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Fashion Technology

SizeGenie grants shoppers’ wishes when their clothing sizes are needed

It would be great to have a device on hand that could tell a consumer what their correct clothing size is – especially when ordering products online and there’s no tailor around to take measurements.

patent-claimedSizeGenie is a low-cost 3D body scanner that does exactly that and aims to put an end to buying ill-fitting clothes that must be returned. The device uses patent-pending scanning technology that combines infrared sensors and cameras to obtain a 3D form of the person using it. That form is then further refined to arrive at a series of precise measurements that are shown in inches and centimeters.

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Apparel Health and Wellness

Vivir clothing uses heat to burn calories, increase metabolism; makes the wearer look and feel hot

Many go to saunas in order to relax, enjoy the heat and burn some calories while they’re at it. Heat is good for the body, after all. Not only does it get blood flowing, but it can also increase one’s metabolism.

Now, all of those heat benefits can be had by just wearing clothes. Vivir is a battery-powered top/pant combo that delivers far infrared heat directly to the body. With such an outfit, one can do hot yoga at home, as the campaign shows. It’s also possible to gain heat benefits by just taking a walk around the block. Vivir’s clothing line is black, features the Vivir logo, and comes in both men’s and women’s styles. The lithium-ion battery seems to be worn directly on the person, but the campaign doesn’t make this too clear. On its highest setting, the battery only lasts about an hour. Both the pants and shirts are hand washable—upon removing the battery, of course.

Vivir joins the market of products that claim weight loss and crazy health benefits by just sitting on one’s butt. Much like the Cold Shoulder, a vest that uses cold exposure to burn calories, Vivir elicits some skepticism. If it actually works, great. If not, though, it seems a little unsafe to be wearing a high temperature outfit. In addition, the battery doesn’t even last very long.

Everyone wants to look hot, but not actually feel too hot. Unfortunately, the photos of guys in lab coats on the campaign page aren’t enough to convince. One pant/top set will cost backers a whopping $489 for delivery in May of this year. Vivir is looking to raise $22,500 on Kickstarter by March 4.

Categories
Apparel Health and Wellness

Cold Shoulder vest burns calories with cold exposure, gives fat the heave-ho

As those winter pounds have stuck themselves to many waistlines, everyone wishes they could lose some weight. Ideally, that weight could be lost by sitting around and watching TV.

The Cold Shoulder promises to do just that. This vest uses NASA cold exposure techniques in order to burn calories. While it looks like any normal vest, it lives in the freezer, not the closet. To use, put it on when in a room where the temperature is comfortable. It’s only meant to be used in times of rest, not while exercising. However, if it’s hot or if one is exercising, the vest won’t burn calories, but will serve to cool the wearer down.

The basic premise behind cold exposure is that the body produces heat in order to stay warm and the only way to produce heat is by burning calories. In the Kickstarter campaign, the creators compare the effects of their vest to swimmers. Swimmers burn more calories than other athletes because they are in the water and, therefore, have lower body temperatures while they work out. Their bodies burn extra calories to keep them warm and comfortable.

Cold Shoulder is an interesting concept and one that does seem to be backed by actual science. Its claim that it burns one pound of fat per week seems a little far-fetched, but, who knows, it may actually work. The vest isn’t the most attractive thing around, especially for women. However, the campaign acknowledges that and aims to produce vests that flatter the female figure as a stretch goal. One will cost backers a donation of $100 for an estimated delivery month of April 2015. Cold Shoulder is looking to raise $13,500 on Kickstarter.

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Home

Free Standing Clothesline caters to those with dryer aversion

On those rare occasions when one might actually have some extra time on their hands, hanging clothes on a clothesline can be a nice fair weather treat for those who enjoy that sun-dried, windblown smell and feel.

Free Standing Clothesline is a clothesline that can offer users a large load capacity, perfect for drying blankets, comforters and other bedding. It’s not entirely clear what the posts for this product are made of, but the line extends up to 10 feet. Since there are wheels on the base, it is mobile and can be used either indoors or outdoors.

