It’s no secret that people love to use the filters you can find on Instagram or Snapchat. In fact, we personally love the idea, especially when it means we can place a virtual filter on our face and look completely put together in just a few seconds. It’s genius. Now, the Scandinavian label Carlings has taken augmented reality (AR) to a whole new level and launched a T-shirt that uses AR filters to change the T-shirt design.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B50vdDtAsDi/
https://www.instagram.com/p/B54m203FZBs/
Just by looking at the T-shirt, it looks like a simple white tee that you might have in your closet. But, this T-shirt is anything but basic. By using Spark AR—which is what Instagram uses for their filters and stickers—there’s a custom marker that activates the filters, according to the Carlings FAQ page.
To activate the virtual designs, all you have to do is open Instagram, go to carlings_official, point your phone at the T-shirt ATF logo with your front-facing camera (and get the camera close to the logo to activate the filter), select the T-shirt filter and you’re good to go.
From a Vogue Business article:
“While this is new to Instagram, marker-based AR effects have been around for some time,” says Matthew Drinkwater, head of the Fashion Innovation Agency at London College of Fashion. “It is yet another indication, though, of the potential of augmented reality to lead us to a new type of garment — one that is enhanced by computer graphics. We are entering an era where a ‘wardrobe update‘ takes on an entirely new meaning.”
The T-shirt is designed with the idea to reduce and limit waste, and it features filters with eco-conscious statements like the retro “Reuse, Reduce, Recycle, Respect” with hearts, and another one with “No trees no air” with a yin-yang symbol that spins when you place the filter on the shirt. And, on top of this, for every “The Last Statement” T-shirt purchased, Carlings donates €10 to WaterAid.
As for the bags the T-shirts come in, it’s in a RePack, which is reusable packaging. According to the online description, “once received, RePack can be returned simply by dropping it into any post box, anywhere in the world. Free of charge.”
Currently, there are four filters available that transform the design on the T-shirt, and more are in the works. Highsnobiety noted that there will be 16 new filters available as soon as Jan. 2020, and the T-shirt retails for around $45.
We’ve previously seen how brands like Warby Parker have tested out augmented reality on their app, so users can try on glasses before they buy, which is similar to how people can change the design on these Carlings T-shirts. For the promo industry, this could be cool idea for clients to place their logos on apparel or even other promo products like pens, tumblers, etc. to see which version looks best. They can also continually update with new designs.
