Having practical and durable clothing is one of the biggest challenges faced by the growing number of homeless people across the world.  Social impact startup Unhoused believes that it has found at least part of an answer with their self-cleaning hoodie.

The hoodie uses nanotechnology to repel everything from liquids to stains, and they pledge to donate a hoodie to the homeless for every garment bought in their online store.

The idea for the product came when the co-founder of the company noticed the consistently dirty clothing worn by people sleeping on the streets, and so began hunting down a solution that would allow the garments to keep themselves clean without requiring washing facilities.

The company developed their own nanotech-based solution, called Freshtech, which ensures that liquid either bounces off the surface, or beads off without soaking through.  The team believes this ensures that the garment remains clean and odor-free.

Sustainable clothing

The clothing is also designed to be as sustainable as possible, with the company highlighting how much water is saved when washing is not required as frequently.

Over 700 homeless people died in the UK last year, with many of these as a result of the cold and damp conditions they’re exposed to when sleeping rough.  It perhaps goes without saying that a hoodie is but a small part of a much wider solution required to rectify this dire situation, but the company hope that it will be playing a part in providing this vulnerable community with clothing they can rely on.

You can see the fabric in action via the video below.