisation roadmap. Project members then compiled dedicated standardisation input documents, which were reviewed for accuracy and relevance by independent standardisation authorities.

Finally, the findings of SUSTA-SMART were incorporated into two documents. The first provides guidance for research projects on how to incorporate standardisation into their research plan. The second provides guidance for certification and helps products conform to EU regulations.

SUSTA-SMART has thus made research and development of smart textiles easier by providing information and guidance to researchers.