Although the direction wearable electronic will go is not clear to many there is one area which might serve as first step into creating a sustainable, profitable business sector in the technology enabled domain: functional clothing.

According to the 2009 edition of Just-Style's 'Global market review of performance apparel - forecasts to 2016' sees opportunities in this emerging market while the more traditional clothing market has to fight off the current downward trend in the global apparel business which will lead to further consolidation of businesses.

Remote monitoring of human beings' vital signs is the keyword.

The integration of electronics into textiles opens new opportunities in the areas for military applications meaning a soldier's fighting capability, from a patient's point of view to facilitate their recovering or dealing with medication in their homes as well as in sports, safety, medicine and healthcare.

To think about this more closely, technology enhanced clothing will start in the professional clothing sector as the benefits are clearly visible and measurable. Investments in this areas will give returns in a shorter timeframe and in a more predictable way.

Learnings and technology developments in the professional clothing area will then sooner or later be carried over to the consumer fashion and apparel market which requires lower cost products and to a certain degree 'well known' (technology) performance in the mass market.