A stain-resistant and crease-free shirt which feels like a regular fabric has been created by Leeds student Natasha Newsham who graduates from the University this month (July 19th). Graduating with a first class degree in Fashion Design Management (industrial), Natasha Newsham sourced new technologies and combined them to create a groundbreaking treatment for stain-free and crease-resistant clothes.
The prototype garments are almost indistinguishable from untreated products, in contrast to existing techniques which sacrifice comfort and style by stiffening the fabric.
The School of Design's research work gave Natasha direct access to cutting-edge technology companies, and the opportunity to combine their expertise into a world class treatment.
Her lecturer Dave Brook verified the quality: “These new technologies make fabric far superior to what is currently available, with no reduction in quality. It’s a quantum leap in performance and miles ahead of the competition.”
One strong partnership was with P2i Ltd, and its revolutionary plasma based technology. Rather than applying a surface-coating to rolls of cloth, the process changes the molecular structure of the finished garment, making it highly water and stain-resistant yet breathable.
Natasha’s breakthrough came by incorporating a further chemical process to make the fabric crease-resistant. “The techniques worked amazingly together, and the tests exceeded all of our expectations”, she revealed, “For the first time, we’ve made a stain-free, crease-resistant shirt that looks and feels amazing and anyone would be proud to wear.”
The treatment is more environmentally friendly than any other substitute and so appeals to an increasingly 'green' population. This reinforced Natasha’s decision to select this technology.
