Nap-inducing concept garment
Konel, a Japanese design studio, has created a smart sleep-inducing kimono-puffer jacket that delivers sound and lights tuned to a person’s biometric data and conducive to deep relaxation. The ZZZN Sleep Apparel System was developed with NTT DX, a digital consulting firm. It received support from Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, as part of a research project on integrating personal healthcare devices into everyday services and products.
Japan is ranked lowest, out of 33 developed nations, in average sleep duration, according to OECD data from 2021.
The ZZZN jacket draws biometric data from a smart ring, made by Soxai, also from Japan. The ring monitors a wearer’s sleep patterns, heart rate and stress levels. This data is used to adjust lighting and sound when the wearer wants to take a nap, on a long commute for instance. Headphones embedded in the hood play music tuned to ‘sleep-inducing frequencies’. When it is time to wake up, the lights switch from red to blue and the music becomes livelier.
The puffer jacket is padded with Kodenshi fibre, a fibre embedded with ceramic particles that reflect far infrared energy, developed by Japanese textile firm Firbest.
Currently on show at Osaka’s World Expo 2025 “Future Life Village”, the ZZZN Sleep Apparel System was first exhibited at Milan Design Week last April.
This is not the first sleep-promoting concept investigated by the Konel design studio. It has also developed the ZZZN playlist and a Sleep Dream room to allow bedding retailers to offer a novel in-store experience.
Photo by Yusuke Maekawa for Konel
