Process¶
ideation¶
Work methodology to interpret the graphic and questionnaire about the experiences is based on the following elements:
- Context
- Senses
- Adjectives/Descriptions
- Feelings
- Environment
The anonymous participant was required to answer question number 5, but they could also choose one or more additional questions that made sense to them and that would provide more insight into how they felt during the experience. I selected two distinct experiences to explore through two different looks, focusing on different senses. While touch and sight are very present in fashion, I aim to move beyond these senses and explore others in more depth. The senses I was particularly eager to work with were sound and smell. Although taste also captivates me, I believe it would require an entire project on its own, which I hope to start in the future.
Sound and textile interfaces were an entirely new field for me until E-textiles week, where I became intrigued by how soft materials could interact with sound, create music, and how conductive materials can be incorporated into processes such as weaving, yarn spinning, knitting and wool. This was an area I explored briefly during the assignments, and it is definitely something I would love to integrate into my project.
The first experience mentioned above, "Sumberged in a River at Paredes de Coura Festival" was a significant starting point for my exploration. Being submerged in a river specifically at a festival, the external sounds you hear are muffled, distorted and sometimes loud. The way the participant describes their experience is far more complex than simply diving into water. The water was freezing on the body, which could be interpreted in many ways, but it was described as "crystal spikes piercing the skin", a sensation that is primarily agonizing. “It hurts, but it also makes you feel alive”, they said.
The understanding and translation of this sensory experience were more focused on the emotions and environment. My goal is to convey the feeling of being submerged in a river through the materiality and silhouette of the garments, as well as through the narrative in the short film.
The idea of incorporating scents into textiles emerged during the BioFabricating and BioChromes weeks, as it provided a hands-on, craft-based experience rich in scents. Some of these scents, like those from fish skins, kombucha vinegar, and bio-gelatin, may not have been the most pleasant, but they allowed me to explore how smell can create unique connections between the garment and the wearer. Scented textiles could not only enrich sensory experiences but also in fields such as medical and therapeutic practices, art performances, and installations.
For the second experience, I chose "Riding a motorcycle in Faial, Azores". This experience automatically evokes strong emotions, not necessarily because of the specific location, but because it’s easy to relate to or imagine in different settings. The island’s scents, the landscapes, and the feeling of the fresh wind on your body create a sensory shockwave. However, these uplifting sensations are often contrasted with the harsh reality of returning to a fully urbanized, human-dominated environment and system.
The participant described the experience saying, “The scents rush through you so vividly that you find yourself wishing every corner of your city had an untouched island like this, where you could find your peace.” This look aims to represent and celebrate the beauty that nature offers, focusing on materials and forms inspired by the landscape, and exploring natural processes like growing and bio-based materials. This project research includes experimenting with how to infuse essential oils into bio-plastics and kombucha cellulose and conducting long-term analyses to track progress in this field.
sketches¶
1 submerged in a river¶
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A fitted knit dress, designed to hug the body, with no armholes to evoke the underwater pressure and isolating sensation. The dress pattern is simplified and zero-waste, reusing fabric cuts to create ornaments for the garment and accessories.
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Felted details on the dress represent river moss, adding texture and depth. The key concept behind the design is that when the wearer moves within the knit cocoon, underwater sounds will be triggered.
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A 3D-printed wearable sculpture for cable management, speaker and electronics housing, and an aesthetic representation of the spikes described by the participant as piercing the body from the cold river water.
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A bio-plastic striped scarf with a holographic finish on one side to mimic the shine of water. Also exploring traditional textile prints on bio-materials.
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The crystallization process is still to be explored, either through the felted details on the dress or a faux sleeve extending from the dress pockets, symbolizing the crystal-clear water and spikes.
dress w felt details¶
This dress is designed to ensure that the stretchy knit fabric hugs the body closely while maintaining flexibility for movement and comfort. It draws inspiration from 1920s dropped-waist dresses but incorporates a modern interpretation.
