The Biological Materials Revolution in the Fashion Industry

About biological materials, the Biofabricate and Fashion for Good report, and a useful glossary

Biological materials, synthetic biology, and material growth are hot topics in the worlds of materials, design, and industry. Despite the great interest, it is still a relatively new field, and therefore there are diverse perceptions regarding the material reality that this field creates. To bring order to things and open a gateway for those interested in engaging in the field, I have compiled a general introduction to the field and the current perceptions regarding it and its potential. In addition, a useful glossary adapted from a professional report published by Biofabricate and Fashion for Good is attached.

In recent years, the field of biological materials and manufacturing has transitioned to multidisciplinary activity on a new scale and is gaining significant interest from the design and fashion industries. We are witnessing a variety of groundbreaking research emerging from academia; startup companies developing new materials and technologies; designers and creators who conceive processes and ideas for the applications of biological materials; and brands, both small and large, that are already beginning to integrate the amazing and inspiring capabilities that characterize new biological materials.

The field opens up an endless wealth of possibilities, one of the most prominent and important being the ability to create a fundamental change in industrial production and make it more environmentally friendly. This is done by developing solutions that work in synergy with the natural world and even correct past mistakes:

First, the new materials, such as Mylo Unleather and Ecovative's foam and meat substitutes, allow for production on demand. That is, a very significant reduction in waste, inventory, and waste, as well as a tremendous reduction in the need for storage space and even transportation. Second, they are mostly produced in closed and compact systems that provide products with improved and sometimes completely new performance and properties, alongside a significant reduction in environmental impact and energy consumption. This is in contrast to the common methods of raw material production and processing, such as synthetic polymers and even food (e.g., meat and vegetable cultivation), which are not produced in such systems and therefore have significant environmental impacts, mainly pollution and waste, as well as inefficient use of land. In addition, many (but not all) biological materials are designed and manufactured with their end-of-life processes in mind, and are therefore less harmful to the environment than synthetic materials. Emphasis is placed on biodegradability, waste planning and reduction, and working in circular economy models. All of these are added to the relatively high environmental awareness of Generation Z consumers, resulting in a real trend.

Due to the very nature of biological materials, their development and adaptation to specific needs are lengthy compared to synthetic materials, as, unlike them, these materials grow or sprout from 'scratch,' hence precise adaptation and meticulous care are usually required in the production process from the protein or cell level, through the growth conditions to the advanced stages. However, it seems that their advantages and the understanding of how strong the global need for new, smart, and environmentally friendly material solutions is, outweigh this obstacle and lead the trend's growth. Prominent examples of the interest and enormous potential of these materials can already be seen in the fashion industry, an industry that by its very nature is a focus for driving change, and in this case, not coincidentally.

The fashion industry has been in the headlines for years as one of the most polluting industries in the world. It is an industry with a huge global scope. Alongside this, in recent years the industry has presented some of the most exciting developments in the field of biological materials. Among the groundbreaking developments are a coat made of spider silk created in collaboration between Bolt Threads and The North Face; sports shoes made from plastic collected from the ocean – a collaboration of Adidas and Parley for the Oceans; and Modern Meadow's leather, grown in a laboratory and producible in a pre-defined shape, without waste and without harming animals.

Alongside the enormous potential of the field and the new possibilities it opens up, ethical and environmental concerns arise. Previous industrial revolutions led to unforeseen consequences, such as environmental pollution, socio-economic neglect of certain populations, and even the disappearance of ancient traditional knowledge. From past experience, it is gratifying to see that despite the early stage we are in the "biological revolution," those involved in the field from a variety of disciplines such as science, manufacturing, design, philosophy, and more, are already working today to formulate a response and build strategies to prevent future harms as previous revolutions have created.

It seems that the rapid development in the field of biological materials requires learning, adaptation, and adoption of new methods and even a new language. To promote international discourse and shared capabilities, Biofabricate and Fashion for Good, with the support of Parley for the Oceans, presented a comprehensive report in 2020 aimed at creating order, a common language, and bridging between all parties involved in the development and adoption of biological materials in the fashion industry (from startups to giant brands). The report aims to create a good foundation for driving new processes. The full report is available for download here>>>

Glossary:

For the wider audience and to bring some order to things, here is an adaptation of some of the professional terms presented in the report, incorporate with useful definitions published on Biofabricate's Instagram account (@biofabricate). Hope that you will find them useful:

Biobased: A term referring to materials or products made entirely or partially from biomass, such as plants, trees, and animals. The term also refers to materials in which the biomass has undergone physical, chemical, and biological changes and treatments. For example: natural fibers, synthetic cellulose (e.g., viscose), natural polymers, as well as animal hides and mixed textiles.*The report excludes materials derived from fossil fuels from this definition.

Biosynthetic materials: Synthetic polymers composed entirely or partially of biological components. These components can be both from biological sources (e.g., biomass conversion) and products of biological processes (e.g., product of microorganisms).

Biofabrication: Refers to production by microorganisms, such as catalytic conversion of biomass or microbial production in fermentation processes.

Biofabricated ingredients: Components produced by cells and microbes that serve as "building blocks" for macro-structured materials. These components can be used in both "natural" and "synthetic" materials. An example of this type of material is complex proteins such as silk or collagen.

Bioassembled materials: Macro-structured materials grown directly into the desired structure and/or shape by a biological process performed by organisms, such as mycelium, bacteria, or cells. Examples of this type of material are leather substitutes made from mycelium or grown in a laboratory.

Additional Notes from the Report:

The definition of "biological materials" is very broad and does not necessarily indicate the environmental qualities of the material.
All biological materials are based on biological raw materials, but under this definition, the percentage of biological raw material varies and can range from 10% to 100%.
Most biosynthetic and/or biologically produced or assembled materials can also be described as "biobased."
Some biosynthetic materials are based on biological raw materials, but not all.
Some biosynthetic materials contain biofabricated components produced by living organisms.
All biologically produced materials use organisms (mostly microbes, more than plants or animals) in their production process.
All biofabricated ingredients use living organisms to produce the building blocks (molecules) before further processing to turn them into macroscopic materials.
All bioassembled materials use living organisms to grow into their final macrostructure.

As a rule of thumb – the name attached to a particular material does not necessarily indicate its qualities, production process, and environmental impacts. For this reason, the report encourages not to be fooled by biological terms and names (Bio-) that are often "buzz words," but emphasizes that specific research is necessary to understand the processes and effects of each material, production process, and usage.

The terms and notes are based on the report:

Biofabricate and Fashion for Good,

UNDERSTANDING ‘BIO’ MATERIAL INNOVATION:

A primer for the fashion industry, December 2020

*released at 1:00 pm ET, December 7th 2020

For those curious to hear and see more about the field, I recommend watching the 'Living Design, Synthetic Biology' conference that I led a few years ago (Hebrew), during my previous role as director of the Aaron Feiner Eden Materials Library at the Design Museum Holon. With speakers:

Prof. Oded Shoseyov from the Hebrew University, designer Renana Krebs CEO and founder of Algalife, the late Dr. Shamrit Perkol-Finkel and Maor Beznar from Econcrete, and Ievsham Azgad the artistic curator of the Weizmann Institute of Science. The participants presented interesting and thought-provoking perspectives on work in the field, connections between academic research and startups, between material and product, and between design and entrepreneurship, and even touched on the environmental and ethical questions arising from the development of new capabilities. To watch, click here>>>