Concept | AMBER GRAIN EMBROIDERY | root-based materials - MICROKNIT¶
WHAT: Root-based materials "MICROKNIT"¶
- "Grow your textile - it interlaces itself, just plant it."
ABOUT: design or research overview¶
Today, fashion designers are making conscious efforts to collaborate with nature to create fashion pieces that are not only sustainable but also in sync with the natural environment. This approach calls for considering the entire cycle of the fashion product and promoting the idea of working directly with nature.
My question is: Is it possible to harvest other elements of plants and use them? Regarding the use of plant materials, this concept focuses specifically on roots, which are often underground and less visible.
BACKGROUNG | Fascination for growing materials¶
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I enjoy working with bio-materials that are sourced directly from nature, particularly those that can be used as textiles. I believe that there are numerous benefits to using such materials. For instance, materials that grow without the need for artificial energy can be sustainable throughout their entire lifecycle.
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After learning about mycelium materials, I am interested in expanding my knowledge to growing materials from roots. These materials have a texture similar to knitted textiles. The idea of growing materials has become very popular in recent years. In this context, I would also mention bacterial cellulose materials
KEY WORDS | DEFINITONS¶
RESEARCH | Existing projects¶
ROOTS AND ARCHITECTURE
ROOT TEXTILES
SEEDS AND TEXTILES
WHY: state of the art | EXISTING MATERIAL RESEARCH**¶
I have come across some intriguing projects on this topic that will serve as an excellent foundation for me to build upon.
- Project Interwoven - Delft University of Technology
- RootSkin - From Soil to Soil Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia
HOW: possible solutions¶
- I am interested in using different types of plants to grow root textiles. Initially, I plan to experiment with cereals such as oats and wheat, as studies have shown that they yield suitable results. Growing such textiles can be done at home with simple equipment and the production process is not complicated. I am also considering the possibility of growing seeds in agar, which seems like an interesting direction to explore.
BIOFABRICATION | TEXTILE FARMING¶
Is it possible to harvest other elements of plants an use them?
CAN WE GROW TEXTILES AND HAVE OTHER BENEFITS AT THE SAME TIME?
• Microgreens Grow Kit - Microgreens benefits • Plants purify the air • Emotional relationship to plants.
AIM | Biofabricating Root-based Textiles / composits¶
- How humans can manipulate nature for our own use.
ROOTS - invisible material * I am intrigued by the hidden world that lies beneath the surface.
- The dynamics of these underground networks are fascinating, as they are incredibly strong but can be manipulated. It is interesting to observe how humans can manipulate nature for our own use.
LIFECYCLE | Biofabricating and harvesting¶
RESEARCH | HOW I MIGHT WORK WITH THE MATERIAL¶
COMPONENTS OF THE ROOT MATERIAL¶
MATERIAL POST-PROCESSING¶
ROOT TEXTILE STRUCTURE¶
GROWING CONDITIONS¶
Gravitropism the growth of roots and shoots toward or away from the direction of gravity.
Can Humans Control Gravity? Artificial gravity is the creation of an inertial force that mimics the effects of a gravitational force, usually by rotation. Centrifugal force is not a "real" force like gravity or electromagnetism but is a term used to describe the apparent outward force experienced by an object in circular motion as observed from a rotating reference frame. The actual force responsible for the circular motion is the centripetal force acting inward toward the center of the circle.
ROOT MANIPULATION | FABRICATION PROCESS¶
More than half of all the materials used in textile production are made from fossil fuels, and a staggering 92 million tonnes of clothing end up in landfills each year. Addressing these environmental challenges, such as global warming, water scarcity, and biodiversity loss, requires a significant shift in the textile industry's practices. In this context, I would like to incorporate unused textiles or other residual materials into the production.
SYMBIOSIS WITH MAN-MADE MATERIALS | USE OF WASTE MATERIALS¶
• What about growing in other materials? • The roots of plants weave themselves while searching for nutrition and water within the soil.
Plants can be grown on a flat panel covered with a layer of soil or hydrogel, allowing for their cultivation. The panel has a pattern engraved on it that allows water to percolate through the soil deposits, guiding the roots' growth and defining the membrane perforation configuration. Once the plant has grown and harvested, the plants reach the end of their life cycle, and the root network is removed, resulting in a patterned root material.
