Bio-couture: The Future of Fashion?

I stumbled upon a link to the BioCouture research project and was intrigued by what I found there. From what I’ve found by looking through the various photos on the website is that the goal is to radically change the clothing industry to address the ecological impact and the sustainability of fashion in the future. There have been a number of movements in the last few years to reduce the environmental impact of the immensely destructive chothing industry. Recycling and Refashioning have challenged the way that fabrics are viewed and used. Organic and Fair Trade seek to address the economic and ecological devastation visited upon developing countries. However, this BioCouture movement may just be the most radical yet. They have created and are using a new type of fiber, bacterial-cellulose combined with natural fruit, vegetable and spices to dye the material. Their website, which seems unfinished, does show some completed pieces including a “Veggie” Biker jacket decorated with and a “denim” shirt stained indigo with natural colorants. What I’m most surprised to see if that most of these materials are dated 2007.

Under the “links” section is the equivalent of an “About” page that lists information about the project team members. These include an author, Suzanne Lee, and a Dr. who serves as co-director of a Biotech firm funded by a grant from The Research Centre for Fashion, the Body and Material Cultures. You can purchase a copy of Ms. Lee’s book, published in 2005, on Amazon: Fashioning the Future: Tomorrow’s Wardrobe. Unfortunately, there are no excerpts, comments or descriptions of the content of any kind. The Biotech firm Cellucomp, lists as their vision, “To be the World leader in th e provision of products based on high performance composites derived from sustainable sources which utilise green production methods”. I belive this to be a lofty and commendable goal for this Scottish start-up. They are known for materials such as Curran, a biocomposite made from carrots. This materials has been used to create everyday items such as fishing poles and tennis rackets and is said to be as strong as carbon fiber. Curran received an honorable mention for the MEDIUM Award for Material of the Year for 2009:

Curran by Cellucomp (UNITED KINGDOM) is a high-strength biofiber formulated from degraded carrots with a stiffness that rivals carbon fiber. The material is remarkable for its capacity to enhance sustainability in a wide range of applications where lightness, maximum performance, and durability are crucial, from consumer products to aeronautics.

In poking around the internet a bit more, I was able to locate the new, updated website for The Biocouture project website.  An update on the homepage indicates that the new BioCouture jacket is on display at London’s Science Museum in the Wellcome Wing. The jacket will appear in a new exhibit titled, “‘Trash Fashion: designing out waste’” beginning June 2010 through February 2011.

I’ll continue to follow the exciting developments of the BioCouture project. I love the idea of growing fabric from bacteria using environmentally-friendly manufacturing practices. Perhaps one day I’ll be able to buy new clothes without damaging the earth. Until then though, I’ll just keep refashioning the clothes I recycle from Goodwill.

Filed under Environmentally Focused, Events, Products, Shopping, Website | Tags: biocomposite, BioCouture, biofiber, Cellucomp, Curran, eco-friendly, fashion, London Science Museum, natural, Trash Fashion, vegetarian | Comment (0)