From Japan, CHIKUMA Co., Ltd.

When we discuss wearable fashion, the lack of integration of fashion representatives into technical engineers is often noted. In fact, most of the wearable uniforms introduced as special feature in this issue are suggested within semiconductor manufacturers and telecom industries, which implies that fashion manufacturers are still reluctant to promote the wearable fashion.

In spite of such a trend, a large uniform maker, CHIKUMA Co., Ltd., has begun to introduce IT and media to uniform items using the latest scientific technologies such as RFID and organic EL displays. RFID is the alternative system that can read and write data without touch using wireless communication.

RFID Tags Can Make Management Easier

CHIKUMA is highly aware of environmental preservation and positively engaged in recycling of uniforms. They collect old uniforms and recycle them into materials for new uniforms, acoustic insulations, and heat insulators. What we have to pay extra attention to is special uniforms such as security uniform.

In fact, even when uniforms are disposed, information of the people who would wear the clothes and the record of proper disposal process are precisely administrated. For this purpose, RFID tags woven into clothes are now taken into consideration so we can make data management easier than ever before.

Uniforms with Real-Time Advertisement Display

The development of ¡ÈMedia Uniform¡É with displays implies that wearable instruments have started to widely spread in the real world. In collaboration with North East Pioneer Electronic Corporation, CHIKUMA Co., Ltd. tries to install displays on the chest part of the uniforms worn by shopkeepers and workers at gas stations, and use the uniforms as advertisement media and also customer service tools. This idea is currently studied further. The uniform may be considered as a different version of advertising moving image that you see at the cash register of convenience stores.

Mr. Michihiko Iwamoto (Chief of new business division in the environmental promotion group), who is in charge of the development, says, ¡ÈI think this Media Uniform can be used as a communication tool besides the conventional advertisement use. This may become a new advertising medium.¡É Chief planner, Ms. Eri Takebayashi, says, ¡ÈImagine that a TV celebrity who advertises certain goods appears on a display saying thank you to customers when they purchase the goods in a shop. This can be attained by getting the register read bar codes of the goods at the register and transfer the information to the display. Or, what if selected previews of some new movies are shown to you when your personal information on your member¡Çs card is read at a DVD rental shop? Would not these be interesting?¡É

These ideas may be achieved only because the purpose and appearance of uniforms are quite obvious. Therefore, the situation may be different from that of so-called fashion. However, the examples described above indicate the fact that computerization of uniforms has begun to spread in our daily lives step by step.