This Seam-Healing Fabric Liquid Won’t Have You in Stitches

“Squid is a limited resource.”

“Discarded clothing is a major global problem.”

Raise your hand if you think you know where this is going. BZZZT! Sorry, no, not wearable squids. You’ll have to wait for the rise of Cthulhu to get your hands on those. Rather, the two quotes above, from Penn State professor Melik Demirel to CNN Money, are in reference to a new liquid that can repair torn clothes simply by applying it, some pressure, and warm water. It’s made of bacteria and yeast, and “has similar properties and structure to protein found in human hair, nails and squid tentacles.”

As you can see in the video above, the process isn’t seamless–you can still see where the tear used to be. But that could lead to a whole new fashion statement, with shirts torn and repaired over and over for deliberate repaired-seam patterns.

Seriously, though, the main idea here is to quickly seal things like biohazard suits if they rip. “If you need to use enzymes for biological or chemical effects, you can have an encapsulated enzyme with self-healing properties degrade the toxin before it reaches the skin,” said Demirel, in a statement quoted by Gizmodo

It sounds like in the future, your only excuse for wearing torn jeans will be your own self-belief that you’re in a late-’80s music video. But we’d never want to disabuse you of that notion.

Are you ready to throw away the sewing kit? Tell us your thoughts in comments.

Featured image: Penn State Research Communications/YouTube