http://www.antipope.org/charlie/blog-static/2013/11/the-next-revolution-will-not-b.html

[discussion of spray-on felt and 3D printing individual fibers in situ to make cloth]

TRX
November 15, 2013
20:
> scrubs
Laundering scrubs is expensive, and the theft rate is high, which is why some hospitals use "ugly scrubs" to try to keep people from stealing them. Hospitals might well be early adopters.

Laundering in general is a hassle for people who don't have washing machines, the price of which has gone up quite a bit in my market in recent years. Time, travel, and expense for using a laundromat... for inexpensive clothing, the break-even point for replacement might not be all that high.

The cosplay people would probably squee with joy at the simplicity of making new costumes...

My wife buys purses like some people buy shoes. Each one is sized and pocketed to contain some specific combination of "stuff." It seems nothing is ever quite what she wants. Being able to design one on-screen and then print it would... probably fill the closets up faster, perhaps.

Buying a new pair of shoes is a miserable experience due to the shape of my feet. Just this morning I unboxed a new pair; I bought six pair a year ago, identical, after finding they fit. Next time I need shoes, that model probably won't be available, going by past experience. Even if all I can do is print an upper and have a shoemaker bond it to a sole, I'd be way ahead.

Come to think of it, my wife has made almost the same complaint about brassieres.


TRX
November 15, 2013
21:
> carpet
Sound deadening! It's a multimillion-dollar industry on its own.

Also, custom-shaped, formed-in-place filter material.


TRX
November 16, 2013
85:
I've found a dozen "articles" consisting of re-hashed images and PR from Fabrican's web site. Though their web site goes back to early 2010, they don't seem to actually have anything to sell. There seems to be remarkably little detailed information on the web, or any sign anyone is using the product for anything. (I quit searching at a dozen links)

As it is described - self-felting fibers in a spray can - it would be a useful product *right now*, without "Real Soon Now" technology like 3D printing or nanotech.

As a purely speculative guess, I'd suspect the carrier solvent is a problem. It would have to be nontoxic, noncarcinogenic, non-irritating, and not fall under any "volatiles", poison control, or "substance abuse" environmental regulations. That's a pretty stiff problem, and one various industries have been working on for decades already.

Even if they can't solve the problem directly, spraying fibers that could be fused or vulcanized by heat would be useful. "After spraying, bake for 20 minutes at 150C..."