Propel LLC has been selected for the 2020 IFF Innovation Award for its project “Propel LLC Smart Integrated Shirt”. The award by the Industrial Fabrics Foundation (IFF) is aimed at encouraging companies around the globe to weave tomorrow’s ideas into the fabrics of today. Propel’s US Navy funded smart shirt is able to monitor physiology of the wearer.

The smart shirt includes 3-patent pending innovations to monitor physiology of the wearer in a garment that looks and feels no different than any other first layer garment. This shirt is made with Propel’s proprietary electrically enabled yarn that looks, feels and behaves like a traditional yarn but has the conductive elements needed for transmitting data and power.

The shirt has solder-free textile connectors that are soft and flexible for wearer comfort and user-transparency. All components within this shirt are US sourced. This project led to three patent pending technologies.

The second-place, Honorable Mention, award has been given to MMI Textiles for its project “EcoThriv Environmentally Preferred Performance Fabrics”. EcoThriv is a made in the US line of environmentally preferred performance fabrics. It has been developed using some of the most responsible and innovative fibres and finishes on the market. These fabrics are better for the environment and perform at a high level.

Both of the winning projects are recognised in the IFAI Hub at IFAI Virtual Expo 2020.