Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Spray on clothing-in-a-can

Fabrican is a spray-on fabric technology that was named one of Time Magazine's 50 Best Inventions of  2010.

                Image:       Fabrican Ltd 2010
Developed through a collaboration between Imperial College London and the Royal College of Arts;  the spray consists of a solution of tiny fibers that cross link after being sprayed, to create a stretchy non-woven fabric that adheres to the subject until it dries thus enabling a custom fit. After application, the item can be removed and machine washed like other fabrics, or reconstituted to create a new item.

Possible applications aside from spray-on fashion being considered by the makers include permeating the fibers with medicine to create highly portable instant field dressings for wounds, that stay sterile in the can until needed.  

'Scar Bodice' made from
 bathtubs of green tea 
Other innovative ideas for sourcing new materials for clothing include greener concepts, such as experiments in BioCouture using the cellulose created by bacteria in green tea to "grow" a dress or other clothing item. Results have a very organic almost leather-like quality. Using alternate supplies such as this for making clothing would potentially mitigate the need for cottons and other fiber-producing plants to be grown, harvested, processed and transported, as source materials could be available from local vats of bio-material.

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