Thousands and thousands of patents are granted each year, but not every invention is cool and thrilling. In fact, some of these inventions have been dubbed as the weirdest creations that can end up in the museum of curiosities.
Toilet Mask
Back then, in the Victorian times, people were so obsessed with beauty that they placed a very high emphasis on their physical appearance. Ideas and standards about beauty used to vary substantially for different cultures and from one era to another but at that time, the basic standards for women’s beauty were based on things like facial symmetry and the color of the eyes. A woman with clear skin, symmetrical features, healthy hair, beautiful eyes, plump lips and the desired waist to hip ratio would have been considered beautiful in almost any culture back then. This is the reason why perfumes, oils and other beauty treatments were the rages in the Victorian era.
During this same era, a woman named Madame Helen M Rowley, who was an Ohio dressmaker, decided to create the very first toilet mask. Created out of a flexible rubber, this mask was designed to beautify and preserve the beauty and facial appearance of a woman. The invention was patented in 1875 and Madame Rowley called it her, “Mask for Medical Purposes”.
The mask was soft and pliable and was meant to be worn at night. There was neither any need to wash them off.
Madame Rowley further explained the science behind her mask. Firstly, it could allow more sweating that would purify and soften the skin. And, secondly, it could prevent blemishes and preserve the skin. The masks eventually became so popular that other women and a few companies started making their own versions. However, when materials like sulfur, lead and asbestos were used, the masks became hazardous and caused much more damage to the skin.
Honestly, I don’t know for you, but I thank my lucky stars for not being born in that era and having to wear that horrible Halloween mask.
Milk Clothing
You might have heard about clothing made from bamboo or bio-based fibers, but I can bet you’ve never heard of clothing made from milk.
According to a recent research by The Guardian, one in six pints of milk produced globally is usually wasted, which results in the waste of around 128 million tons of milk per year. And, how many times have your milk gone sour and spoiled and you had to throw it away? Well, I’ve stopped counting.
However, when German fashion designer Anke Domaske, looked at a glass of milk, she thought about all the T-shirts she could make from it. That sounds weird, but in 2011, the fashion designer accomplished her dream.
During the year of the rabbit, a new ground-breaking fabric was unveiled to the world. QMilch was the first man-made fabric that was produced using high concentrations of the milk protein casein and let me add that the fabric was made without any chemicals.
Have a look at Domaske’s statement to the world:
“The casein is extracted from dried milk powder and then heated up in a type of meat-mincing machine with other natural ingredients. This fabric is very ecological but also has many health benefits. For example, the amino acids in the milk are antibacterial, anti-aging and can help regulate both blood circulation and body temperature. Moreover, this fabric feels like silk and it doesn’t smell — you can wash it just like anything else.”
The Flask Tie
The world has seen hidden drinking pouches and tiny buckle flasks, but now we are moving into a new era where you could easily sneak a drink into your workplace.
The flask tie consists of a cheap necktie – don’t expect any fancy Louis Vitton stuff – with a hidden pouch that can be inserted inside the fabric. And, of course, you can pour any of your favorite beverage into the pouch and “wear” it around your neck.
Sounds kind of fun, right? If only we could wear ties at school!