Shock-absorbing flexible plastic

d3o lab has an incredible new material that absorbs hits and shocks. It's a soft, putty-like plastic that you can squish in your hand. When it experiences blunt force, such as smacking it with a hammer, the plastic instantly hardens.

d3o's flexible plastic is already integrated into many brands and products such as Quicksilver, Northface, Armadillo to name a few. I particular love Ignite's soft hats and beanies that can be used as a snowboarding helmet. The technology and function does not compromise the aesthetics. I'm definitely getting one of these for the slopes:

Illuminating textile madness

(image via Anke Loh)

There seems to be a lot of designers experimenting with fiber optics and Illuminating textiles. Anke Loh is one of my favorites. I love her unusual cuts, multi-layering technique, and her experimentation with technololgy. She had a show recently called Dressing Light, which showcased her explorations with fiber optics and Philip's lumalive technology.

Back in 2006, Suzanne Tick experimented with fiber optic-woven textiles. If you’ve ever worked with fiber optics, they can feel very plastic and stiff. She made her textiles appear to feel soft and flowy.

LumiGram created a line of fiber optic-infused garments called LumiTops aimed toward lounge and club-goers, on the market and available for purchase today.