The worst goodbye is when you have to give away your favourite dress or shirt just because it’s too tight or too loose.
Imagine that your clothes fit you, even if you gain weight or lose some. For all those who love their wardrobes, Harvard has come up with an innovative alternative to our one-size fabrics.
Researchers at the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) have created a material that can change its shape and can also bounce back to its original one.
Keratin is a fibrous protein that is present in hair, shells, nails, and also wool.
In a test, the researchers programmed the material in the form of an origami star. It was soaked in water and rolled into a tube. When the material was immersed again in water, it unfolded into its original shape of an origami star.
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Let’s take the example of hair to understand how it works. People who straighten or curl their hair know that hair goes back to its original form as soon as it touches water.
In the same way, this material contains keratin and comes back to its shape when certain stimuli is applied.
The material goes through a two-step process of 3D printing and is then set in a permanent shape. This process allows the fabric to mold into endless possibilities and to form complex shapes.
The Possible Uses Of This Material
With this invention, the possibilities are endless. This fabric can produce a true one-size-fits-all cloth that can fit any shape and size.
The researchers believe that the material can be used to make brassieres that can change the shape and size of the cup at any time, or for actuating textiles for medical therapeutics.
We are used to dumping clothes as soon as they stretch out. This creation will not only help to control fashion waste but will also help to recycle the existing waste into a much better form.
Image credits: Google Images
Source: Nature Materials, YouTube, The Harvard Gazette
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