Noil easily dyed, and can also be made waterproof, by using a polyurethane coating. This also increases their usage in furnishings industry. Silk noil hails from China, from where it was exported to Europe in the middle ages, especially to Italy. It was used to create silk blends, through the first half of the 14th century. However, over the time the use decreased. With an increase in demand and variety of alternatives and low-cost substitutes, Noil has re-surfaced – experiencing a sort of revival. In India, noil is used to make sarees, materials and furnishings. Noil Noil is the short fiber
Solar cell fabric Solar cell fabric Solar cell fabric is a fabric with embedded photovoltaic (PV) cells which generate electricity when exposed to light. Traditional silicon based solar cells are expensive to manufacture, rigid and fragile. Although less efficient, thin-film cells and organic polymer based cells can be produced quickly and cheaply. They are also flexible and can be stitched onto fabric. According to an article from New Scientist researchers have built a PV cell in the layers around a fiber, creating a tiny cylindrical cell. No longer limited to rooftops and poles, solar collection could work silently and unobtrusively from everyday objects.