There are few things as mortifying as getting a big coffee stain on your shirtfront just before a big meeting. Aussie startup Threadsmiths believes it has come up with a solution in the form of the Cavalier T-shirt: a new type of clothing material that supposedly can never be stained. We thought we’d put Threadsmiths’ claims to the test, via a variety of heavy-hitting liquids including wine, coffee and beetroot juice. Here is the video. (Safety goggles may be required.)
The Threadsmiths Cavalier is billed as the only white T-shirt you’ll ever need. Its main claim to fame is a patented hydrophobic nanotechnology application that enhances the material’s resistance to water and stains. This causes spills to bead up and roll off the fabric without leaving any traces behind. In other words, it’s a duck’s back — in shirt form.
According to Threadsmiths, the materials it uses do not contain any aerosol applications or dangerous chemicals, which makes the clothing completely safe to wear. The shirts can also be washed normally, although the hydrophobic spray will wear away over time. To retain maximum liquid repellency, the company recommends sticking the Cavalier in a tumble dryer at low heat every few washes.
In terms of style, the Cavalier leans towards functional with a classic design made from 100 per cent cotton. It’s certainly acceptable everyday wear, although we found the material to be on the clingy side. As such, you need to possess a fit or shapely physique to look really great in this thing; if you have a paunch, it’s going to show (as proven by both of us in the video).
We were initially pretty dubious about this so-called miracle cloth, but as the below video attests, it more or less works as advertised. All but the most viscous concoctions came off with a few paper towel wipes, including the notorious beetroot juice. (This meant I got to toss a mug of coffee at my boss; something many have dreamed of, but few ever get to experience. Unfortunately, Gus is a great guy so the opportunity was wasted.)
Of the liquids tested, the only conclusive failure was Sriracha chilli sauce, which isn’t too surprising — that stuff can practically strip paint. For more conventional spills, the Cavalier is a perfect social faux pas dodger. There are currently two styles available, with prices starting at $65.
Comments
12 responses to “Shirt Happens: We Test Threadsmiths’ Liquid-Proof Clothing Range”
Video link is broken
Should be working now?
Yep. Looks fun!
Video removed by user.
I feel dirty having watched that.
I filmed this. To be honest, it was f**king rank.
Volume is way too low.
Just seems to be another nanosphere-coated, technical fabric shirt. You can find the same from Outlier and Arc’teryx Veilance.
man nipples, wet shirt, sticky fingers and beetroot juice…or as I call it…. Date Night.
What are the health implications? Nano particles do not exist in nature, and are purportedly small enough to invade human cells and damage DNA. Has anyone done safety research on this fabric, or more generally, on nano-particles in contact with humans?
what about beer?
What about man juice?
Surely this is nsfw. Way too much nipple.