Skiin’s biometric reading undergarment design exemplifies DIAC’s 5 critical impacts of design: vision, functionality, brand, environmental benefits, and health & wellness.
Introduction
As wearable health technology continues to expand, the need for products that combine clinical-grade functionality with everyday comfort grows stronger — especially for older adults. Skiin, a wellness brand, took on this challenge by creating a biometric reading undergarment designed to track vital health metrics like ECG and blood pressure in real-time. This case study explores how Skiin approached design, functionality, branding, sustainability, and health impact to create an accessible, trusted, and user-friendly product that blurs the line between wellness wear and medical devices.
Vision
Initially conceptualized as a medical device, the biometric reading undergarment faced development challenges over four years, ultimately finding its place within the wellness sector. Recognizing the psychological barriers older adults face when adopting wearable health technology, Skiin prioritized familiarity in design. Multiple silhouettes were created — women’s styles included panties, bicycle shorts, and full-coverage underwear, while men's options ranged from loose boxer briefs to tighter Speedo-like fits. To further minimize stigma, the garments were styled to resemble popular athleisure brands like Nike and Calvin Klein, using neutral colors like black and eliminating flashy branding. This approach helped the undergarments avoid the clinical look of hospital wear, making them more psychologically acceptable to a wider audience.
Functionality
The Skiin undergarments use two ECG sensors, knitted into an elastic band, to continuously monitor heart rate and blood pressure. The dual sensors cross-reference each other to ensure accuracy, compensating for issues like dry skin where a single sensor might fail. Data is collected through a hard module attached to the garment, which streams real-time biometrics to a smartphone app. Moisture and skin contact are essential for readings, leveraging conductivity for reliability. The sizing system — from XS to M — combined with very stretchy fabric and multiple silhouette options, supports a wide range of body types and mobility levels, ensuring ease of use for aging individuals.
Brand
Skiin’s branding strategy was designed to establish trust, especially among skeptical older adults. The branding is minimalistic, featuring a simple wordmark and logo in dark green, a color found through user experience research to be calming and appealing. Packaging was also deliberately clinical and straightforward, avoiding fashion-forward patterns like polka dots or plaid. This visual presentation emphasized professionalism without intimidation, reinforcing the garment’s credibility as a health-focused product.
Environment
Sustainability was considered throughout the design process. The garment is manufactured using machine knitting, which dramatically reduces waste compared to traditional fabric cutting methods. Traditional manufacturing leaves significant fabric scraps; in contrast, machine knitting pulls yarn directly, minimizing wastage. Durability testing showed the undergarments could withstand up to 50 washes. However, data consistency began to decline after 20–30 washes, highlighting the challenges in maintaining sensor integrity over time. Despite this, internal quality controls ensured minimal degradation, with performance categorized within a "Class 3" standard.
Health and Wellness Impact
Skiin’s undergarment enhances proactive health management by simplifying data collection: users simply wear the garment and open the app to see real-time readings — no complicated setup or multiple button presses required. The app’s closed-loop design ensures privacy: data remains solely with the user and is not shared with third parties, unlike platforms like Google that use data for marketing. The product, priced at $170, offers an accessible, user-friendly way for older adults to monitor vital health indicators, supporting early detection of potential issues without overwhelming the user.
Key Success Indicators (Non-Quantifiable Factors):
Psychological comfort through non-clinical, athleisure-style aesthetics.
Use of calming colors (e.g., dark green) based on user research to appeal to older adults.
Intuitive setup: simply wear the garment and open the app.
Multiple sizing and silhouette options tailored to diverse body types and mobility levels.
Closed-loop data management ensures user data is not shared with third parties.
Environmentally responsible manufacturing via machine knitting.
Intentional design for reduced waste and longer product life cycle.
Metrics
Accuracy of biometric readings from dual-sensor system.
Number of machine-knitted garments produced.
Affordable unit price $170.
Withstands up to 50 washes while maintaining functionality
