NOTTINGHAM – A fashion project at the UK’s Nottingham Trent University has seen one student develop a sportswear garment which can change colour depending on a wearer’s body temperature. The garment, which is part of a collection of several performance fabrics, is said to act as an indicator of how hard a person has trained.

Amongst the collection, developed by fashion design student Georgia Demetriou, is a navy thermochromic (temperature sensitive) long-sleeve jumper, which is said to turn white at 31°C to highlight when a person’s body temperature increases.

Other designs in the collection include a reflective utility coat made from “breathable waterproof materials”, a laminated lace jacket with reflective bonding, a gilet which is used as an all-in-one rucksack, and a long sleeve top for running which is made from performance fibre Coolmax, which can reportedly manage perspiration.

“A lot of brands use smart materials on clothing but not always in a big way,” said Demetriou, speaking about her collection. “So I wanted to explore how they could be used on a bigger scale and to help athletes interact with them.

“By having a colour-changing top, a runner can literally see how hard he or she is working out. It makes for a real motivational thing. The more you work out, the more your body temperature rises and the more the colour of your clothing changes.”

To find out more about the collection, a video can be found here, whilst more information on the developments in performance apparel at Nottingham Trent University can be found here.