It’s the solar handbag

Prada? Gucci? No…

The desire to realize a textile solar energy harvesting surface that offers maximum design freedom while still being highly efficient was the driving force behind The Solar Handbag, initiated by Swiss embroidery company Forster Rohner AG and conducted in a joint research project with Swiss partners, Hochschule für Technik Rapperswil and the NTB Buchs.

It was created in collaboration with Danish partners Diffus Design, The Alexandra Institute and the Center for Software Innovation and is the first technical demonstrator to come out of the project “Textile Photovoltaics,” funded by the Swiss Commission of Technology and Innovation KTI.

The technology for the handbag is based on miniaturizing efficient photovoltaic material, monocrystalline silicon, into oversized sequins and processing them through traditional textile techniques.The solar elements on the handbag are able to generate two watts—ample energy to charge a mobile device, even at low daily exposure to sunlight.