Circuit2Yarn: From Planar Circuits to Electronic Yarns for Textile-Based Interactions

Smart yarns hold the potential to transform everyday textiles into functional platforms, yet current methods remain constrained. These include conductive yarns, made from silver or stainless steel, which retain the feel of conventional yarns but offer limited functions, and PCB-based solutions, which add capability at the cost of bulk and rigidity.

We present Circuit2Yarn, a fabrication framework that transforms planar printed circuits into flexible yarns by rolling copper-traced TPU films with soldered surface-mount components, preserving the capabilities of rigid electronics while producing yarn-like forms suitable for textile integration. We demonstrate yarns as small as 0.8 mm that integrate LEDs and sensors, including temperature, humidity, light, IMU, and capacitive sensing modules, enabling applications ranging from smart garments and interactive musical instruments to responsive tea bags. Characterization confirms durability under bending/stretching. By rolling planar circuits into yarns, Circuit2Yarn paves the way toward comfortable, multifunctional, and interactive textiles in everyday life.

Created by:

Zhechen Zhao, Jingyi Liu, Tianhong Catherine Yu, Jiaqing Liu, Zeyu Yan, Huaishu Peng, Yiyue Luo, Zhihan Zhang, and Tingyu Cheng

Publications:

CHI 2026 | DOI PDF Project Page

Figures:

Electronic yarns with LEDs and sensors next to a cotton yarn


Circuit2Yarn fabrication pipeline from flexible PCB to electronic yarn


Circuit design strategies for rolling planar circuits into yarns


Fabrication steps of an electronic yarn


Multi-yarn connection with capacitive pads and LEDs


Three textile integration methods for electronic yarns


Overview of electronic yarn primitives


Electronic yarn primitives demonstrating input and output capabilities


Yarn characterization: bending, stretching, washing, robustness and uniformity


IMU yarn and LED yarn display on a garment


Smart tea bag string that senses brewing temperature


Hoodie drawstring as an input device


Interactive ukulele for learning finger positions


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