UX.FTT founder Esther is a Berlin-based fashion and e-textile designer. She gained an extensive experience in the area of FashionTech over the course of past years. For instance, she developed textile sensors to integrate and control music in garments. Moreover, she created garments with interwoven LED lights and textiles which glow in the dark or change their color when exposed to light or temperature. Her work was international acclaimed through exhibitions with the Goethe-Institute. Due to her specialization in the area of digital transformation of textiles and fashion, she was hired by renowned companies such as Siemens. The prestigious Bauhaus Dessau cooperated with Esther to develop a performance concept based on wireless communication. In 2016 Esther was honored for her achievements in innovation by the Association of German Engineers (VDI). And nominated for the German Design Award 2018. In 2019 she presented her artistic research work at the legendary SXSW festival in TX USA. Esther Zahn works as a researcher at the Berlin University of the Arts and the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI).


TALKS & PANELS

Wearable Technologies Conference
Munich Fabric Start
Fashion Tech Days Roubaix
FabLab Berlin
Wear it Berlin
Mercedes Benz Fashion Studio



AWARDS




EXHIBITIONS

SXSW
Bauhaus Dessau
Fraunhofer Gesellschaft
WEAR IT
NEXTEX
IT COUTURE Microsoft
seeing as hearing
Lange Nacht der Museen Berlin
Creative City Berlin




PRESSE

DEUTSCHLANDFUNK KULTUR
DEUTSCHLANDFUNK
N-TV
NEUE WESTFÄLISCHE
FAZ
RADIO EINS
THE JACKET



THE JACKET is individually designed for a musician.
And it's a wearable MIDI controller.
The exclusive feature: textile capacitive sensors invisibly integrated into the jacket fabric react to touch.
Rhythms and melodies can be controlled via the software interface and sent as light impulses to other garments.
The jacket communicates wirelessly with the Ableton
music software.
The plugin makes it possible to have different stage outfits communicate with each other - the interaction is magical for the viewer.
An innovative kind of stage costumes opens completely new ways of performance and interaction for musicians, performers and stage shows. A costume with which virtually everything can be controlled live.
We design each outfit individually. And as an additional effect, LEDs can be integrated. All costumes on stage can communicate with each other. Music or movement can control light and video. Contact us for more informations.

THE JACKET 2017
CONTROLE ABLETON WITH YOUR JACKET @ SXSW 2018


UX.FTT-MOVIE from Esther Zahn on Vimeo.




REFLECTING MUSIC JACKET 2017

MUSIC SWEATER
This sweater is equipped with 6 capacitive touch sensors, which are connected on the inside of the fabric with a microcontroller. They can communicate wirelessly with professional music software such as Max, Abelton and others and control them.



Our products are able to network with different software. They can be used both in the private environment, for instance for Smarthome products, as well as publicly, for lectures or a professional show in front of a large audience. Apart from the control functions, we can also integrate sound and light effects into textiles.


BAUHAUS DESSAU



Bauhausfest 2016
Foto: Doreen Ritzau, 2016, Stiftung Bauhaus Dessau

For the Bauhausfest, UX.FTT has designed and realized an interactive dance performance, in which the boundaries between the dancer, the costume and the musical instrument were lifted: the dancer Anna Fricke was able to activate music through touch and movement, her dance partner Malte Peter has through the targeted movement of his arm, moved the music through the room and affected the volume. The interaction of the dancers resulted in a symbiosis of music, movement and space - based on the ideas of the Triadic Ballet, reinterpreted with modern technology.




The integration of LEDs in textiles is another hot topic. UX.FTT has worked on the development of processing techniques for LEDs in various research projects. LEDs can be embroidered, embroidered or subsequently applied to textiles in the printing process.








CONDUCTIVE INC SCREENPRINT

Within a scholarship program awarded by Designfarm Berlin, UX.FTT has been working on the development of textile tracks and sensors in a combined production process of screen printing and thermal transfer printing. The aim is to create modular systems that can be used independently of laboratories and research institutes bx consumers and traditional production sites. The goal is to design a DIY kit that can be used by makers and designers in prototype development and in small series.


The second step is to make these modules usable for industry. The different textile electronics applications, for example, in the Smarthome and fashion sector, could be networked via standard serial interfaces. A further area of application are science and development departments, where various research results can be made cost-effectively accessible to the broad market via uniform serial interfaces.


INTEGRATION OF LED´S INTO GARMENTS

A major theme is the integration of LEDs in textiles. UX.FTT has worked on the development of various processing technologies for LEDs in various research projects.
LEDs can be interwoven or subsequently applied to textiles in the printing process


You want to upgrade your textiles with innovative effects, but do not want to enter the market of wearable electronics? One of our strengths is the use of special effect materials.

ORGANIC GLOW IN THE DARK & REFLECTING KIDSWEAR
BY RAINBOW WARRIORS



SMART MATERIAL

Whether you want textiles that change color depending on light or heat, light up in the dark or reflect light, iridescent or metallic effects - UX.FTT has experience in processing these special materials as well as in the design of them. We work with a wide range of innovative materials and processing technologies. You want something special for your products? We are happy to help.

UX.FTT connects the technology and its users. Collaboration in interdisciplinary teams is essential for the development of innovative products. Only the combination of technological know-how and creativity as well as the early exchange with the users makes it possible to create successful products. As our customer you benefit from our network and gain access to innovative technological and latest materials. UX.FTT offers consulting in the field of smart textiles and the integration of electronics into textiles.



We also offer:


prototype development
Costume design for the stage and development for events
Design and Research for Research and Industry
Consultancy and research on suppliers in the areas of smart material, FashionTech, flexible electronics
workshops & talks:
Smart Material Research and E-textiles
Innovative & sustainability concepts in design
Future Design Consulting (consumer sociological marketing analysis)

Please contact us