Wearable articles using earthen materials

Abstract

Garments are constructed utilizing wearable textile pieces composed of earth- and bio-based materials. The wearable textiles include 65% clay-rich raw soil, with the balance being bio-based based polymers such as cornstarch, glycerin, cellulose, gelatin, alginate, agar, or combinations thereof, and fiber additives such as wheat straw, paper waste, or combinations thereof. The solid components are mixed with water or vinegar and heated to a predetermined temperature before being cast and cured in molds having the desired shape, e.g., a sheet of soil-based fabric, a shape corresponding to a portion of a garment, etc. The textiles can be fabricated with a thickness between about 0.1 cm and about 2 cm, and further combined to form garments via processes such as laser-cutting, embroidery, or machine sewing. These garments can be composed entirely of these wearable textiles, integrating raw soil with naturally occurring bio-based plastics to create clothing that is flexible, lightweight and biodegradable.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.