4LED

Polymer-based OLED panels are super flexible and even suitable to be used to make dresses. UK’s PolyPhotonix has made an OLED dress, which it has flexible OLED panels and low-cost long-life solar cells to keep the dress lit up.

The OLED dress was exhibited at the launch of the the UK’s “Plastic Electronics Strategy’. PolyPhotonix’s production line is currently active for making polymer-based OLED lighting panels. They have used some OLED panels from their first production line to make the OLED dress.

Remember that lovely and interesting dress covered in wind-powered LEDs in the pattern of daisies? Well it seems that was just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to dresses that light up. These dresses can be added to the fashion show – one constructed of OLED panels and the other boasting 300 LEDs for a glowing wedding night. Check out a video of the wedding dress illuminated on the dance floor after the jump.

This dress has an incredible 300 LED bulbs embroidered into the skirt. They’re created by a company called Enlightened on a made-to-order basis. But 300 embroidered bulbs doesn’t make for very easy dry cleaning. Luckily they last ages and so perhaps this dress becomes an heirloom item that’ll light up for a daughter on her wedding day. If not…seems a bit of an e-waste for a dress worn on one day.

But LEDs on dresses may already be old news, considering OLEDs are the next big thing coming to market in lighting technology.

According to Photonics, the global market for printable electronics is forecast to grow to as much as $330 billion by 2027 and create up to 20,000 jobs in the UK. They state, “The largest growth in the sector is predicted to take place in the markets for rollable electronic display screens, ultraefficient lighting and low-cost, long-life solar cells.”