Classic clothing line Levi Strauss this week has come up with a denim jacket consisting of touch controls knitted into it in collaboration with Google. The new venture aims to provide cyclists with a comfortable clothing on and off the road.
California-based Levi Strauss and online advertising company Google's new jacket is called the "Levi's Commuter Trucker Jacket with Jacquard".
Also read: Google Store opens Project Fi trade-in program to more brands
The Levi's Commuter Trucker Jacket with Jacquard by Google has touch and gesture interactivity woven into the sleeve," describes the clothing company. "When paired with your phone, a simple brush or tap on the sleeve lets you stay connected to your music, navigation and friends without stopping to reach for your pocket."
Levi Strauss vice president of global product innovation Paul Dillinger stresses Commuter "is not just about technology for technology's sake", adding that the jacket is designed to cater the needs of consumers on the go.
Google engineer Ivan Poupyrey states in a blog post that the garment gives cyclists the ability to navigate their rides and do common digital tasks without ever needing to look away from the road. He adds that the jacket is still washable, but the snap tag has to be removed first before dipping it into the water.
Some tasks it can perform include starting and stopping music, getting directions or reading incoming text messages—all these by just swiping or tapping the jacket sleeve.
The Levi's Commuter Trucker costs US$350 and will be available starting Wednesday, September 27. It will be up on Levi's online store, October 2 onwards.
