Smart Clothing Statistics By Revenue, Challenges and Facts

Joseph D'Souza
Written by
Joseph D'Souza

Updated · Jan 10, 2025

Rohan Jambhale
Edited by
Rohan Jambhale

Editor

Smart Clothing Statistics By Revenue, Challenges and Facts

Introduction

Smart Clothing Statistics: Smart clothing is the advanced fusion of technology and fashion, equipped with electronic components such as sensors, transmitters, and receivers. These clothes are designed to track users’ biometrics, heart rate, body temperature, and breathing, and can respond according to changes and many other features.

Currently, the demand seems highest in the sports and defense sectors. If you want to learn more about smart clothing, Smart Clothing Statistics can effectively guide you about different smart clothing market segments and their current global trends.

Editor’s Choice

  • The global smart clothing market is expected to reach USD 5.3 billion by 2024 and USD 7.63 billion by 2026.
  • North America‘s smart clothing market is projected to reach USD 3 billion by 2024, with a growth rate of 50% from 2017 to 2024.
  • The Asia Pacific region is expected to grow at the fastest rate, with a CAGR of 14% from 2022 to 2032.
  • The healthcare industry and professional athletes will contribute nearly 30% of the smart clothing market’s revenue.
  • Smart medical clothing is expected to account for 30% of the global market share.
  • In the United States, the smart clothing market for healthcare and professional athletes is projected to reach USD 23.28 billion by 2026.
  • Smart shirt products are anticipated to grow at a rate of over 14% during the same period.
  • China’s smart clothing market is forecasted to generate USD 17.5 billion in revenue from 2023 to 2029, making it the fastest-growing country in this sector.
  • According to Statista, By 2024, the global shipment of smart garments is predicted to increase by 11.9%.
  • Smart clothing unit shipments worldwide are expected to reach approximately 4.86 million units by 2018.
  • The top five smart clothing manufacturers, including Nike, Adidas, Under Armour, Hexoskin, and Levi’s, hold a combined market share of 25%.
  • Around 53% of consumers believe that smart clothing lacks style, with some garments being too bulky or technical, which reduces their appeal.
  • About 50% of potential consumers are unsure if they would use smart clothing regularly, similar to the uncertainty seen with other wearables like smartwatches and fitness trackers.
  • Many consumers find smart clothing too expensive, with around 15% of potential buyers considering the prices too high.
  • According to a GMI APAC Wearable Technology Survey, only 20% of respondents are aware of smart clothing.

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Facts About Smart Clothing

  • Advanced equipped sensors that are attached to smart shirts allow for monitoring heart health and diabetes management, enable muscle relaxation, and also improve overall quality of life.
  • Several products are available within the industry, such as Smart Socks, Insoles, Pants, Jackets, Shirts, Dresses, Suits, Scarves, Bras, and Shoes.
  • As of 2024, some of the best tech clothes available in the market are Nadi X Yoga Pants, Sensoria Fitness Socks, Levi’s Commuter x Jacquard Jacket, UA Recover Clothing, Siren Diabetic Socks, Snap Spectacles 3, and Neviano Swimsuits.
  • Some practical benefits of using smart clothes are monitoring health conditions, improving athletic performance, and enabling better sleep.
  • Other disadvantages are high costs, daily life disruption, and privacy concerns

Smart Clothing Challenges

  • Low Awareness: Smart clothing is not well-known compared to other wearable devices. According to a GMI APAC Wearable Technology Survey, only 20% of respondents are aware of smart clothing. However, forecasts predict that awareness and popularity will grow, with the e-textiles market expected to see significant growth.
  • High Prices: Many consumers find smart garments too expensive. According to a Lightspeed GMI poll, about 15% of potential buyers think the prices are too high. They might consider purchasing if the prices were more affordable.
  • Perceived Uselessness: About 50% of potential consumers are unsure if they would use smart garments regularly. This hesitation is similar to the experience with other wearables like smartwatches and fitness trackers, which have high abandonment rates. Consumers often stop using these devices because they find them unnecessary or because they break.
  • Lack of Value: Consumers prioritize functionality, comfort, and accuracy when deciding whether to buy smart clothing. Many are concerned that smart garments do not offer enough value for their cost.
  • Durability Concerns: The durability of smart clothing is a significant concern for buyers. These garments need to be long-lasting, with electronics that can withstand washing and wear. If the clothing is fragile or unreliable, consumers are less likely to purchase it.
  • Security Concerns: Data security is a major issue with smart clothing, especially in sensitive areas like medicine, the military, and sports. The data collected by these garments, such as health indicators, is not always protected, raising concerns about privacy and the potential for data to be shared with third parties.
  • Lack of Style: Around 53% of consumers feel that smart clothing lacks style. Some smart garments are still bulky and look too technical, which makes them less appealing to fashion-conscious buyers.

