Covestro and partners develop conductive smart textile system

The collaboration targets a longstanding limitation in e-textiles: how to embed electrical functionality into fabrics without relying on rigid wiring or complex assembly. According to project details presented at Techtextil 2026, the partners focused on creating conductive polymer surfaces that can be applied directly to textile substrates. 

The system uses polymer-based coatings to deliver electrical conductivity while maintaining flexibility and processability, enabling textiles to incorporate sensing or electronic functions without compromising mechanical properties. The work builds on FILK Freiberg’s expertise in polymer coatings for textile applications and was carried out within Germany’s Industrielle Gemeinschaftsforschung (IGF) programme, supported by the federal ministry for economic affairs and energy. 

Developers say the approach is aimed at next-generation smart textile applications across sectors including healthcare, personal protective equipment, sportswear and automotive interiors. These areas are increasingly looking for integrated electronic functionality—such as monitoring, heating or signalling—within fabrics themselves. 

The partners position conductive polymer coatings as a route to simplify manufacturing compared with conventional solutions, which typically rely on integrating metallic conductors or discrete electronic components into textiles. By contrast, coating-based approaches can be applied using established textile finishing processes, potentially improving scalability and durability.

The project reflects broader activity in the smart textiles sector, where material suppliers and research organisations are working to combine electrical performance with the flexibility, washability and comfort required for commercial textile products.

Dr. Martin Heise, deputy head of Department Functional Layer Systems at FILK Freiberg Institute, said: “Our goal was to rethink how electronics are integrated into textiles. By creating a conductive surface instead of fixed wiring using Impranil^® polyurethane dispersions from Covestro, we can distribute sensors and light sources far more freely, enabling new smart textile designs and applications.”

Dr. Iris Vela-Wallenschus, project manager at OUT e.V. said: “Distributed electronics, real-time sensing, and bidirectional communication within a flexible textile substrate represent a meaningful step forward for wearable technology. Working with FILK and Covestro, we've shown that this kind of adaptive functionality is achievable at a level of sophistication that is difficult to achieve with conventional wiring approaches.”

Photo: Conductive textile compounds with high elongation and flexibility, enabling sensor-integrated smart textiles ©FILK Freiberg Institute

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