The WEAFING project, formally titled “Wearable Electroactive Fabrics Integrated in Garments”, was funded by the European Union under the Horizon 2020 Framework Programme. It ran from January 2019 to December 2023, with a total budget of EUR 3.84 million fully supported by the EU. Coordinated by the University of Twente (Netherlands), the consortium brought together research organisations and industrial partners from several European countries, combining expertise in chemistry, physics, textile technology, soft mechatronics, human perception and wearable design. WEAFING aimed to develop innovative garments with integrated textile actuators, sensors and electronics that can provide haptic feedback. The project developed electroactive fabrics based on special polymers that enable textiles to move or contract when a low voltage is applied. Unlike most wearable technologies, which rely on vibration, these so-called “textile muscles” can gently press or squeeze the skin, creating a more natural sense of touch. By integrating these functionalities directly into fabrics, WEAFING explored new approaches to wearable design that are lightweight, flexible, silent and comfortable to wear. The project covered the full development chain, from the production of electroactive yarns and textile manufacturing to garment integration, demonstrator development, and user evaluation, with potential applications in areas such as health, inclusion, ergonomics, social communication and gaming. 

A central focus of WEAFING was the development of electroactive textile actuators (“textile muscles”) and their integration into garments for haptic feedback applications.  

Key achievements of the project include:

• Demonstration of a novel class of electroactive textile actuators, enabling fabrics that contract and generate force under low voltage and can be directly integrated into garments.
• Development and validation of woven and knitted electroactive fabrics that actuate in air, representing a transition from passive textiles to mechanically active materials.
• Scale‑up of electroactive yarn production through pilot‑scale manufacturing processes, enabling kilometre‑scale production and compatibility with standard textile machinery.
• Design and validation of a wearable demonstrator garment (social touch sleeve), integrating textile actuators, sensors, electrical connections and control systems to demonstrate real‑world application of haptic garments.

Supporting outcomes included significant advances in electroactive materials (e.g. ionogel coatings with enhanced conductivity, stretchability and durability), improved understanding of human tactile perception through user studies, and the translation of these findings into design requirements for wearable haptic systems, as well as extensive dissemination and engagement activities. 

WEAFING contributed to EU objectives on research and innovation, digitalisation and industrial competitiveness by advancing a new generation of smart textile materials that integrate actuation directly into fabrics. By enabling low‑voltage, silent and flexible textile actuators, the project expanded the technological capabilities of wearable systems beyond conventional vibration‑based solutions. The results support the development of innovative applications in health, inclusion, ergonomics, communication, entertainment and beyond, while creating new opportunities for European textile, smart material and wearable technology industries. The project’s outcomes strengthen Europe’s position in high‑value smart textiles and soft robotics research, contributing to future innovation and industrial uptake. 

WEAFING was implemented through close collaboration between universities, research institutes and industrial partners from the Netherlands, Sweden, France and Germany. The multidisciplinary consortium enabled knowledge exchange across the entire value chain, from material development and textile engineering to garment design and human perception studies. Knowledge exchange was facilitated through joint research activities, demonstrator development and extensive dissemination actions. The project’s results were shared with scientific, industrial and creative communities through publications, conferences, events, supporting knowledge transfer and laying the groundwork for future research, innovation and commercialisation of electroactive textile technologies across Europe.