Ko


Sustainability —   BioDesign

Materials matter. Hugely so. As a single impact category, raw material production is responsible for more emissions than any other in the industry, as much as 38%. This part of fashion is also most responsible for biodiversity destruction and a host of other environmental harms. If we look at the data .. it’s clear that the fashion industry which wants to exist in alignment with the earth ...must accept that the production of both fossil fuel based and animal derived materials must be moved beyond. (Hakanson, E. (2023). Total fashion ethics. Heads and Tales.)


 

What are the new innovations that deviate from our traditional understandings of using natural resources for fashion goods? 

Aims

My task aims to explore how innovative materials like kombucha leather can challenge traditional approaches to fashion design by working with, rather than extracting from natural systems. Through experimentation, I investigate the potential of bio design to create sustainable, biodegradable fashion goods that minimise environmental impact and waste. By focusing on small scale, intentional production and embracing the organic qualities of the material, my project aims to reimagine fashion as a collaborative process with nature, one that prioritises sustainability, reduces overconsumption, and aligns design practices with ethical and ecological values.

Fibre Properties:

  • 100% biodegradable 

  • Less water and land to produce 

  • Regains mouisture from the body over time, so it needs to be waterproofed 

  • Takes over a month to grow adequate thickness