Defined as material science and innovation infused into apparel, ‘techwear’ describes functional clothing that blends outdoor apparel with streetwear-style fashion.
Techwear garments are heat-insulated, breathable, water-resistant, and modular, offering extra space for storage and accessories.
Stylistically wise, techwear also draws inspiration from futurist aesthetics like retrofuturism and cyberpunk fashion.
In this article, I’ll introduce you to 9 techwear brands stocking affordable garments, footwear, and accessories that’ll make you look like from the Matrix movie.
1. HA3XUN
Ha3xun is a pure techwear clothing label that has recently gained popularity thanks to its unique dressing style.
The brand uses tech gadgets as styling accessories to augment the brand’s unique creations.
The look of the brand’s techwear outfits puts the wearer on the verge of the cyborg era and transhumanism.
2. NIKE ACG
A creation of Johanna Schneider – Senior Design Director of Women’s Apparel at Nike – Nike ACG is one of the most popular techwear brands.
Personally, I love the brand’s ever-so-impressive-looking ACG 3-in-1 Coat (featuring a 3L GORE-TEX outer shell).
Not only does the coat look futuristic AF, but it also comes with a detachable hood and reversible insulated inner jacket.
3. ADIDAS Y-3
There’s no discussion about techwear brands without including the Japanese fashion designer Yohji Yamamoto.
Inspired by Japanese culture and fashion, Yohji’s collaboration with Adidas turned him into a demigod of the techwear community.
Yamamoto’s line with Adidas blends innovative designs with sporty functionality and fashion elegance.
4. RAIKAGO
Raikago is a beachwear brand founded in 2017, specializing in collaborations with top designers to create rare and limited edition techwear masterpieces.
“Fashion is the armor to survive the reality of everyday life.” – Bill Cunningham.
Inspired by East Asian fashion styles, the brand’s techwear creations are softened by a unique combination of streetwear with urban apparel.
5. NORTH FACE BLACK
North Face continues to gain popularity as a techwear brand that employs some of the most technologically advanced materials.
The brand’s limited edition line, The North Face Black Series, includes functional techwear apparel, hard-wearing outerwear, and staples like hoodies and t-shirts.
6. CHARLI COHEN
Charli Cohen, the founder of the brand, launched her first fashion brand at 15.
Eight years later, she founded Charli Cohen, a ‘technical fashion’ label that blends high-performance fabrics with high-fashion design.
The London-based brand has gained global popularity after entering into a commercial partnership with Reebok.
7. UMA OATH
Born from a passion for dance, design, and couture, Uma Oath rejects the ‘fast fashion’ business model based on waste and mass production.
This French techwear brand creates accessible and minimalistic designs from exclusive fabrics, usually kept for luxury sportswear, and adopts urban apparel codes.
The garments combine strength and comfort, almost as a tool for movement while maintaining a structured line.
Uma Oath’s designs advocate for value apparel: simplicity, timelessness, an unfailing identity, and the art of being.
8. SHOHEI
Established by creative director Lisa Pek, SHOHEI is a techwear label for conscious, independent, and progressive individuals worldwide.
Shohei creates a dialogue between nature, technology, and progressive culture through unique statements of eco-friendly modern fashion.
The techwear brand is inspired by the designer’s nomadic lifestyle, divided between Tokyo’s futuristic hyperreality and the serene Austrian countryside.
Shohei blends Japanese street fashion culture with Mitteleuropean classicism in stylistically unique and versatile creations.
9. ADIDAS by STELLA McCARTNEY
Adidas by Stella McCartney is Adidas’ collaboration with the British designer Stella McCartney.
The range combines Adidas’ iconic styles with Stella’s flair and creativity, transcending the concept of tech wear in luxury fashion.
The collection holds techwear in cutting-edge designs, packed with technical features created to minimize environmental impact.
All fabrics are sweat-wicking and with elastane blends designed to provide a stretchy fit that molds to your body.
Is Techwear Dead?
Not at all. Techwear is alive, booming, andhere to stay.
Techwear clothing has recently gained popularity, to the point of being cataloged as a specific fashion style.
The style operates at the intersection of urban streetwear, outdoor, and futuristic cyberpunk styles.
Moreover, given the relentless demand for functional apparel, techwear brands are in huge demand.
Is Techwear a Streetwear Style?
While visual similarities exist, techwear and streetwear are two different fashion styles.
Techwear is just what it sounds: technology-infused apparel.
Therefore, techwear wardrobes must consist of apparel with technical capabilities.
As the style is reaching the point of becoming a cultural movement, here are the top 9 techwear names that dominate the conversation right now.
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Bruce Knox
Growing up in western PEI, Bruce Knox blends his extensive public health, non-profit, and public sector background with a deep love for innovative technologies to bring people together in healthier communities and environments.
