I.S.T is a small material company from Japan that has developed "IMIDETEX," a durable super fiber used in outer space, and "KARL KARL Technology," which actualizes sustainable and lightweight thermal insulating materials. For its first exhibition at the world's leading outdoor sports business trade fair, ISPO Munich 2020, our mission was to make a mark with I.S.T's fiber technologies, obtain opportunities to collaborate with major brands, and ultimately bring innovation to the field of outdoor sports.

Without an ample budget or any global name value amidst the other 2,800+ exhibiting companies, I.S.T needed an innovative booth to attract visitors, present its fiber technologies, as well as let visitors experience innovations that I.S.T's in-house technologies can potentially achieve.

Installation of Yarn Interweaving Physical Art and AR Experience

We constructed an eye-catching giant object completely made of the two types of yarn developed by I.S.T, and presented the strengths of these fiber technologies in a way that crossed the boundaries of language. Moreover, we implemented augmented reality technology in the object as a new form of presentation where visitors can experience innovations that I.S.T's yarn can make possible for outdoor sports such as alpine and trekking.

We built the object with two types of yarn. The warp consists of "IMIDETEX," a durable material used in outer space, and the weft consists of lightweight thermal insulating yarn made with "Karl Karl Technology." To ensure visibility and impact, we made the object 3 square-meters. Its structure was based on 3D data of real outdoor environments such as the Himalayas and Mont Blanc. By manually weaving yarn, we brought CG wireframe design into physical space.

The object also functioned as a 3D screen. Visitors simply placed an iPad over it to virtually experience the innovations that I.S.T can potentially realize. To actualize spatial recognition regardless of users’ perspectives or locations, and to allow over 10 people to experience at the same time, we combined ARKit and motion capture technologies.

By weaving together augmented reality and a physical object, we provided to the global audience an experience that transcended language.

I.S.T's booth garnered immense attention at ISPO Munich 2020. During the 4-day trade fair period, over 1,700 visitors experienced the innovations that I.S.T has to offer. Numerous visitors praised the aesthetics, the degree of perfection, the storytelling through augmented reality, and the quality of the experience, which led to heightened public awareness of I.S.T.

As a result, I.S.T obtained over 600 business contacts. Despite being an unknown brand, I.S.T was able to establish connections with the world's major outdoor brands, and several collaborations are underway.