The Elide prototype by De Montfort University graduate Safaa Fojdar is a cordless garment dewrinkling device designed for on-body wrinkle removal. The handheld design combines a vacuum-style nozzle with warm air and gentle suction to smooth light creases at a maximum operating temperature of 45 degrees Celsius. A refillable water mister integrated into the cap lightly dampens fabric before treatment, while the suction holds the material taut as warm air dries it.
The device is based on the Coandă effect, using airflow and moisture to flatten fabric without direct contact at high temperatures. For deeper wrinkles, Elide converts into a compact iron using a fold-out hot plate attachment that plugs into a power outlet and reaches temperatures of up to 200 degrees Celsius. Self-locking hinges allow the hot plate to fold flat for storage or open into a full ironing surface. Fojdar presented a working 3D-printed prototype at the New Designers exhibition in London.
Image Credit: Salem Mostefaoui.
What Makes This Trend Stand Out
- On-body Garment Care
- Portable fabric-care tools designed for use while clothing is worn create opportunities around faster, safer alternatives to traditional ironing and last-minute outfit maintenance.
- Hybrid Dewrinkling Devices
- Multi-mode appliances that combine suction, warm air, misting, and compact ironing point to new product formats that merge convenience with performance.
- Low-heat Fabric Smoothing
- Gentler wrinkle-removal methods using airflow and moisture reduce reliance on high temperatures, opening space for energy-conscious and fabric-safe garment care.
Sectors Adopting This
- Home Appliances
- Cordless and compact garment-care devices expand the small-appliance category beyond conventional irons and steamers with more mobile, user-friendly formats.
- Fashion Technology
- Fabric-maintenance innovations that support on-the-go clothing refreshment strengthen the link between apparel design, wearable use cases, and personal-care hardware.
- Travel Accessories
- Lightweight dewrinkling tools suited to packing and hotel-room use introduce premium convenience opportunities for business travelers and frequent flyers.