For the initial prototype, I began by draping knit fabric on a mannequin to develop the foundational ideas for the pattern. The design features no armholes, a draped neckline, two front pockets with darts, a dropped waistline, a short skirt, and a strap for fastening the dress.
After completing the first prototype, I revised the pattern to explore how it could be simplified into a single-piece construction. This involved merging all the individual pattern pieces and identifying key points for stitching to create a functional, wearable dress while minimizing seams and enhancing efficiency.
sound output¶
My initial idea was to incorporate conductivity into the felted details of the dress and maybe include an interior conductive layer. This layer, when rubbed against the felted details, would trigger sounds. It could work through friction, act like a type of Velcro material, or even respond to pressure or stretch.
After discussing this with Michelle Vossen, we explored ways to simplify this interaction. Given the timelines and the scope of work I want to achieve with this project, we decided to focus on a more streamlined approach. One idea is to use a conductive rubber cord stretch sensor, placed along the shoulder line at the back of the dress. This sensor would be activated when the wearer moves, stretching the cord and triggering sounds.
The sounds will be samples created by the artist unpsii, designed to evoke underwater movement or exterior sounds that feel muffled, as though heard underwater. For sound playback, I plan to use a DFPlayer Mini or Pro, a small, low-cost MP3 module with a simplified output directly to a speaker. The primary difference between the Mini and Pro versions is the storage capacity, which I’ll choose based on the number of audio samples I use.
Depending on the speaker, I might also require an Arduino amplifier module to ensure optimal sound output. Additionally, the system will use wireless communication—a sender and receiver setup—between the dress and the sound output. This would allow the speaker or sound module to be discreetly hidden within the wearable sculpture.
wearable sculpture¶
This wearable sculpture is designed for two distinct purposes. Firstly, it embodies a key aspect of the initial sensory experience described in the graph and questionnaire. The participant noted: “The moment you enter the water, you feel the sharpness of crystal spikes piercing your skin. It hurts, but it also makes you feel alive.” The accessory captures this sensation, symbolizing the icy spikes felt when submerged in cold water, contrasted with the warmth of sunlight on the skin.
Beyond its conceptual significance, the design also serves a functional purpose. It is engineered to manage the cables of the circuit and to house the speaker, which will communicate wirelessly with the dress.
I started by creating a general 3D model for the wearable sculpture using Nomad Sculpt. This initial prototype was intended to help me understand several aspects:
- The scale of both the ergonomic handle and the overall size of the piece.
- The final aesthetic.
- How to implement a system with an opening in the back that would be versatile, manageable, and spacious. This opening would also need integrated holes to allow sound from the speaker inside the bag to project outward.
- Additionally, I needed a way to design the bag in separate parts to join later, since our lab's 3D printers cannot operate overnight. Because the bag would take more than two days to print, I planned to divide the final design into smaller sections that could be printed during the day.
For my first print test, I used a white PLA filament and cut the design to print only the handle. This allowed me to evaluate whether the handle needed resizing or further ergonomic adjustments. You can find the 3D model for my first print test here1 and the Prusa Slicer file here2!
However, I applied too much support using the Prusa Slicer software, which made removing the supports after printing very time-consuming. Despite this, the handle turned out fine overall. Here are some alterations I need to make:
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Consider adjusting the pinky finger hole to make it smaller, as it currently feels a bit uncomfortable.
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Adjust the overall width of the sculpture to provide more space for the electronics I plan to have inside.
striped bio-plastic scarf¶
The striped bio-plastic scarf is designed to resemble the texture and appearance of water. By casting it on a holographic sheet, it achieves an almost crystallized shine. The scarf is intended to be biodegradable, reflecting the transient nature of water—it comes and goes. This accessory serves as an experiment, aiming to introduce basic patterns, like stripes, into a bio-material. By hand-crafting it, I aim to explore its durability and potential applications.
For the first sample, I used tape to create walls on the mini tray I was using to cast the bio-plastic. I prepared gelatin bio-plastic and took advantage of the process when making various bio-plastics infused with essential oils, making a bit more of the gelatin bio-plastic. I created two different batches, adding green food coloring to one of them.
