Fabulous Fungi
Project details
- Year
- 2020
- Programme
- fashion-design
- Practices
- Commercial
- Minor
- New Frontiers
One of the major problems in the fashion industry is water pollution caused by the harmful textile dyes. Therefore, my project focuses on how biodesign can reduce the use of harmful textile dyes.
Dyeing for a better world
Fungi are a promising source for biodesign. During my research I found different fungal species that create pigments which can be used for dyeing. Some of these species are considered to be safe and suitable to use for textile dyeing. Fungal dye will have many benefits over synthetic textile dye and other alternatives. Besides, it’s even suitable for industrial use. I have identified methods on how to grow the fungi and extract the pigments in order to create the fungal dye. The fungal dye was created in cooperation with Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute in Utrecht. I discovered that fungal pigments react differently on various kinds of fabrics. To emphasize this effect, I have utilized it to create prints. As an inspiration for these prints I observed the chemical structures of the fungal pigments used for the dye. The prints are implemented in garments, which are visualised in Clo3D and in real life.
Furthermore, I started a DIY (Dye-It-Yourself) movement to get people involved in the process and letting them admire their clothes more. Therefore, I created the DIY kit.
