Not all clothes are created equal. The choices a designer makes in terms of fabrics, among other things, determine the life cycle of a product. Of course, design intentions never end in landfills. However, the reality is that too much textile waste ends up right in those places. Waiting decades if not centuries to decompose. Places like the secondhand market in Accra, Ghana, and the recently discovered illegal dumping ground in Chile’s Atacama Desert are proof of that. The point is this type of design goes against nature. This is a disappointing reality for many designers, but it should be an invitation to rethink the design process. Now let’s discuss from the final destination of the product will end?
Combating climate change
Landfills are a source of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions and creating more products without a clear vision for their end-of-life will not do much for the environment. If we as an industry want to reduce GHGs, we can only do so through disrupting the status quo. Design approaches such as upcycling have improved, but what follows is why it is not a cure for increasing GHGs.
Rethinking the design process
A process starts with the ingredients. This particular product is made with mycelium, which is the root structure of fungi and can grow into various shapes and densities. It is clear that the only way forward is through change, and this demonstrates this idea. Whereas the traditional design process starts from the aesthetic vision of the designer, the future of design can start with materials. This change in mindset opens up possibilities such as embracing a new approach called biodesign. The author of the book by the eponymous name, William Myers, describes the biodesign approach as: “Going into nature and trying to incorporate biology into the design process and the finished product.”
New fabrication way
When it comes to fashion design, there is a Dutch pioneer who put biology at the heart of the design process. Have you ever heard of a term called biofabrication? The Dutch company NEFFA, run by designer and founder Aniela Hoitink, does just that. They make materials and make products in one place. Just imagine your next bag made in one place, from materials to finishing touches. That’s what Hoitink and his team are working to achieve: an integrated factory where brands develop their products with a minimal, if not negative, carbon footprint. Furthermore, this fabrication solution eliminates the need for complex supply chains, textile waste and high levels of CO2 emissions. Recently, NEFFA started to expand by setting up factories in other European countries. Stay tuned as this exciting update from the company will be released this summer.
Shift from conflict to collaboration
Instead of designing in a way that guarantees the product will end up in the landfill eventually, which is against nature, and it’s time to partner with nature. Designing in collaboration with nature requires understanding for living things such as bacteria and other microorganisms. The design process needs to be reversed. Instead of starting with design aesthetics, designers should start with materials and understand their capabilities from which form will emerge.
How to get started with biodesign?
Biodesign comes in many forms, but it basically starts with an understanding of living things such as microorganisms. One book I highly recommend is ‘Biodesign’ by William Myers. For the TED Talk, I suggest you look up Neri Oxman (MIT Media Lab), Emma van der Leest (BlueCity biodesign lab), Suzanne Lee (Biofabricate), and Theanne Schiros (AlgiKnit). For fashion designers interested in getting started with biodesign, a great resource to get started is the Biodesign guide by Stanford University.
With this, you can reconsider various things that tie the environment to fashion.