Tommy Hilfiger has released jackets that are equipped solar panels, resulting in a wearable portable charger that still looks fashionable.
The designer brand teamed up with Pvilion, a company that specializes in harnessing solar power, for the design and production of the limited edition jackets, which will only be available for the holiday season this year.
There will be two kinds of jackets for the project, one for men and one for women. The item will feature an array of removable solar panels that will be able to collect solar power, which can in turn be used to provide energy for charging up the depleted batteries of electronic devices such as tablets and mobile phones.
The lightweight solar panels, featuring high output solar cells, feed power into the battery pack. A fully charged battery pack will be able to recharge a standard device requiring 1,500 mAh up to four times. How long it takes for the battery pack to be completely charged up from collecting solar energy was not made clear.
The solar panels are flexible and water-resistant and can easily detach and re-attach to the back of the jackets. There is a cable that runs discreetly within the lining of the jacket, connecting the solar panels to a removable battery pack that is located in one of the jacket's front pockets.
The pocket where the battery pack is located features a special snap-flap cover that gives the wearer easy access to the battery pack, which has two USB ports. The pair of ports means that the wearer can charge up to two devices at the same time through a USB cord.
While indoors, the jacket's battery packet can be recharged through a USB connection to a laptop, or by plugging it into an external power outlet. When putting away the jacket, the energy left within its battery pack will be stored until the next time that it is used.
The price of the jacket is $599, for both the men and women versions. They can be purchased online through the website of Tommy Hilfiger or through select stores in North America, Latin America, Europe and Asia.
In addition to being limited edition pieces that combine fashion with technology, the jackets also have a social component attached to them. Tommy Hilfiger said that 50 percent of the sales proceeds will be donated to the Fresh Air Fund, a charitable organization that Tommy Hilfiger sponsors. It provides 1.7 million children in New York City with a chance of going to summer camp.
