10 | Biopunk Fashion: Speculative Synbio
Futuristic bio-inspired fashion made by DALL-E, Better Biopunk #2
This article is the second of the Better Biopunk series, an attempt to push the synbio-inspired genre towards a more optimistic aesthetic. Read: “Why should we reimagine BioPunk?”.
BioPunk has the potential to be more like solarpunk but a bit more chaotic, a genre specifically focused on showcasing both perspectives (negative and positive) of a world changed by biotechnology. We can start that shift through creating more BioPunk art. Today, I let my love for both fashion and futurism run wild with the (incredibly controversial) DALL-E, exploring speculative designs built with synbio! Welcome, welcome, and I hope you enjoy.
Why Synthetic Biology for Fashion?
The fashion world is one of the most polluting industries: responsible for about 25% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions each year. It’s a distressing fact for someone who’s most prized possession is a collection of hand-me down antique blazers. As a huge fashion lover, it’s a real hard-to-swallow truth. Fortunately, the threat of global warming has (rightfully) pushed significant drivers in all industries, including the textile and apparel industry, to move towards sustainable manufacturing
Enter synthetic biology, a rapidly growing field where the use of methods like genetic modification can help convert resources like sugar, lipids and starches into usable finished clothing! Biosynthetic methods are relatively new, but several design companies are already harnessing the power of this interdisciplinary science to construct new garments.
Textiles are already being produced from a variety of renewable resources like bacteria, algae, yeast, milk casein, mushroom mycelium, grape skins, and cow manure to name a few. This would tremendously reduce textile waste, greenhouse gases, and water wastage during the manufacturing process. Fashion junkies rejoice! A possible solution awaits. So what would a future of fashion driven by synthetic biology look like? When I received access to DALL-E, an AI that can automatically generate art using words, the first thing I did was explore speculative designs that fused fashion with biotech. Here are some of my favorite results!
1. The (In)Famous, Spider Silk
There is a lot of excitement around the idea of biosynthetic silk. Its unique mechanical properties of strength and elasticity, as well as its biocompatibility, make it ideal for future medicinal use: ex. artificial ligaments, surgical sutures, and cell scaffolds for tissue repair. Biosynthesized spider silk-like proteins are also being targeted for use in high fashion, athletic gear, 3D printing, and military gear. Bolt Threads and Inspidere – Leather Alternative are examples of companies working on using spider silk as textiles.
I noticed that when I prompted DALL-E to speculate about fashion out of spider silk, it defaulted towards a more avant-garde, high fashion style. To be fair, these pieces are gorgeous. I can definitely see a future where editorial covers and runways are filled with similar spider silk infused designs that take advantage of the silk’s properties of being five times stronger than steel.
2. Biomimetic Fabrics
My love for Bio-inspired fashion started when I stumbled across a Ted Talk by Suzzane Lee and her amazing work with BioFabricate. So, as tribute, I generated some speculative designs inspired by her quote about biosynthetic and biomimetic fabrics:
Suzanne Lee (2012), an innovator at Modern Meadow describes the possibilities of biosynthetic and biomimetic fabrics: “Imagine leather that’s as lightweight and transparent as a butterfly wing or has the natural stretch of rubber. Or imagine a material with the dynamic responsiveness of the skin of a chameleon.” Since man now has the ability to understand and affect objects on a molecular level, he can emulate nature’s processes in a more efficient manner than before.
The results? These chameleon prints on the clothes are STUNNING. The outfits on the lower right remind me a little too much of Yeezy, but the rest are pretty gobsmackingly cool. The hoodies on the top right are reminiscent of a gossamer inspired re-vamped tie-dye era I can totally see catching on in the future.
3. Mycelium Gowns & Mushroom Leather (my personal favorites)
Mycelium is a versatile material that can be used to create a variety of products, from clothing to furniture. It is strong and durable, yet soft and flexible, making it ideal for many different applications. What makes mycelium even more appealing is that it is completely natural and sustainable. It can be grown in a matter of days, without the need for pesticides or other harmful chemicals. And when it is time to dispose of it, mycelium can simply be composted – it will actually improve the quality of the soil!
With all of these benefits, it’s no wonder that more and more companies are beginning to explore the potential of mycelium fashion and textiles. We can expect to see many more innovative and stylish products made from this amazing material in the future.
MycoWorks and Mylo Unleather are companies currently working in the mushroom leather sector. Mylo is made possible by the world-class scientists and engineers at Bolt Threads (remember them from spider silk?) and is backed by pioneering brands like Adidas, Lululemon, Stella McCartney, and more.
4. Kelp
I’m not so convinced by DALL-E’s portrayal of seaweed couture but it’s charming in its own way I guess. Algi Knit has developed a new type of yarn made from seaweed called Kelp. This yarn does not need any fresh water or fertilizers to grow, making it a more sustainable option. The process of making the yarn involves extracting a sugar called alginate from kelp, turning it into a liquid gel, and then shaping it into fibers that can be woven into fabric. This new material is not only strong and flexible, but also COMPOSTABLE, making it a great alternative to petrochemical-based textiles.
BONUS: Workout clothes
A team of 18 MIT researchers have designed prototypes of "biohybrid wearables" which include a breathable exercise suit and a fluorescent running shoe with ventilating bio-flaps that open and close in response to human body heat and sweat. The small flaps are lined with genetically modified bacterial cells that shrink and expand in response to changes in humidity. The team's prototype running shoes feature moisture-sensitive cells that light up in response to humid conditions. According to the lead scientist, Wen Wang, They aim to "combine odor-releasing functionalities through genetic engineering." Think of workout clothes that release a nice-smelling odor when you sweat after going to the gym.
The verdict:
Biosynthetic and bio-mimetic processes show great promise for the future, and though there are many further considerations that need to be taken into account, we cannot deny their potential.
It is estimated that it will take a decade of monitoring to fully understand the response of ecosystems and soil to these human-initiated changes, but all phases of production should be evaluated in a participatory assessment to determine the impact of the new technology. In conclusion, the development of biosynthetic textiles has the potential to tackle the fashion and textile industry's waste and pollution problems while also providing ecofriendly choices to consumers.
Evaluating DALL-E’s performance
While DALL-E certainly exceeded my expectations, I think that none of the designs hold a candle to the work that actual speculative designers do. See the breathtaking works of Neri Oxman and Iris van Herpen for example:
Right? Awesome stuff. DALL-E wasn’t able to capture the subtitles and nuances needed for the more technical features of biomimetic design (ex. Biohybrid wearables, bioflaps, “breathable material”) and it also took the concept of using biological materials to make textiles too literally. I used DALL-E because as much as I would love to commission digital artists to create these speculative designs for futuristic biotech fashion, as a fresh high school graduate, I currently do not have the spare funds to do so. It was still an incredibly enjoyable speculative experiment though, and I had lots of fun exploring! I would 1000% buy and wear some of these pieces if they ever came to a retail store near me. Would you?
If you liked any of these designs, I put all of them up on a BioPunk Fashion Pinterest Board where you can download them easily for your use.
Coming soon in the Better BioPunk series:
Cars and Transport, Food, Pets, Housing and Infrastructure, Furniture, and more! I’m so excited for the next ones!!