The 3D printer uses an innovative technique to add layers of fabric rather than creating hard objects, which could revolutionize the 3D printing world.

Disney Research has created a new type of 3D printer that uses layers of soft fabric instead of plastic or metal to create objects that are soft and pliable, as opposed to typical 3D printed objects which are completely solid.

The machine lays down a sheet of fabric such as cotton or felt and then uses a laser to cut the shape of the bottom layer, and then treat it with a heat-sensitive adhesive with another layer of fabric placed on topic, according to an NBC News report.

The machine then laser cuts the layer again, continuing the process over and over again until the fabric that surrounds the object can be removed, leaving behind the object.

The 3D printer can use multiple types of fabric, or even more rigid materials. The machine could also be used on electronics.

Although the technique still needs more refinement, it could be a breakthrough in the nascent world of 3D printing, allowing it to make clothes and smart toys.

Disney has been known to try wild new concepts in the tech and digital realm, but it doesn’t often invest in something that isn’t for certain going to be a winner. Disney is taking a similarly cautious approach with this 3D printer.

Although like with typical 3D printers, the end result is a solid block, with this machine you can peel back the layers surrounding it to find a soft, plush object inside.

Since the machine can be used on many fabric types, the options are nearly limitless for what can be created with this technology.

James McCann, coauthor of the new study from Disney’s Research Program, was quoted in Science Times as saying that the machine has also demonstrated the ability to embed layers of conductive fabric that could have a touch sensing ability that could be combiend with an LED display.

“We present a new type of 3D printer that can form precise, but soft and deformable 3D objects from layers of off-the shelf fabric,” he said.