Pauline van Dongen is a Dutch fashion designer who specialises in wearable technology. So when the Wadden Association needed someone to help them improve the clothes of their guides at the Wadden Islands, it made good sense to turn to her. The result of this collaboration? The sustainable clothing brand Blue LOOP Originals, which makes comfy and functional coats with – wait for it – built-in solar panels.

The so-called Solar Windbreakers have five practical pockets and a hood which can be tucked away inside the collar. The coats are waterproof, unisex and neutral in colour. There’s a battery hidden in the lining which allows the wearer to charge electrical devices like his telephone, GPS or camera in about two hours’ time, no matter the weather. But with this coat, beauty not only lies within: its exterior has been well thought out too. The graphite-coloured fabric of the Windbreaker is made from Blue LOOP recycled yarn and recycled polyester. Impressed by these rechargeable coats? Wait till you see what else Van Dongen has in store …