Technical Challenges

  • Growing Data Volume: The amount of data generated is increasing rapidly due to the rise of applications, sensors, and IoT devices. This data growth can be difficult to manage and classify effectively.
  • Complexity in Data Analysis: Transforming raw data into useful information requires reliable methods and systems. Ensuring data integrity and accuracy is especially important in fields like safety and healthcare.
  • Variety in Data: The data collected comes from various sensors and is often inconsistent, making it hard to classify. Differences in timing and interference can lead to unreliable output, requiring additional tools and time to process.
  • Speed of Data Processing: Data is generated at a fast pace, and appropriate tools are needed to process it quickly, ideally in real-time.
  • Lack of Universal Standards: Many companies use proprietary data formats, making it difficult to transfer and analyze data. There is a need for a common open format to simplify data processing.
  • Security Challenges: Ensuring the security of both raw and processed data is challenging. Smart clothing and other wearables are particularly vulnerable to data breaches by data brokers.
  • Battery Life Concerns: Extending the battery life of smart clothing is essential for continuous data collection. However, data transmission consumes energy, and a balance must be found between preserving battery life and transmitting data efficiently.

Smart Clothing and E-Textile Market Size

global-e-textiles-smart-clothing-market-2021-2028

(Reference: acumenresearchandconsulting.com)

  • The global market valuation of intelligent clothing and e-textiles in 2023 has resulted in $3,415.4 million.
  • Due to technological advancements in coming years, the usage of smart clothing in different sectors is going to enhance more, such as in 2024 ($4,459.8 million), 2025 ($5,908 million), 2026 ($7,960.4 million), 2027 ($10,869.1 million), and 2028 ($15,018.9 million).
  • The projected annual growth of the industry from 2021 to 2028 is expected to reach 32.3% CAGR.

Smart Clothing Market Size Comparison

market-size-estimate-comparison-for-the-global-smart-clothing-fabrics-market-from-2018-to-2025

(Reference: statista.com)

  • A report published by Mordor Intelligence in early 2020 states that by 2024, the estimated size of the smart clothing market will be $4.95 billion.
  • A 2019 report by Markets and Markets has claimed that the market size will exceed $5.3 billion.
  • Meanwhile, two published reports by Mordor Intelligence (2020) and Grand View Research (2019) stated that by 2025 end, the industry’s market size will reach $5.93 billion and $5.64 billion, respectively.
  • 2021 Research and Markets published a report stating that the global smart clothing/fabric market is estimated to reach $6.42 billion by the end of 2027.

By Geography

  • The Asia Pacific is projected to grow at the highest CAGR of 14% from 2022 to 2032.
  • Other regions, such as the European and North American markets, will grow at a CAGR of more than 12% and 10%, respectively, within the above-forecasted year.
  • Furthermore, country-wise annual growth rate within the same period will result in 18% (the United States), 14% (China), India (12%), and France (10%)

north-america-smart-clothing-market-2017-2024-usd-billion

(Reference: cloudfront.net)

  • As of 2024, the smart clothing market in North America is expected to reach $3 billion with a CAGR of 50% from 2017 to 2024.

By Demographics

  • As of 2023, females are the most users of smart clothes, with a share of 81.3%, and males (18.7%).
  • The age group user’s statistics are followed by 18 years to 25 years (86.2%), 26 years to 30 years (9.3%), and above 31 years (4.4%).
  • Based on educational qualification, the usage shares are graduate degree and above (40%), University (57.3%), and high school (2.7%)

By Industries

 Smart-Clothing-Market-Segments.

(Source: nextmsc.com)

  • Recently, in the smart clothing industry, the leading market growth has been estimated to be achieved by the military and industrial submarket, resulting in a 36% CAGR from 2016 to 2026.
  • As of 2023, the market valuation for smart Military clothing accounted for $0.66 billion and is expected to cross over $1.35 billion by 2028 with a CAGR of 15.37% from 2023 to 2028.
  • The smart clothing market has accounted for an enormous growth of $15 billion in the healthcare industry.
  • The utilization of smart clothes in healthcare sectors is supposed to hold a 30% share of the global market, in which the Asia Pacific will cover the highest CAGR of 24.5% from 2020 to 2026.
  • The growth rate of smart garments/fabrics for the sports and fitness industry will grow at a CAGR of 25.70% from 2024 to 2029.

By Product Type

(Source: fairfieldmarketresearch.com)

  • The global market size of activewear has reached $393.2 billion in 2023 and is expected to approach $627.3 billion by 2032, with a growth rate of 5.2%.
  • According to a report published by Statista, in 2023, the smart wear-to-work clothing market will account for $292 billion.
  • By the end of 2023, the valuation of smart sleepwear resulted in $12,623 million, with a growth rate of 10.1% CAGR from 2023 to 2029.
  • Lastly, the smart shoes made a market valuation of $270 million.

