The use of biomaterials in fashion and construction can help reduce carbon emissions
The Exploring Jacket
, is not your typical anorak. The color of the jacket is not dyed, but produced by a bacteria called Streptomyces Coelicolor. The bacteria produce a pigment in a spectrum of colors, from pinks and reds to purples and blues. They also create patterns that resemble the grain of polished stone. Their goal? This is biodesign. This is biodesign.“Nature has evolved over billions of years to assemble atoms in much smarter and more efficient ways than human beings have been able to achieve. Biotechnology allows NPOL to create products with a smaller carbon footprint by using naturally occurring systems. For instance, the bacterial dye used to create the Exploring Jacket uses significantly less water than conventional plant-based dyes, as no farmland is needed.
NPOL’s latest product is the Gathering Lamp, which is made from bioconcrete. Bioconcrete is made from limestone-producing bacteria and is grown at ambient temperatures. It emits 95 percent less than traditional cement, which is usually manufactured by burning limestone. The Gathering Lamp can be easily upgraded or recycled when its life is over. We’re trying to keep materials in circulation. After all, we can’t be investing billions of dollars into building new biobased materials, only for them to end up in landfill,” Chieza explains.
Natsai Audrey Chieza, founder of R&D studio Faber Futures.
Toby Coulson
