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E-textile components must get down to the cost of basic trim items such as zips and buttons in order to achieve mass market penetration. "All of the leading apparel companies have now introduced electronic products to some extent and the biggest demand remains for those to control entertainment and communication devices," said Steve Leftly, CEO of the UK's Fibretronics at the recent Smart Fabrics conference held in Rome. "So far, we have sold bundled systems to garment manufacturers consisting of the component and electronic hardwear or interface to portable electronic devices. However, there are limitations and difficulties for both brands and consumers alike with this approach."