AR t-shirts designed for making political statements

Carlings created an interactive shirt that amplifies the wearer’s message on social media via augmented-reality filters

Spotted: Swedish retailer Carlings has released an augmented-reality t-shirt that can show a variety of political messages. The Last Statement t-shirt is a first-of-its-kind, interactive shirt that amplifies the wearer’s message on social media.

The t-shirt is nearly blank to the naked eye and features a small graphical logo near the neckline, which digitally imposes bold, animated designs that comment on a political topic. With a smartphone, the wearer can choose a design that is created for the t-shirt through Instagram or Facebook, where it works similarly to face filters. The graphics overlay the white material and adjust with the movement of the fabric.

Some of the first filters available read “Stop denying, our planet is dying” and “No trees, no air”. The t-shirt is only available to purchase online via the Carlings website and is shipped in reusable packaging. Additionally, £10 from each t-shirt sold is donated to the non-governmental organisation Wateraid.

The Last Statement t-shirt was launched in December 2019 with four initial filters, and another 16 designs were gradually released. Carlings intends to regularly update the filters with new messages.