The Silic shirt is an amazing garment that just doesn’t catch a stain. No matter what you spill on it – water, soda, or even ketchup – it just rolls right off the T-shirt. Invented by San Francisco based student, Aamir Patel, the shirts are made from a material with billions of silica particles bonded to the fibers on a microscopic level.
Despite the unique material used, Silic shirts are said to feel no different from regular clothing. Patel has created a Kickstarter page for his unique invention and has already exceeded his target of raising $20,000. The campaign closes on 26th January. The shirts are expected to go on sale online in May, at $50 apiece.
Patel has been working on the shirt project for a year-and-a-half now. For his first prototype, he simply sprayed a stain-resistant chemical on a shirt, but he realized it would last for only one wash. Then he started to think of a way to incorporate the technology right into the fabric. After several trials and errors, he finally managed to create a fabric that is stain-proof on a molecular level. Not only does the technology last longer,but it doesn’t even irritate the skin, either. Patel says that most liquid molecules will not be able to touch the fabric because of a microscopic layer of air that forms between the liquid and fabric.
“This is because the fabric is layered with billions of silica particles,” he says. “Water based liquids will form a 150 degree sphere and roll right off! As a result, this barrier protects your shirt from potential accidents.” According to the Kickstarter page, Silic shirts are expected to last for up to 80 washes, so that’s easily about two years of use. There are a few care instructions – do not use fabric softener, do not bleach the shirt, or wash it with colors. You can’t iron it either, or have it dry cleaned. You need to tumble-dry the shirts on low heat every few washes, to reactivate the technology.
Patel says he got the idea for the shirts after hearing about hydrophobic spray – a chemical that is completely water resistant. “I thought about putting it on a T-shirt but when I was making a prototype, after a while I became very light headed and I realized it may not be safe to use. I also realized that if I were to put this on clothing, it would wear off after just one wash so it wouldn’t be sustainable,” he said.
“To make it safe and last longer, I put the technology into the polyester of the T-shirt while it was being made on a nanoscale, molecular level.” Patel assures us that the Silic shirts are now completely safe and have no carcinogenic properties. The Silic shirts are not only spill-proof, they look good too. Patel has partnered with a designer and worked alongside a leading textile technology company to produce a high quality line of T-shirts. “Our patterns enhance any kind of torso, which gives you a bold look,” he said. “The final colors will be black and white.”
Shirts that repel stains – sounds awesome. I think I’ll get myself a few.
Source: Kickstarter via Daily Mail
