Yarn with the ability to light on command, meaning with the push on a button might be in the stores soon.

Researchers at The University of Manchester have developed high-tech battery-powered textile yarns that can be used to make clothing glow in the dark.

The yarns have been developed by The William Lee Innovation Centre (WLIC), based in the University’s School of Materials – and have the potential to be incorporated into clothing worn by cyclists, joggers and pedestrians to increase their visibility and with it the safety factor in low light conditions like heavy fog or in the evening/night.

Currently reflective materials are widely used that only get active when light is reflected like the ones used by emergency services and highway maintenance workers, they depend on external light sources to make them visible.

Other developments in illuminated textiles are flexible EL-foils that can be attached and integrated into garments. Those foils are based on the same light (EL) technology as the Researchers at The University of Manchester use for their new yarn but those foils are not completely uniform in a seamless integration into clothing.

Another solution comes with the use of LED components that are integrated into textiles. Those LEDs have a much higher light output = better visibility, but it has its 'price' by consuming much more power then EL technology = shorter battery life time.