Egyptian Mummy-Wrapping Material Makes This Shirt More Durable As It Ages

The throwaway nature of fast fashion seems to be a step back from the long-lasting fabrics that the Egyptians used 5,000 years ago. This shirt is a testament to that. It’s made of an ancient nettle that stands up to age, heat, and humidity—even getting stronger when exposed to those elements.

The ‘Off Grid Shirt’ is designed by Vollebak, a UK company that rethinks fashion with science and technology. Previously, it launched an ‘Apocalypse Jacket’ that’s resistant to fire; and a black T-shirt dyed in CO2-absorbing algae ink. As suggested by its name, the Off Grid Shirt is made for surviving away from the cushy comforts of city life; it could even be the only shirt you’ll take with you for when you need to pack light.

As a be-all and end-all shirt, the Off Grid Shirt has to be durable, low-maintenance, and comfortable. Vollebak meets these requirements by looking to the past, instead of reinventing the wheel, and has opted for a type of nettle that the ancient Egyptians used to bandage mummies with, Yanko Design reports.

Not to be confused with the common nettle, which will sting you, this plant—now known as ramie—has high-strength fibers in its stalks that can be turned into industrial sewing thread, fishing nets, packing materials, and more.

Instead of weakening over time, ramie strengthens, and it even gets more durable when wet. The material is also resistant to bacteria and mildew.

Vollebak softens the rigid fibers of ramie by mixing them with lightweight and cooling Pima cotton—“one of the lightest and softest fabrics you can wear,” the brand says. On top of that, a Japanese kneading technique called ÅŒmi sarashi is employed to soften the material further.

Together, they form a fabric that’s hardy, ultra-soft, and lightweight, while being moisture-wicking, quick-drying, and unyielding for decades.

Since it’s all about helping its wearer live off the grid, the shirt has two large front pockets for additional storage, and held together with tough metal parts.

90% of the top’s dye comes from the white flesh of red turnips. A darker, purple-gray variation is colored with blueberries that were rejected from a Japanese fruit farm for being bruised or odd-shaped.

Having been tried and tested by Egyptian mummies, this is one garment that would likely outlive your everyday T-shirts and chinos.

[via Yanko Design and Vollebak, images via Vollebak]