Will we be dissolving our clothes after a few wears in hot water? As far as a team of researchers from the ATLAS Institute at the CU Boulder are concerned, we will. According to a new study, the technology could well be able to change the fashion industry for the better.
Fashion isn’t a sustainable industry. In 2023, it produced 97 million tons of waste. Consuming less and second hand might be part of the solution but these tactics won’t resolve the entire issue and they are difficult to pair with people’s desire for novelties. With fast fashion, we’ve become accustomed to ever-changing trends and fast turnovers in our wardrobes – in spite of the disastrous effect on our planet.
The new research might be able to offer a solution that could satisfy our hunger for new clothes as sustainably as possible. The researchers have developed a prototype for a DIY machine that spins textile fibres made of materials like sustainably sourced gelatine, costing just 560 dollars to build and small enough to fit on a desk. The textiles obtained by the machine feel very much like flax and can be dissolved in nothing but hot water in a matter of minutes to hours.
“When you don’t want these textiles anymore, you can dissolve them and recycle the gelatine to make more fibres”, explains Michael Rivera, co-author of the research and assistant professor at the ATLAS Institute and Department of Computer Science.
Even though gelatine (which is derived from animal bones) might not seem so sustainable at first glance, according to the scientists, it is. Large volumes of gelatine are thrown out by meat producers every year because it doesn’t meet the requirements for cosmetics or food products. Moreover, the researchers are also doing experiments with agar-agar, a gelatine alternative derived from algae.
The gelatine liquid obtained by the machine is spun into long fibres, which can be compared to those of a cobweb. Additions and colouring can be added throughout the process in order to become the perfect textile texture. Because of the low price and the many possibilities, the team is convinced the machine and technique would also be tempting to hobbyists or debutant designers.
“You could customise fibres with the strength and elasticity you want, the colour you want,” co-author Lázaro Vásquez said. “With this kind of prototyping machine, anyone can make fibres. You don’t need the big machines that are only in university chemistry departments.”
