Smart textiles

Monitoring, sensing and heating technology integrated in fabrics

Smart textiles (also called e-textiles) place printed electronics directly on fabric so garments can power, connect and sense without bulky cables. We design patterns that move with the body, feel comfortable against skin and withstand real washing and wear.

What are smart textiles?

Smart textiles use screen‑printed conductive, resistive and dielectric inks on fabric to create flexible circuits and sensing areas. The result is a textile panel that can route signals and power to modules, detect contact or pressure, and integrate with snaps or stitching points, all while keeping the garment soft and breathable.

Why use printed electronics in smart textiles?

Printed electronics open possibilities that older wired approaches struggle to match. Their flexibility, stretch and low weight help garments feel like a second skin. Designs can be engineered for wash cycles, creasing and sweat exposure, and the process supports cost-efficient scale. As connected products spread across sport, workwear and care, printed electronics enable comfortable, garment-integrated functions without bulky wiring.

Practical benefits

Compared to competing technologies used for smart textiles, printed electronics technology has many advantages.

  • Straightforward integration: sensors and conductors are printed on TPU and hot-press laminated to the fabric. Both steps are established, repeatable processes.
  • Scalable and cost-efficient: printing and converting steps map well to volume manufacturing.
  • Comfortable and durable: thin, soft layers can be designed for wash, crease and abrasion performance.
  • Clean module interfacing: small PCBs can sit at a seam or off-body location, with snap pads, sew tabs or short flex tails to connect.
Stretch electronics - stretched view

What we build

Rapid advances in flexible screen-printed electronics make it practical to integrate functionality directly into textiles. Quad develops manufacturable textile-electronics solutions, combining printed conductors, heating elements and reliable interconnects into scalable textile platforms.

  • Textile-integrated heaters
    Stretchable printed heater elements on TPU, laminated to fabrics for thin, wire-free thermal management with targeted heating zones where needed.

  • Printed electronics for textiles
    Conductive circuits and functional layers integrated into garments and textile structures, supporting compact and lightweight electronic integration.

  • Interconnect technologies
    Snap-based, sewn, laminated and flex-based connection concepts that create reliable interfaces between textile electronics and external modules.

  • Assembly & finishing
    Lamination, die-cutting, edge finishing, alignment features and packaging concepts designed for repeatable manufacturing and efficient product assembly.

  • Prototype to production
    Development concepts are created with industrialisation in mind, enabling a smooth transition from functional prototypes to scalable manufacturing.

Materials and process

  • Textiles: knits and technical fabrics chosen for stretch, breathability and feel; liners where needed near skin.
  • Inks & layers: silver/carbon conductors; resistive and dielectric layers; protective topcoats where needed.
  • Connectivity: snaps, pogo‑pins, FPC/flex tails or crimp; strain relief designed into the textile.
  • Process: screen-printing with silver and resistive inks on stretch TPU, drying/thermal cure, local encapsulation where needed, laser cutting, hot-press lamination to the garment panel, and die-cutting/patterning for sewing lines.

Integration and assembly

We align the fabric, print and module interface with your garment pattern and sewing sequence. That includes snap locations, stitch‑friendly pads, seam allowances, and packaging formats for the sewing line.

For mixed stacks (fabric + film parts) we define bonding and keep‑outs so stretch and drape are preserved. Where electronics must be removed for cleaning, we specify detachable snaps or short flex connectors to simplify laundering.

Where it’s used

Athletic monitoring performance

A wide range of smart sportswear (shirts, insoles, sports bras, jackets and gloves) can include textile conductors and simple sensor zones to follow biomechanics, contact/pressure and thermal cues during training and recovery. Designs support guided sessions and post-session insight without adding bulky modules.

Healthcare and care settings

Garment-based interfaces place conductors and sensing zones close to the body so clinical modules can detect and relay physiological signals comfortably over time. Patterns are designed to move with the body and to withstand routine washing and wear.

Automotive and aerospace

Interior fabrics (upholstery, seating, trim) can integrate conductor paths and sensor areas for presence or touch. Programmes may explore driver-state cues (e.g., fatigue indicators) with haptic feedback routed through steering or seating, while maintaining durability and feel.

Worker safety and industry

In demanding environments and regulated industries, smart workwear can route power and signals to on-body modules and add contact/moisture indicators. Textile heaters can deliver controlled warmth in cold climates while keeping garments flexible and cleanable.

Textile integrated heaters

Stretchable printed heater elements on thin TPU can be laminated into garments to add targeted warmth without wires or bulk. Screen-printed precision helps place heat exactly where needed and avoid areas that don’t require warming.

Why Quad Industries?

Prototype to volume

Share a sketch, garment pattern or module spec. We propose the textile, print stack and connector approach, produce sample panels for sewing trials, validate wash and wear, and ramp to series with predictable lead times.

Validation and reliability

We plan wash and cleaning protocols, flex/crease cycling and connector-durability checks. For heater panels we characterise thermal uniformity and then verify performance after wash and crease cycles. Documentation covers materials, care labels and traceability for production.

Looking for thermal solutions? Explore our film heaters.

Standards & Quality

We operate under ISO 9001, ISO 13485 and ISO 14001 with full lot traceability. For regulated programmes we align technical documentation to your device and market without implying regulatory approval. Manufacturing: European base, with production lines in Slovakia and India to support cost‑efficient volume and resilient lead times.

Why OEMs choose Quad Industries

  • proven track record as a trusted supplier

  • co-development from early concept to validated production

  • agile and robust processes designed for predictable scale-up

  • support with documentation and quality requirements for regulated markets

  • alignment with sustainability objectives and corporate governance standards

Are you ready to move forward together?

This is why we are
complementary

Co-creation & advice

Co-creation is how we work. We challenge assumptions, ask the right questions and share insights gained from previous projects to help customers avoid pitfalls.

R&D

R&D at Quad is about exploring what’s possible before committing to what’s buildable. Through applied research, material testing and participation in innovation programs, we deepen our understanding of new technologies and emerging applications.

This knowledge feeds future projects and helps customers make informed choices early on.

Engineering

Engineering is where ideas are translated into concrete designs. Our engineers define architectures, layouts and technical details that balance functionality, performance and feasibility.

Every decision is made with downstream production and real-world use in mind.

Prototyping

Prototyping is about learning fast. We create functional samples and proof-of-concepts to test assumptions, compare options and validate critical parameters.

This hands-on phase reduces uncertainty before committing to final designs or production.

Manufacturing

Manufacturing is where reliability is proven. In our European production facilities, we produce both low-volume and series runs with full control over critical processes such as printing, assembly and precision cutting.

This allows us to deliver consistent quality while managing cost, yield and lead times.

Quad Academy

The Quad Academy brings together cases, trends and insights from within Quad Industries. It’s a place to explore how technology, materials and production thinking come together in real projects.

Printed electronics for smart textiles: a market on fire

Printed electronics for the healthcare industry

Flexible Electronics is proving to be ideal for healthcare

Smart shirt aids lung patients

  • ISO-certified

Synergistically repurpose functional ROI after B2C strategic theme areas. Dynamically formulate performance based functionalities for real-time ROI. Credibly communicate.

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