Function meets fashion: 6 wearable tech gifts

Unmade – The future of knitwear is here thanks to British company Knyttan. Customers can choose from a range of sweaters and scarves and customize them accordingly in terms of color and pattern placement. Once you’ve spent time agonizing over your decision and have finally placed your order, traditional industrial knitting machines then make your one off design. How? The Knyttan team have essentially hacked the machines to make these unique designs with no extra production cost. Prices for Unmade products cost anything from $90-$300 (£60-£200) and you can get materials such as merino wool and cashmere.

 

Ringly – There may be many smart jewelry brands kicking around today but none are as crafted as well as Ringly. Launched in matte gold and now available in gunmetal, they are hand-cut and set with semi-precious gemstones such as black onyx and emerald. Via Bluetooth connection with their phone, users get notifications such as vibrations and lights on the ring. The ability to customize these notifications to different contacts means that you’ll know exactly who’s trying to contact you, too. Ringly is one of the most discreet and stylish wearable techs available and because of this comes at a cost of $195 – $260.

 

Topshop x bPay – High-street retailer Topshop have released a line of kitsch wearable tech that incorporate bPay. This means that you can pay contactless using everything from your iPhone case, keyring or a wristband. Each item from the range has a small bPay contactless chip which links to a secure digital wallet. Anyone with a UK Visa Mastercard debit or credit card can use them after adding funds to the digital wallet via the partner app or through the bPay web portal. These designs are probably more suited to a younger market and this is shown with their bold designs. Depending on which item you go for, the cost ranges between $22-$48 (£15-32).

 

Away – This item isn’t exactly wearable but it’s still a piece of tech that is definitely portable. The Away case is
luggage that is sleek AND smart, offering features such as a built-in 10,000 mAh battery to charge your devices, a polycarbonate hardshell, interior silk lining, TSA-approved lock and wheels that spin 360 degrees. A perfect gift for any regular traveller, the case comes in a range of sizes and color options and considering the tech you get, retails at a reasonable price of somewhere between £225 for a carry-on size and £295 for the largest on offer. There’s also the possibility of monogramming your cases so that you’ll never have trouble identifying your luggage again.

 

 

The Unseen – On their site, The Unseen explains that they are a “material exploration house that blends science into materials” and that’s exactly what they’ve managed to do with their range of products. Created for London’s department store Selfridges, the pieces include leather bags, wallets, phone cases and jewelry and work via the use of a specially developed ink that causes the material to change color in response to different conditions in the environment. A shoulder bag from The Unseen can set you back anywhere up to £1,750 but if you want to see the tech work for yourself you can buy more reasonably priced items from their online store such as a piece of jewelry or even a candle.

 

Misfit x BaubleBar – Misfit have a reputation for being one of the more subtle tracking devices available on the market and their partnership with Swarovski to create the BaubleBar took them to another level. You can choose from the Helena bracelet or the Helena necklace, both of which take design inspiration from vintage jewelry with a gold locket type enclosure that features a crystal flower design. Inside the locket is the Misfit tracking device, which monitors sleep, calories burned, distance traveled and steps taken. This is an ideal gift for any self-confessed fashionista looking for a tracker that will compliment their look.