Bringing Biofabrication into Fashion

What is Biofabrication?

With the rise in eco-conscious consumers and the need for more sustainable methods of production, radical new connections between science, tech and design have emerged. The application of biofabrication into the fashion production cycle has been on of these new fields of discovery. Biofabrication is a discipline is a relatively new field of study, rooted in the health sciences. Typically defined as the production of complex products from raw elements like cells and biomaterial, this process of production has spread across industries and is being explored as an alternative to current fashion production methods. 

So, what can biofabrication do that machines can’t? 

First, cells and biomaterial aren’t comprised of plastic that won’t biodegrade over time. Overconsumption, paired with plastic use has led to this petroleum byproduct being found in every eco-system on the planet (even in human breastmilk). Unlike products made from plastics, products constructed from biomaterials will biodegrade over time, reducing their ecological footprint drastically for the product lifespan. This means that even if we don’t change our hyper consumption of fashion, we will at least be able to dispose of our clothing knowing it won’t out last us. Current innovations in algae-based polymers such as Agar can contribute to the phasing out of plastics in fashion. Exploration into new types of bioplastics can lead to products with the same functionality of petroleum-based polymers, minus the pollution Secondly, biofabricated materials open up the opportunity to recycle our waste materials into new products. Through biofabrication it is possible to turn organic waste into a raw material for a future product. This is evident in the use of mushrooms in producing MyloTM leather. Mushrooms decompose organic matter to grow, taking waste product and transforming them into a completely new structure. We are then able to harvest these little composting bins and turn them into a substitute for cowhide and manmade leather.

What’s next? 

One reason the industry has yet to accept widespread sustainable practices is the lack of financial resources being allocated to changing manufacturing methods. Sustainable production, is already more expensive than conventional methods. Biofabrication is currently stuck in infancy, with innovations happening in small makerspaces and studios around the world. This small-scale revolution requires buy-in from those established within the industry before it can find widespread usage. This mean that large companies must look at biomaterials as an alternative but an essential part of future operations and production. Adopting even the simplest of biofabrication practices signifies that companies are committed to not just slowing the industries effect on climate, but reversing these affects. The future will see the integration of biomaterials into production streams as an attempt to minimize waste and move the industry closer to circular production methods.