No Wallet, Phone or App Required. Are You Ready For Contactless Payments From The Cuff?

Imagine, not needing a password, pin, or phone to make a contactless payment, just the cuff of your shirt!

Cambridge-based fashion tech start-up, DressCode, launched a tailored, smart shirt called CashCuff this month. Collaborating closely with wearable enabler DIGISEQ, to make it happen, DressCode shared with us that they have designed a men’s shirt that allows wearers to pay for goods using the cuff of the shirt.

Image Credit: DressCodeShirts Ltd

Realising the CashCuff Concept 

Recognising that today’s smart men demand simpler clothing that looks formal enough without a tie yet luxuriously comfortable to wear, DressCode is on a mission to update the suit and tie. So far, the British company has managed to make a subtle statement with its non-intrusive smart tech that feels natural when used.

Founded by Andy Boothman in 2018, DressCodeShirts Ltd. is a Cambridge, UK company that designs ultra high-quality shirts that are hand-made by a small team of tailoring experts. Their beautifully tailored shirts reflect their digital, eco-caring and high-tech world. AS technology continues to be the topic of conversation among the fashion-forward brands, the young company, inspired by technology, decided that adding a unique feature like contactless payment capability could give their product a modern feel. 

We designed CashCuff for the fashion-conscious high tech lover, it’s hidden away out of sight, but always there when you want it.

-Andy Boothman

“The love of tech had the team itching to create a ‘smart’ shirt,” explained DressCode CEO and founder, Andy Boothman. “We designed CashCuff for the fashion-conscious high tech lover, it’s hidden away out of sight, but always there when you want it. This is a chic geek. CashCuff is defining fashion-tech, a marriage of the simplicity of contactless payment with exquisite tailoring. Designed with slow-fashion and the environment in mind, DressCode shirts will withstand hundreds of washes, making them an eco-friendly and extremely good value”.

Image Credit: DressCodeShirts Ltd

“With a CashCuff shirt from DressCode, our customers have one less thing to worry about. They have money available on-demand, no wallet…no phone…no problem. It’s perfect for going about your daily routine safe in the knowledge that you have cash on hand whenever you need it.”

Besides working alongside DIGISEQ, DressCode also partnered up with MuchBetter, the payment application behind the CashCuff payment functionality. On their collaboration MuchBetter co-founder, Jens Bader commented: “Our technology enables any brand to turn their product into a payment product. We make ordinary payments much more rewarding for users and, to date we’ve turned watches, keyfobs, shirts and even Lucozade drinks bottles into payment devices, to suit whatever use case our customers need”. 

DressCode is a fascinating demonstration of our technology in action, and represents the perfect intersection of fashion and technology.

-Jens Bader

Bader continues: “DressCode is a fascinating demonstration of our technology in action, and represents the perfect intersection of fashion and technology. There’s a reason more than 300,000 people use MuchBetter as their preferred payment service today, and that number is growing every day.”

Tackling The Commonly Asked Questions

So how does the CashCuff actually work? Well, DressCode found a moment to share with us the answers to the burning questions that we know you are probably wondering.

What tech is involved?

The CashCuff® uses NFC (near field communication) technology connected to a Mastercard prepaid card. Using the award-winning MuchBetter® digital payment platform, users allocate funds to the shirt. 

Can I switch it off?

Yes, via the MuchBetter® platform, CashCuff® can be switched off in seconds, rendering it completely useless. It can then be reactivated just as quickly, using MuchBetter®. 

What about washing and ironing the shirt?

In the same way, you wouldn’t wash your credit card and expert that to keep working, the CashCuff® is removable. We believe this creates a more convenient solution for our customers – allowing them to move the chip from shirt to shirt.

Can I Iron it?

Just as you would remove collar stays or cufflinks from your shirt to iron it, you remove your CashCuff® chip to iron the shirt.

Is the CashCuff® a ‘wearable’?

The CashCuff® could be described as passive wearable technology, in the form of smart clothing, using EMV waves from POS terminals for power generation. We prefer to describe the CashCuff® as smart clothing, offering technology within the construction of the garment without the need for external devices or controls.

Security

Working with three globally recognised financial technology (fin-tech) companies ensures that CashCuff® cannot be skimmed, should the customer loose the chip it can be deactivated in seconds, in the unlikely event that someone did manage to use your CashCuff® without your knowledge, because it is a pre-pay system that you control, the financial exposure to you and your money is contained.

ALSO READ: Banks are Becoming Fashion Tech Ambassadors as Payment Wearables Popularity Surges

The CashCuff® shirt costs £135 and is currently only delivered in the UK. The shirt comes gift boxed complete with a matching pocket square. If you would like to own DressCode’s smart shirt, you can purchase it online at dresscodeshirts.co.uk.  

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Founding Editor in Chief at FashNerd.com | editor@fashnerd.com | Website

Founding editor-in-chief of FashNerd.com, Muchaneta is currently one of the leading influencers writing about the merger of fashion with technology and wearable technology. She has also given talks at Premiere Vision, Munich Fabric Start and Pure London, to name a few. Besides working as a fashion innovation consultant for various fashion companies like LVMH Atelier, Muchaneta has also contributed to Vogue Business, is a senior contributor at The Interline and an associate lecturer at London College of Fashion, UAL.