Hungarian brand 878 launches world's first smart sailing apparel
March 23, 2021 - Hungary
The Hungarian brand, 878, has entered the global market for premium sailing apparel with its products that are designed and manufactured in Hungary. These original clothing items address the unresolved issues of professional sailing and combine technological and material innovation to increase the performance of leisure sailors and professional athletes.
The development of sailboat racing has accelerated tremendously in recent years, yet, the changes of clothing and protective equipment of sailors did not follow this pace, which brought many problems to the surface. Solution is provided by 878’s clothes made of unique components and materials, which are rarely utilised on the market at the moment, 878 said.
In these sailing apparel, sustainability, digital solutions, many years of product development and manufacturing technology is combined with material innovation. The products are made of graphene, a material that is ultra-lightweight yet flexible, stretchy, perfectly waterproof, stronger than steel, which, as a main feature, provides about the same feeling of heat at both 5 and 20 Celsius. The creators of the super material received a Nobel prize in Physics in 2010. Moreover, the apparel can be perfectly made-to-measure thanks to the 3D body scan, 878 said in a press release.
The Budapest-based company used a unique approach already during its planning phase, as it involved the sailing community, with which the most important needs of the athletes were mapped out. Aiming to become a large-scale, world-class sportswear, in addition to material innovation and functionality, the design has also been given a significant role, according to 878.
Wearable innovation is reflected in this unique product: a digital, foldable display built in the jacket, to which an on-board unit transmits data from the boat instrument via bluetooth, and different data can be set up by the captain for the team. The company also strives for sustainability; only chemical-free and environmentally friendly materials are used for manufacturing, water use is minimised, and part of the profits will be spent on water and ocean clean-up initiatives. 878 operates as a waste-free company thanks to their fully digitised production.
“The 878 was created with the mission to securely adhere to an innovative approach and to the application of intelligent solutions in order to develop products that can reach 2 per cent share of global sailing apparel market,” István Papp, CEO of 878 said in a statement.
The development of sailboat racing has accelerated tremendously in recent years, yet, the changes of clothing and protective equipment of sailors did not follow this pace, which brought many problems to the surface. Solution is provided by 878’s clothes made of unique components and materials, which are rarely utilised on the market at the moment, 878 said.
In these sailing apparel, sustainability, digital solutions, many years of product development and manufacturing technology is combined with material innovation. The products are made of graphene, a material that is ultra-lightweight yet flexible, stretchy, perfectly waterproof, stronger than steel, which, as a main feature, provides about the same feeling of heat at both 5 and 20 Celsius. The creators of the super material received a Nobel prize in Physics in 2010. Moreover, the apparel can be perfectly made-to-measure thanks to the 3D body scan, 878 said in a press release.
The Budapest-based company used a unique approach already during its planning phase, as it involved the sailing community, with which the most important needs of the athletes were mapped out. Aiming to become a large-scale, world-class sportswear, in addition to material innovation and functionality, the design has also been given a significant role, according to 878.
Wearable innovation is reflected in this unique product: a digital, foldable display built in the jacket, to which an on-board unit transmits data from the boat instrument via bluetooth, and different data can be set up by the captain for the team. The company also strives for sustainability; only chemical-free and environmentally friendly materials are used for manufacturing, water use is minimised, and part of the profits will be spent on water and ocean clean-up initiatives. 878 operates as a waste-free company thanks to their fully digitised production.
“The 878 was created with the mission to securely adhere to an innovative approach and to the application of intelligent solutions in order to develop products that can reach 2 per cent share of global sailing apparel market,” István Papp, CEO of 878 said in a statement.