This Clothing Line Aims To Protect Women from Rape. Thoughts?
While the Nirbhaya incident left the nation devastated, this entrepreneur came up with a technology-driven fabric to protect women in critical situations.
Pawan Kumar Irikulla, Founder of Smart Fabrics shares his entrepreneurial inspiration...
When the brutal Nirbhaya incident took place in the national capital in 2012, the incident deeply disturbed me. I kept thinking about women, especially those working in night shifts, and their safety. A fire was lit within me and over the next three days, the blueprint for my venture started taking shape. I started working on developing a technology-driven fabric that can protect women in critical situations.
Smart Fabrics is all about creating clothes with a style quotient but which are also designed with in-built technology to keep you safe. For instance, our second prototype has an inbuilt GPS system that can be tracked by sending messages to the nearby police station and to your beloved ones. Additionally the clothes can be customised to suit every occasion! Another innovation is that the fabric is air-conditioned, which contributes to an important aspect for those who travel the whole day in the scorching sun. The jacket maintains a body temperature during peak summers, so travelling for everyone can now be easy, relaxing and soothing without bothering about the sun.
Thirdly, the fabric is shock-enabled for anyone who misbehaves with you. Yes, you heard it right! In case you sense danger, the clothes will react faster than you, acting as an insulator for the one wearing it.
My motive is to help empower women with clothes that are not only comfortable, stylish and easy-to-use but also protect them.
Smart Fabrics is one of 32 startups shortlisted for the Catapooolt Changemakers Challenge, in partnership with the Economic Times. Budding entrepreneurs can know more about it here.
Can this be an effective way of eliminating rape? Or is awareness and education the way to go? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