This is the second go-around for the Free Standing Clothesline and its annoying video. This product isn’t one of a kind nor does it really offer anything new, making its price unjustified.Interested backers may also want to check out the Clothes Tree campaign. This campaign seeks to raise $160,000. For $75, backers get one product with an expected delivery of June 2015.

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Home

POD 2.0 electric laundry machine washes unmentionables, saves water

One of the worst things about dorm or apartment living is the common lack of a washing machine. There’s nothing worse than having to scrounge up the right kind of coins in order to wash your delicates under the close scrutiny of other laundry-doers. It’s also a huge waste of time having to wait for clothes to wash due to fear of leaving clothing unattended.

The POD 2.0 is an electric washing machine for anyone without their own laundry facilities. To operate, put one and half gallons of water and one teaspoon of detergent in the POD. The wash cycle can be adjusted between zero and 15 minutes. When it’s finished, drain the water and replace with clean water for a rinse. After that, drain the water and hit “spin” for the spin cycle.

POD 2.0 boasts water savings and energy efficiency. It’s capacity can take either 20 pairs of underwear, three business shirts, six t-shirts or two pairs of jeans. When finished, just hang the clothes to dry on a drying rack.

This product is incredibly convenient for those lacking a washing machine. It’s hard to say that it can really replace a washing machine, however. The capacity is a bit small and better for washing delicates or trying to get the stain out of something immediately. Still, for a single college student, this product definitely saves time and stress, and is reasonably priced too. One will cost backers a $99 donation for estimated delivery in May 2015. POD 2.0 is hoping to raise $100,000 on Kickstarter.

Categories
Luggage and Bags

College students rejoice as Urban Rucksack marries laundry bag and backpack

College students and young professionals don’t always have the luxury of laundry facilities in their own homes. Oftentimes, they have to lug their dirty clothes to shoddy laundromats or home to mom and dad. Urban Rucksack was designed to be the ultimate laundry caddy, eschewing the traditional basket or hamper format. With pockets for detergent and fabric softeners, Urban Rucksack can hold up to three loads of laundry. The bag can be held on your back or horizontally like a briefcase. To get hands, or backs, on this product, backers can donate $49 for estimated delivery in January 2015. Urban Rucksack hopes to raise $3,500 with the help of Kickstarter.

The normal hamper/laundry bag design is certainly flawed. Either they come with flimsy handles or must be carried like sacks by the drawstring. Urban Rucksack takes the simple need and fills it with a well thought out solution.

Categories
Apparel

Collar Perfect portable steamer benefits wrinkled professionals

The Premise. Bulky irons are great for some clothes, but not all. Dress shirts, with their buttons, collars and pockets, are difficult to iron because there’s so much room for error. Most opt to send their shirts out for pressing. But those who aren’t able to pay for such a luxury are stuck with wrinkled shirts or melted buttons.

The Product. Collar Perfect is a small device about the size of a computer mouse. It is a essentially a mini iron in clamp form. It’s sized and shaped to make ironing touch ups much easier. Not only does it leave the bulky ironing board behind, but it’s also much more portable, making looking dapper on the go possible. All you need is a plug to use it. If you’d like to flat iron something, the clamp folds out flat as well.

The Pitch. Collar Perfect’s video features a man getting ready for a date and failing miserably. He burns his shirt with an iron and forgets his pants to a nice dinner. His annoyed date hands him the Collar Perfect. The rest of the campaign features helpful snippets of the Collar Perfect in use not only on shirts but also on skirt hems as well. Collar Perfect is looking to raise $40,000 on Kickstarter.

The Perks. A $20 donation will get backers the Collar Perfect at an early price. When those are gone, backers can get the Collar Perfect for only $25 with estimated delivery in April 2015. Reward tiers go all the way up to $5,000.

The Potential. Collar Perfect is, by all accounts, a great way to smarten up your clothes, especially if you’re out of the house. This is a useful product for men, as most women have been able to achieve the same results of mini-ironing using their hair straighteners. Collar Perfect’s one drawback is that it isn’t cordless. The creators would do well to consider using a battery with a USB charger. Still, this product definitely has a place with young professionals who just can’t seem to keep themselves put together.