# Sustainable Energy-Generating Fabrics This Fabric Turns Solar and Wind Energy into Electricity By Joey Haar | Published 2016-09-21 | Eco Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/energygenerating-fabric References: [arstechnica](http://arstechnica.com/science/2016/09/new-fabric-generates-electricity-from-sunlight-and-wind/) & [nature](http://www.nature.com/articles/nenergy2016138.epdf?referrer_access_token=xG7OvlBiB0JDb3yLHPZMgNRgN0jAjWel9jnR3ZoTv0P7B63PtovluDjUKJ9bC8X-5iI_oGYp9vXoIXxI4o7chTCCP0L70g0jB0JCXXr1aLsMtulhYMT1GfWkaAuiIhwKO-KS7mBY4v1tcTO5AnQFwSP0pJM33T9vDpJDz4mJLi8aNW_UVjWRS8Ll8TXGPy6tCyVVtzUSvmcSLKKKu5E9O_JIhltS_MUYxZ7HvxkuwZCXZKL44of9xMkwWFa7MlYRqImdwoz9NoGsm3dfeUvFbw==&tracking_referrer=arstechnica.com) Techniques for creating sustainable energy are increasingly common as concerns about climate change continue to escalate, but scientists have developed an energy-generating fabric that puts a sustainable energy source in an unlikely place: in people's clothing. The new technology comes from a team of researchers at China's [National Natural Science Foundation](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/upcycled-facemasks) and it is able to generate electricity through [solar energy and wind energy](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/solar-electric-pavilion). The [sustainable energy-generating fabric](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/moritz-walter) merges two lightweight polymer fibers, one that's a microcable solar cell and another that acts as a nanogenerator for converting mechanical energy into electricity (as would need to happen for generating wind power.) Far from being just a theoretical fabric, the Chinese researchers were able to charge a cell phone and power an electronic watch with just a small swatch of the fabric. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 5.1/10 - Popularity: 68% | Activity: 76% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial - Top markets: Asia ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Eco](https://www.trendhunter.com/eco) ## Key Themes ### What Makes This Trend Stand Out - **Energy-generating Clothing:** The development of energy-generating fabrics can create disruptive innovation opportunities in the fashion and textile industries for wearable technology and sustainable fashion. - **Microcable Solar Cells:** The use of microcable solar cells in fabric technology can lead to disruptive innovation opportunities in the renewable energy and solar industries for lightweight, portable power sources. - **Nanogenerator Technology:** The development of nanogenerator technology in textile innovation can lead to disruptive innovation opportunities in the wind energy and energy harvesting industries for generating power from motion. ### Sectors Adopting This - **Fashion:** The development of energy-generating clothing has disruptive innovation opportunities in the fashion industry for creating wearable technology for fashion. - **Renewable Energy:** The use of microcable solar cells in fabric technology has disruptive innovation opportunities in the renewable energy industry for creating lightweight and portable power sources. - **Textile:** The development of energy-generating fabrics has disruptive innovation opportunities in the textile industry for sustainable fashion and wearable technology. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Solar-Powered Blankets](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/solarpowered-blanket.md) - [Efficient Energy Harvesting Tech](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/efficient-energy-harvesting.md) - [Stretchable Sweat-Activated Yarn Batteries](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/yarn-battery.md) - [Flexible Solar Film Energy](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/heliafilm.md) - [Portable Energy Generators](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/portable-energy-generator.md) - [Device-Charging Sun Hats](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ecoflow-power-hat.md) - [Grid-Connected Pavilions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/solar-electric-pavilion.md) - [Portable Wind Turbine Generators](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/shine-20.md) - [Fabric Heating Concept](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/moritz-walter.md)