Scientists at Imperial College London have made significant advancements in fabric technology with the development of Fabrican, a liquid clothing spray that hardens upon contact with the skin, transforming into a reusable garment. This innovative solution, led by Dr. Manel Torres and Professor Paul Luckham, consists of a mixture of short fibers combined with polymers and a solvent that keeps the fabric in liquid form while contained in an aerosol can. Upon application, the solvent evaporates instantly, allowing the material to dry quickly into a wearable fabric that can be washed and reused[1][2][8].
Recently, Fabrican technology gained notable recognition during Paris Fashion Week, where a dress was spray-painted directly onto model Bella Hadid. This live demonstration showcased the versatility of the spray, which can be manipulated into various styles even after application. The fabric’s texture can vary depending on the fibers used—ranging from natural to synthetic—highlighting its adaptability for different fashion needs[8].
In addition to fashion, the potential applications of this technology extend into the medical field, where it could be used for creating sterile bandages or even spray-on casts. The technology is designed to support a circular economy by utilizing sustainable materials, including recycled fibers and biodegradable components, thus minimizing environmental impact[3][8].
Aerosol Cans and Environmental Impact
Concerns regarding the environmental implications of aerosol cans have evolved significantly. Modern aerosol products now utilize hydrocarbon gases, nitrogen, or air as propellants instead of harmful substances that deplete the ozone layer. While there are still safety and environmental considerations associated with aerosol usage, many companies are making strides to address these issues by adopting non-flammable propellants with low global warming potential[3][4].
Dr. Torres emphasizes that this innovative spray-on fabric not only redefines garment creation but also aligns with sustainable practices in manufacturing and material use. As this technology continues to develop, its integration into various industries—including healthcare and automotive—could reshape how we think about clothing and material applications in everyday life[5][6].
The future of spray-on clothing appears promising, but its widespread adoption will depend on ongoing advancements and consumer acceptance in both fashion and functional applications.
Read More
[1] https://www.imperial.ac.uk/news/122898/picture-this-fashion-show-uses-spray-on/
[2] https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/664289
[3] https://www.fabricanltd.com/about/ethical-and-environmental/
[4] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EW6Gv-IoErw
[5] https://digbi.net/courses/englisch-matura-reading/lessons/e-matura-reading-short-answers/quizzes/e-matura-reading-short-answer-b2-spray-on-clothing-becomes-a-reality/
[6] https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/09/100914100258.htm
[7] https://cleanclothes.org/news/2024/press-release-pp-report
[8] https://www.tomorrowsworldtoday.com/art/spray-on-fabric-technology-featured-in-paris-fashion-week/
[9] https://www.clustercollaboration.eu/content/sustainable-water-repellent-finishes
[10] https://www.fabricanltd.com
[11] https://www.sustainyourstyle.org/en/environmental-impacts
19 comments
I worked on a similar idea in the 80’s . I made samples of a material made by spinning a disk with a silicone gel . It would create a very porous material that looked like skin and was very elastic . The idea was partly to create breathable appliances ( horror masks ) But the idea of clothing was thought of also . The stuff I made was not very breathable though . It made you sweat ;-/ This spray on product is more what I had envisioned. Just uses a different material . Cool stuff ! 😉
This is an interesting idea though I doubt religion and the devil are ready for spray on clothing. If the world were truly ready for spray on clothes we would be able to walk around naked without negative attention.
Loraine, I’m sure you would only get positive attention.
Thank you, Cheng. The clothing I wear now isn’t that tight and some of the attention I get from time to time does make me uncomfortable. I can’t imagine wearing something as form fitting as spray on clothes when there are so many people that haven’t evolved as much as you have.
It would be great in an pinch ! Imagine you’ve just lost all your clothes ! You pull out your can of clothes and wallah ! Your good to go again 😉
I’m all for spray on clothing just as long as it doesn’t fall into the wrong hands ;-| For instance men would be banned from it’s use !
Now, that’s the part I don’t think the world is ready for. Why would men be banned from using the spray? Wouldn’t it be great for them in a pinch also?
I think it’s because men have no dress sense and require their better halves to choose for them.
With spray on clothing it wouldn’t matter.
It would be interesting to see how much time it would take to spray on a plaid shirt with strip slacks thought.
Yeah! Perhaps the next generation tailors will be the old graffiti artists – Banksy & Son. Tailors to the fabrically disadvantaged.
I want to be the guy who gets to paint the models ! 😉 Perhaps they’ll come out with an expanded foam version . Then men will be allowed to use it .Otherwise spray painted men running around gives me the willies ;-/ I’ll get an assistant to paint those 😉
If I wear spray on clothes do I still have to go through the new x-ray machines at the airport ?
