A textile now turns air into drinking water.
Engineers at the University of Texas at Austin have built a prototype jacket from a biomass-derived hydrogel fiber. The material absorbs moisture from the surrounding air and releases it as liquid water. In laboratory tests the garment produced up to 900 ml of potable water per day, enough for an average adult. The researchers say the jacket works without batteries or external power.
If the concept scales, it could help hikers, disaster responders, or anyone in water‑scarce environments stay hydrated without carrying bottles. It also shows a new route for integrating climate‑responsive materials into everyday apparel. The performance, however, hinges on ambient humidity, so the jacket is useless in dry climates and still far from commercial use.
For now it remains a clever lab demo rather than a ready‑to‑wear solution.