Nonwovens from Silk Swarms
3D printing + silkworms = nonwoven fabrics. Yes, it’s true, and researchers at MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) have combined the raw material and the technology to create something truly unique. Silk is a beautiful raw material and very delicate (how often have you bought something made with silk and then realized you had to have it dry cleaned because regular washing ruins it?). Researchers used the silkworms to help create fabric that covered a dome-like structure with metal scaffolding. No worries though – no silkworms were harmed in the process – after they helped create the fabric, they were able to complete their maturation into moths. Quite clever.
