Levi’s® and Google smart jeans partnership called “a natural fit”

The Levi’s® brand and Google share the distinction of profoundly impacting the way people live. Blue jeans changed the way the world dresses; Google’s search technology transformed the way the world finds information.

The two companies are now working together on a new challenge named Project Jacquard. The goal is to “confront the historical limitations of wearable technologies by decoupling the touch interface from the digital device,” according to the Levi’s website blog.

The Project Jacquard’s technology makes garments interactive with simple gestures such as tapping or swiping to send a wireless signal to the wearer’s mobile device and activate functionality, which could include silencing phone calls or sending a text message.

“When it came to choosing a first partner for Project Jacquard, the Levi’s brand was a natural fit,” said Ivan Poupyrev, a Technical Product Lead (TPL) for Google’s Advanced Technology and Projects (ATAP) group. “Levi’s brings to Jacquard their deep knowledge and understanding of apparel, their consumers and what they value.”

Many have tried to turn tech into fashion with items such as fitness trackers and communication devices. Project Jacquard is intended to integrate technology into the articles of clothing we already wear. Google developed the fibers that will be turned into the clothes/”platforms.”