The Day Your Clothes Become an Interface / Google JACQUARD

The problem

Google ATAP developed Project Jacquard: a conductive fiber made by wrapping metal in thread, which can be woven straight into fabric on an ordinary loom. Instead of turning clothes into gadgets, the technology was dissolved right into the material itself. The jury head called it something that "gave us, as product designers, a dream to see."

The insight

Research revealed a contradiction among cyclists: they wanted to stay connected, but they also wanted to live in the moment. What if they could skip looking at a screen entirely and just brush their sleeve instead? That's where the idea came from.

The idea

A touch-sensitive cuff was woven right into the sleeve of a Levi's denim jacket. By tapping or swiping, you can answer calls, control music, and even hear your estimated arrival time. A removable snap tag connects to your phone via Bluetooth, and notifications come through as vibrations and light. The jacket itself can still be washed as usual. The name comes from the Jacquard loom of 1801 — a machine that wove patterns using punch cards, a mechanism that also became an origin point for computers. In a sense, history was woven back into the clothes.

What happened

The project won the Grand Prix in the Product Design category at Cannes Lions in 2016, along with a D&AD award. It launched through Levi's in 2017 and went on to collaborate with YSL, Samsonite, and adidas, but the app's support ended in 2023, bringing the project to a close.

Afterthought

As a business, it's over now. But the goal it pointed to — that technology should disappear — hasn't lost its meaning. It was a dream that made you think: maybe there could be an interface right there, every time you put on your clothes.

Awards

• Cannes Lions Grand Prix 2016

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