The machines humming at Catawba Valley Community College in North Carolina may be spinning the next hot seller in socks.

A lab in Hickory recently perfected the latest invention in clothing: fabric made from corn.

Four North Carolina companies now produce clothing made from ingeo, the patented cloth that looks and feels like cotton but is actually a man-made fiber derived from plant sugars. The fabric is biodegradable and has become a big seller in environmentally conscious Japan.

Scientists have also developed clothing made from bamboo and crab shells, a niche in manufacturing that companies say will save jobs and is creating room for expansion in a very competitive industry.

A pair of socks made from corn cost between eight and nine dollars to buy. Several department stores, including Nordstrom and REI now sell them, and deals are in the works with other major department stores.

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