Hansae's DNA is always about being the first to try. If the Humanoid Robot enters our lives in the future, we thought we should be the ones to make the clothes it will wear.
Kim Ik-hwan, vice chairman of Hansae, said this at the Wear the Future Media Day held at the Textile Center in Samseong-dong, Seoul, on the 8th. Kim said, If humanoids come into our lives in the future, they will also need clothing to wear, adding, Hansae aims to be a company that is the first to consider and prepare for new possibilities in the future apparel market.
Hansae introduced clothing concepts for future job categories and the humanoid era, the potential use of functional materials, and research directions for the future apparel market. The event also unveiled for the first time an exhibition piece of humanoid clothing planned and produced in collaboration between Hansae and Hansae MK.
Hansae does not believe robot clothing will be limited to decorating the exterior. Just as human clothing has served to protect the body, express individuality, and provide functions for different environments, humanoid clothing can also serve as a means to show a robot's role and operating environment.
Son Ji-yeon, a director in Hansae's R&D division, said, If we see humanoids not as simple machines but as beings living in the same spaces as people, the meaning of clothing also changes, adding, Robots that help children in educational settings, elder-care robots in care settings, work robots in industrial settings, and robots in service spaces each have different roles, so the clothing required can also differ.
In this process, simply putting human clothes on robots is not suitable. Humanoids have batteries, drive units, sensors, and heat-dissipation structures, and their joint movements differ from those of humans. Accordingly, the exhibition piece reflects features such as exposed sensors and secured vents, three-dimensional patterns that consider joint ranges of motion, and structures that improve maintenance access.
On the materials side, Hansae drew on technology accumulated in existing functional apparel. Cooling materials that disperse heat generated during long operations, high-durability materials that withstand repetitive movement and friction, and high-stretch materials that assist joint movement were applied. Son explained, Because the Humanoid Robot generates a lot of heat, we paid particular attention to ventilation, and we used stretch fabrics on joint areas.
Hansae also believes humanoid clothing can help reduce the sense of unfamiliarity between people and robots. When children or older adults live alongside robots, clothing that suits the robot's role and feels familiar, rather than a cold, mechanical exterior, can reduce psychological distance.
Expectations that the Humanoid Robot market will grow rapidly are another reason Hansae is focusing on the potential of future apparel. Goldman Sachs Research projected the global Humanoid Robot market will reach $38 billion (about 59 trillion won) in 2035, with shipments rising to around 1.4 million units at the same time.
Hansae also sees falling prices and diversified forms of Humanoid Robots as factors that could accelerate market expansion. Kim said, Even now, among Humanoid Robots made in China, cheaper models have fallen to around $20,000, and that price has dropped rapidly compared with 1 to 2 years ago, adding, I think it will soon reach a level where each household can have one or two robots.
The clothing-for-humanoids project is still at the research and proposal stage, and full-scale mass production or monetization has not begun. However, Hansae plans to continue related research, seeing that as the humanoid market expands, a new industrial ecosystem could form around apparel, materials, and accessories.
Son said, Collaboration is taking shape between designers working in overseas offices such as New York and Humanoid Robot manufacturers, adding, If Humanoid Robots are commercialized, apparel could also move quickly into mass production.
Kim said, Since its founding in 1972, Hansae has spent about half a century making clothes for humans, adding, A company that makes clothes best suited for people can also make the most suitable clothes for Humanoid Robots.