At this stage of human development…I don’t think you’d make it to the airport.
Did she just call me a neanderthal ! Or just stupid and immature ! ;-/
What? No one has heard of codpieces?
Check out codpieces at wiki and peek at King Henry’s piece.
In the West, beginning in the 1300s men displayed their male organs! They couldn’t walk around nude for all to see it, the Christian Church saw to that. Among the Greeks and Romans nudity was not far from customary. But, the Christian prohibition of the body and its pleasures has had a tendency to change traditions, customs etc. everywhere! Unfortunately.
[But, one wonders, sometimes, how much a role the Church had on sexual behavior, after reading accounts of Spanish missionaries among often unwilling Natives of Latin American and elsewhere.]
It shouldn’t surprise anyone that men love to display their male organ. It’s still done today. Are we so naive we don’t recognize it, or its representation when we see it? Freud’s interpretation of the world may have been extreme, but jutting male organ or its representation is just that.
[Maggie Paley, playwright and journalist wrote a book, published in 2000 (Grove Press) entitled “The Book of the Penis.”]
What do men do with their male organ, I mean other than gain pleasure from it, either alone or with others? They talk about it. Its men that really emphasize its size. It’s men that talk about their escapades with it to other men, sometimes to women, whether they really want to hear all the lies or not. And, when they don’t do these things they show it off as much as it is acceptable within the context of any era!
But, there’s a problem when men relate to each other their escapades. It causes a bit of social tension. There’s a kind of one-upmanship between men. And, the younger men are always and everywhere more successful, more virile, more enduring and lasting. This has not been tolerated by the elders. So, many cultures had developed methods to suppress the younger men from taking all the women. These methods are called rites of passage, which unfortunately deal with penis mutilation, with circumcision, subincision, superincison and the like. The surgical techniques decommission a young lad and not only that, these young men are then often isolated from the women away from the village or enclosed in huts for weeks or sometimes for years.
But, all that changed with the introduction of Christianity. So, styles arose beginning during the Renaissance to display the organ of virility. The word “cod” originally meant scrotum, after some changes in style, which Maggie Paley relates, so did the meaning of the word. When codpieces finally out of style, the word cod began to mean “fool.”
This was about the 17th century. And, what took the place during this time that substituted displaying the penis? It was dawn of another male exhibition, machinery, the industrial revolution. Oh, like the industrial revolution had much to do with women or children? Not more other than in the role of servitude or as recipients of its products (note the sexual reference). This trend has continued from steam engines to nuclear weapons, after all what does an atomic explosion look like, if not the ultimate phallic symbol?
Thank you Ann. See, no one has called anyone anything. RELIGION will not let you go to the airport in spray on clothing. The parents with children would have you arrested or stoned. SOCIETY just isn’t ready for it. There would be such an uproar it would be banned. You’d go down in history though…for sure.
I’ve always thought it strange that nudity is always deemed more dangerous than violence in movies .A women’s breast is apparently more disturbing and incite-ful than some one doing any kind of violence . I’ve seen depictions of someone being killed with a power drill ( on TV ). A dinner party cut completely in half by a cable ( TV , not a pay channel ). Numerous shootings and shooting victims ( some real incidents , again on TV ) But even the most innocent nudity is almost always censored . Apparently the sight of a women’s breasts are more dangerous than any violent act that Hollywood can muster ! They are even blocking out nudity in masterpiece paintings on TV !
You’re welcome, Loraine
Mirlen101, oddly enough, a Jesuit priest once related to me the very same notion. You know the “Jesuits,” some of whom in the past, at least, endorsed Liberation Theology, and tend not necessarily to side with the Vatican on certain issues, if … etc. They changed a lot since they were enforcers of the inquisition of the Middle Ages. If there is any group of “free-thinkers” in the old institution, it’s academic Jesuits.
I sometime wonder how it would be, if we lived in a society without body coverings? Perhaps we’d be a bit healthier. I don’t think people like layers of lard as much as sleek body forms. Perhaps this why the Greeks were more conscious of healthy things such as exercise and sports and originated the Olympics?
Good point Ann I’m sure your right about that . I know I’d be exercising more 😉 I lost 18 lbs just because I was going on a cruise 😉 Unfortunately I gained it back and more ;-/ And that cruise was to the Alaskan coast where there weren’t any skimpy clothing days ! Of course eating at the buffet was the main entertainment on the cruise 😉