Not so soft: incorporating rigid elements in textiles

Textiles are typically soft and compliant, widely used in clothing and everyday materials for their flexibility and comfort. By integrating rigid, discrete elements, we can create hybrid materials with interesting mechanical properties. In this work, we explore the emergent behaviors of these materials, leveraging the interplay between geometry and elasticity. Our results suggest that these hybrid systems may exhibit mechanical characteristics at larger length scales than those typically observed in soft matter, which is often constrained by gravity. This approach opens new possibilities for designing materials with tailored mechanical properties across various applications.