By Material Type

(Source: idtechex.com)

  • According to the e-textiles and smart clothing market, a survey was conducted in 2023 with 256 industry players that stated their preferred material type for manufacturing smart clothes.
  • 78% of survey respondents have used conductive fibers, and 49% used conductive Inks.
  • Furthermore, other used material types are fibers only (47%), Ink only (18%), Ink and fibers (11%), Ink and polymers (4%), fibers and polymers (2%), and all three (17%).

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Smart Fabrics Statistics

smart-fabrics-market_Market_Summary

(Source: mordorintelligence.com)

  • By 2024, the estimated market size of smart fabrics will reach $6.81 million units.
  • The industry’s annual growth rate will grow at a CAGR of 10.85% and is expected to cross $11.38 million units by the end of 2029.

FactMR – Smart Clothing Market Analysis

  • The global smart clothing market is projected to reach a value of $23.28 billion by 2032.
  • By 2026, the market is expected to be valued at $7.63 billion, driven by strong demand from professional athletes and the healthcare sector.
  • The healthcare industry is anticipated to contribute significantly, generating 30% of the market’s revenue.
  • The market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 25% from 2022 to 2032.
  • In 2022, the market value is estimated to reach $2.5 billion, up from $2 billion in 2021.
  • North America is expected to hold a 10% share of the global market by 2032.
  • The Asia Pacific region is predicted to account for 14% of the market value during the 2022-2032 period.
  • Major companies in the smart clothing industry include Sensoria Inc., OMsignal Inc., CuteCircuit Ltd., Carre Technologies Inc., MAD Apparel Inc., Wearable X, Medtronic Plc., Tex-Ray Industrial Co. Ltd., Sensatex Inc., and Noble Biomaterials Inc.
  • The growth of smart clothing is driven by its increasing use in sports and healthcare for monitoring performance and health.
  • Technological advancements have enabled smart clothing to track various health metrics and provide real-time data to users.
  • Rising consumer awareness and interest in wearable technology are also supporting market growth.
  • The global smart clothing market grew significantly between 2017 and 2021, expanding at a CAGR of 10% and reaching nearly $2 billion by 2021.
  • The demand for smart clothing was driven by the need to prevent sports injuries and enhance athlete performance.
  • Increasing costs of athlete contracts further fueled the demand for smart clothing.
  • Investments by sports associations in smart clothing have also contributed to market expansion.
  • In North America, the market is driven by increasing purchasing power, awareness of health and fitness, and improving economic conditions.
  • The North American smart clothing market could generate $1.8 billion in revenue by the end of 2022, with long-term growth expected at a 10% CAGR until 2032.
  • The presence of various smart clothing companies in North America also supports market growth.
  • The Asia Pacific region’s smart clothing market is expected to grow rapidly, with a projected CAGR of 14% until 2032.
  • This growth is driven by the rise of smart clothing start-ups and advancements in knowledge sharing.
  • In April 2021, MIT researchers introduced smart clothes that can track physical movements, while scientists at Fudan University in China created electronic textiles capable of displaying moving visual images like GPS directions.
  • India’s smart clothing market is in its early stages but is expected to grow as start-ups experiment with new product designs.
  • The smart clothing market in Europe is expected to grow steadily due to high competition with fitness tracker manufacturers.
  • Smart fabrics in Europe are considered more accurate than fitness trackers, driving market demand.
  • Technologies like RFID for inventory tracking and sensor-based clothes for the medical industry are also contributing to market growth.
  • The smart clothing market in Europe is expected to grow at a CAGR of over 12% from 2022 to 2032.
  • Country-specific growth rates for the smart clothing market include 14% for China, 18% for the U.S., 12% for India, and 10% for France.
  • Demand for smart shirts is expected to rise due to the growing need for health monitoring.
  • Smart shirts are gaining popularity because they come with sensors that monitor heart health and manage conditions like diabetes.
  • These shirts also help with muscle relaxation and improving overall quality of life.

Conclusion

Smart clothing is new in the global market and will soon become a part of our daily lives like Smartphones and other smart wearables. With ever-advancing technology, manufacturers are doing their best to enhance the market at its highest peak along with intelligent features. As mentioned in this paper, many smart garments are available. Smart clothes reflect our personality and enhance our lifestyle; thus, the industry will expand enormously in the coming future.

Joseph D'Souza
Joseph D'Souza

Joseph D'Souza started Coolest Gadgets in 2005 to share his love for tech gadgets. It has since become a popular tech blog, famous for detailed gadget's reviews and companies statistics. Joseph is committed to providing clear, well-researched content, making tech easy to understand for everyone. Coolest Gadgets is a trusted source for tech news, loved by both tech fans and beginners.

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