Winter Wear

Cold weather is frustrating: high heating bills, thick ice on your car, and not being able to use your dang smartphone with gloves on. Local sportswear company 180s has a solution—at least for that whole glove thing. The company's Tec Touch innovation, available in more than 25 styles of gloves, are pads strategically placed on the forefinger and thumb, so the finger's movement can be read by a digital screen. "What really makes us unique is that we use this technology in many different gloves," says 180s marketing VP Amy Tankersley. "Many knit gloves have this ability, but we've been able use this conductivity in a ski glove." She also explains that 180s patented design—using the little dot rather than a larger pad—makes it easier to touch a specific target. Tankersley says that the Tec Touch gloves have been one of the most popular products this season. "People don't want their habits to change just because it's cold," she says.