A new shirt by fashion startup Vollebak may be one of the most durable pieces of clothing ever designed. Made from carbon fibers, like the ones found in missiles, jet engines, and luxury vehicles, it’s the latest advancement in fashion technology. The innovative design looks like your average sportswear but claims to withstand years of extreme wear and tear; perfect for hiking, running, or spending lots of time outdoors.
Vollebak distinguishes itself as a clothing brand at the intersection of outdoor fashion and groundbreaking technology. They recently came out with a jacket made of graphene which is the strongest, lightest material ever invented. Using the only material to have won a Nobel prize, Vollebak set out to achieve their goal of creating bionic clothing. Then there was its solar-charged jacket that won notice on TIME magazine’s Best Inventions of 2018 list.
Carbon fibers were first used by Thomas Edison as the filaments inside of the lightbulb, then eventually used as reinforcement for any plastic found inside of jet engines and missiles because of its major durability and lack of weight. Carbon’s atomic structure is five times stronger than that of steel, but still incredibly lightweight. The British Ministry of Defense owns the patents for the material and leases it out to manufacturers of planes, missiles and, of course, luxury vehicles like Rolls Royce.
The carbon fibers need to be woven with something in order to create structure, and Volleback went with elastane to give the fabric a super light, breathable feel and four-way stretch. The fabric is also hydrophilic, making it moisture-wicking and somewhat stain-proof.
Unfortunately, the shirt is not biodegradable, but this isn’t your traditional, mass-produced “fast fashion” that contributes to environmental pollution. The shirt is designed to “outlive you” without falling apart or tearing. The company claims recycling fabric is a very high priority for them. The t-shirt is now
Fashion Tech: Vollebak’s T-Shirt Made From Carbon Fibers Found in Jets — Sources
Fast Company: This T-shirt Is Made From Carbon Fibers Usually Found in Jet Engines
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