Fabrican: Spray-On Fabric
Fabrican, a new spray-on fabric, could not only change fashion, but could also provide medical applications...
Invented by fashion designer Manel Torres, the concept for Fabrican came from a common party supply: silly string. Torres sidetracked from fashion into chemistry and created an aerosol spray that hardens into a non-woven material that can be washed and worn.
In 2000 Fabrican patented an instant, sprayable, non-woven fabric. From its base at the Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London, Fabrican technology has captured the imagination of designers, industry and the public around the word. The technology has been developed for use in household, industrial, personal and healthcare, decorative and fashion applications using aerosol cans or spray-guns, and will soon be found in products available everywhere. The New York Times listed Fabrican as the 6th Best Invention of 2010.
The fabric is formed by the cross-linking of fibres, which adhere to one another, to create an instant non-woven fabric that can be easily sprayed onto any surface. Its properties can be tailored to meet the needs of each user. A multitude of fabrics of varied colours, textures, and properties, all sprayable from an aerosol can.
Fabrican can also be used for medical purposes. Some cans can spray a hardening material which could be formed into a cast for broken bones. If tweaked the can could also contain medicine or nano-tech that could be applied with the fibers and help wounds heal faster with less chance of infection. The fabric coming out of the can is sterile, so no germs can latch onto it prior to being sprayed on.
