The increasing involvement of technology in fashion is set to continue at a momentous rate, according to the International Data Corporation (IDC). The company's latest Worldwide Quarterly Wearable Device Tracker report predicts that shipments for the wearable tech industry will reach 125.5 million at the end of 2017 and will subsequently almost double to over 240m in 2021.
Looking at specific sectors, the industry analysts have forecast shipment volume for smart watches to increase from 71.4m in 2017 to 161m in 2021 and earwear to jump from 1.6m to 4m over the same four years.
The IDC has also predicted big things for the smart clothing sector, suggesting shipments could see a yearly growth rate of 76.1 percent between 2017 and 2021. Smart clothing has been a particularly popular trend within sportswear, with athletic-wear giants including Adidas, Nike and Under Armour selling wearable tech products to target consumers who want to use technology hands-free while on the go and also to track performance levels. Google and Levi’s also previously adopted the trend with their collaborative Project Jacquard smart jacket which is targeted at consumers that cycle, allowing the wearer to use their smartphone conveniently from the sleeve of the jacket.
