"Old sci-fi fiction which portrayed leading characters in futuristic apparels have widened the imaginative realms of filmmakers by transforming traditional fabrics such as cotton or contemporary synthetic fibers with their "future-y" designs. And recent advances by new designers make the future of this clothing look much more imaginative. While some designers are discovering more sustainable materials to fashion our clothes, others are innovating their designs and styles."

Old sci-fi fiction which portrayed leading characters in futuristic apparels have widened the imaginative realms of filmmakers by transforming traditional fabrics such as cotton or contemporary synthetic fibers with their "future-y" designs. And recent advances by new designers make the future of this clothing look much more imaginative. While some designers are discovering more sustainable materials to fashion our clothes, others are innovating their designs and styles.

Industry leaders experiment with sustainable materials

Around 60 per cent of the clothes that we wear contain plastic microfibers like polyester, nylon and acrylic. However, these microfibers do not remain in our garments for long. They either leach out during the day or are dumped into oceans during the process of laundering. A research published in 2016 notes, millions of kgs of fibers are released into the water supply every year. Textile scientists are experimenting with a range of less environmentally damaging, more sustainable materials derived from naturally occurring sourcing. Some new materials being introduced include:

Pinatex fibers: A leather substitute made from pineapple-leaf fiber, Piñatex is already being used for making shoes, handbags and dresses. These leaves are discarded during harvesting of the fruit, and so they're readily available with no additional farming necessary.

Mylo fibers: This is a form of synthetic leather made by Bolt Threads, a vegan, eco-friendly material. The company's partnering with fashion brands Stella McCartney and Patagonia in making actual clothing from Mylo.

MycoTEX: MycoTEX is a living materials that can be grown into clothing. Since the material grows into the desired shape without cutting, there's no waste generate when a garment's complete. The most startling thing about MycoTEX is that this living material can be grown into clothing. The garment can be built three-dimensionally and shaped whilst being made, fitting the wearer's wishesusing clothing-shaped molds.

Another smart-tech use being explored for fabrics are materials laced with sensors that can monitor the wearer's health, going far beyond fitness watches to clothes that keep an eye on a wide range of health indicators.

Haptic fabric: Some of the new materials are designed to be helpful. Wearable X specialises in materials that support Haptic feedback, electrical signals that mimic a sense of being touched or of interaction with virtual objects. The company currently sells NADI X yoga garb with embedded haptic feedback that provides training cues. An earlier product put the "fun" in Fundawear by allowing touch to be transmitted from a smartphone to a partner anywhere in the world, "created with long-distance couples in mind."

Brands are delivering on the demand for new, attractive and workable materials that offer a feel-good factor to their consumers. However, we’ll have to wait to see what these clothes will actually look like.