Approximately 16 million tons of clothing is thrown into landfills in the U.S. with nearly all having the potential to be recyclable. Our design addresses this problem by preventing issues that cause people to throw away their clothing, stopping clothes from ending up in landfills and releasing toxins and emitting greenhouse gases. Our design, Barbulous Fabric, is based on the structure of bird feathers and can be repaired by steam. It is made of textiles woven with fibers that have microscopic branches that lock onto the branches of other fibers. When steamed or washed, the branches become more malleable and self-heal. Barbulous Fabric is also stain-proof and waterproof, which eliminates two major reasons people throw their clothes away, which translates to less pollution.
