Video: Spray-on clothing

Forget weaving and stitching clothes. A new material could be sprayed directly onto your body and have you ready to go out in minutes.

Particle engineer Paul Luckham and fashion designer Manel Torres from Imperial College London combined cotton fibres, polymers and a solvent to form a liquid that becomes a fabric when sprayed. The material can be built up in layers to create a garment of your desired thickness and can also be washed and worn again like conventional fabrics.


In addition to creating instant fashion, the technology could have a range of other uses – spray-on bandages, for instance. “It’s a sterilised material coming from an aerosol can, and you can add drugs to it to help a wound heal faster,” says Torres.

On Monday, a fashion show at Imperial will feature the first couture collection created with the material.