Creation of colour-changing smart home textiles via innovative jacquard weaving technology

PolyU Library Call No.: [THS] LG51 .H577P ITC 2016 Wuxv, 164 pages :color illustrationsRecent studies have pointed out that there are technological barriers for developing smart textiles, such as the lack of industry standards that is hampering communication and technological progress. It shows that a common set of standards defining methodologies, specifications and best practices for various smart textiles applications and products is needed. The concerns of being user friendly and easy to handle are very important for both technological and social factors. This signifies that there is a need to develop the related factors of smart textiles products including reliability, energy efficiency, and usability of technical devices even for "non-technical" people, configuration, human friendly and very simple communication protocols. All these show the needs of better development in smart home textiles, especially the light emitting textile for fashion and textile related products.The practice-based research methodology was adopted in this research study. This study combined the theories of colour-changing and weaving technologies, practical concept development in creating high value interior home textiles products including "smart sofa cloth, curtain, dining table cloth, glass mat and lamp cover" that could fit into the current interior and home textiles market. The research design of this study was divided into five major stages: the "research stage", "analysis stage", "design of initial prototypes", "evaluation stage", and "detail design" in order to create the high value colour-changing smart home textiles prototypes that could correspond to both human and environmental factors. The theoretical design process model of colour-changing smart home textiles was developed and based on the concept of French's design process model as well as the adoption of product development process and engineering approach to industrial design. The main process was detailed as follows: a) identifying needs; b) analysis of problem; conceptual design; embodiment of schemes; c) detailing. The final colour changing smart home textiles prototypes were then created according to the developed design process model. From this study, the knowledge of colour-changing smart home textiles from the aesthetic and functional perspectives can be enhanced and provide novelty in the contemporary textile design industry. The proposed design process model of colour-changing smart home textiles is able to illustrate the innovative design development for contemporary interior home textiles. The developed high value colour-changing smart home textiles prototypes are able to br utilises in different types of textiles products so as to meet the challenging needs of future lifestyle and consumer requirements. Both of the textile design industry and, fashion and textile design education can be profited because of the theoretical and practical contributions made in this study.Institute of Textiles and ClothingPh.D., Institute of Textiles and Clothing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, 2016Doctorat