The 8 Best Augmented Reality Shirts
Special Honors
Carlings Last Statement Scandinavian retail brand Carlings has produced a T-shirt that's perfect for influencers or anyone obsessed with social media. Using custom Facebook and Instagram filters, it's possible to digitally change the design on the front, promoting messages related to climate change and social justice issues. You can speak out about what you believe in, and your friends won't realize that you're wearing the same shirt every day. carlings.com
Editor's Notes
October 15, 2020:
Unfortunately, augmented reality shirts have not exactly taken off since this list was last updated, meaning the category is still rather thin. Several selections have been removed due to availability concerns and replaced with more recent releases.
The best of the new additions is the KAR Graphics Beating Heart, which is perfect for those who use Snapchat, since it doesn't require you to download a separate app just to access the AR content. Most importantly, it looks good on its own, which should be a major consideration when deciding on one of these. For adults, the novelty of the AR content will likely wear off quickly, leaving you with just a shirt that you either will or will not want to keep wearing. Same is true for the DeKryptic Dexter’s Laboratory, a stylish choice for nostalgic fans who would probably be happy to receive it even without the bonus video content.
There is still a clear winner in this category, the Curiscope Virtuali-Tee. While some picks simply offer an animated logo that can be posted online, this shirt connects to a wealth of educational content. Since it provides so much more than every other augmented reality shirt out there, expect this one to remain best in class for some time.
January 06, 2019:
This category is fairly new, and many options only perform simple animations once the app is used. There is a clear winner at the top of the category because it has more than just novelty value, but if you're simply looking for a fun gift, consider the appearance of each item of clothing on its own, as the person will hopefully still wear it after they've experienced the cool AR aspects of it.