I began by pouring the uncolored bio-plastic into the side stripes, leaving the middle stripe empty. I let it dry for 15–20 minutes, and once it had partially hardened, I removed the tape walls and poured the green bio-plastic into the middle stripe. The green bio-plastic blended seamlessly with the other two, resulting in a striped sample.
2 riding a motorcycle in Faial¶
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A vegetal fur top, made from cattail reeds harvested near the textile lab in Amsterdam, explores new natural alternatives to traditional fur. It embraces the reeds' natural shape after processing, highlighting the beauty and uniqueness of plant-based materials.
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Kombucha leather shorts, designed as a second-skin material. This piece serves as part of ongoing research into this fascinating, bio-grown material, once again celebrating nature's gifts. The design incorporates an adjustable system to accommodate multiple sizes.
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Kombucha leather motorbike gloves symbolize the metaphorical sensation of holding nature in your hands.
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A knit dress adorned with 3D-printed and a bio-plastic flowers pattern infused with essential oils offers the sensory experience. The dress features a scent journey, with three distinct sections of fragrance inspired by Faial, Azores, bringing the experience to life in a unique way. The dress pattern is simplified and zero-waste, reusing fabric cuts to create ornaments for the garment and accessories.
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An egg shell bio-material wearable sculpture, that is something that I am still thinking about if it makes sense, but it would be another research on bio-based materials.
vegetal fur top¶
For the making process of the vegetal fur using cattail reeds (Typha spp.), I followed the documentation from the BioFabricating Materials Week. You can check it out here!
The cattail reeds season, which is crucial for harvesting the brown seed head fluff, typically occurs from late summer to early fall. By harvesting them in mid-January, the cattail seeds were much more mature and ripe compared to when I made my first vegetal sample in September. As a result, I noticed some changes in the process of making vegetal fur.
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The ripeness of the cattail seed heads influenced the final color of the vegetal fur, making it a deeper shade of brown compared to the earlier samples.
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I also noticed that during the process of applying glue to the brown seed heads, they can be easily poked, causing the fluff to "explode" and resulting in imperfections on the surface of the textile. This usually happens if you don’t work quickly enough, as the glue begins to dry. Touching the partially dried glue can pull some of the fur away, creating uneven patches.
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It’s very important to thoroughly massage the cattail after the glue and the cotton fabric on top have dried. This step helps to separate all the cattail fluff (seeds) from the central stick, where the seeds are naturally attached.
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Once they dry and you open them, you have 24 hours to shape them. After that, they become very hard, making it difficult to mold and sewing them, if that’s your intention, Attempting to shape them after they harden can easily rip the textile, causing the fluff to detach from the fabric.
However, you can use this hardness to your advantage if you want the pieces to retain their shape permanently. Additionally, you can experiment by mixing the glue with glycerin to see if it provides more flexibility and maneuverability.
bio-plastics infused w essential oils¶
The exploration of bio-plastics infused with essential oils is a research direction I am deeply committed to integrating into my project. Infusing textiles with long-lasting scents is a fascinating and evolving field, particularly when aligned with bio-based materials and sustainable practices. Since this project seeks to expand the sensory dimensions of garments, I was captivated by the challenge of incorporating the sense of smell into garments.
To prepare for this, I conducted preliminary research on natural resources that could impart fragrance to bio-plastics and biomaterials. These include essential oils, absolutes, herbal infusions, spices, resins, and scented waxes. For this project, the second sensory experience I aim to translate required specific scents that are unique to Faial, Azores. This experience captures the bittersweetness of contemplating the beauty of nature while also reflecting on the damage caused by human activity and urbanization.
More importantly, it seeks to embrace the profound emotions that arise when you feel truly connected to life and your surroundings. Riding a motorcycle in Faial is meant to be a rich and multisensory experience, evoking feelings of freedom, introspection, and harmony with nature.
To evoke this reflective and immersive feeling, I chose to focus on essential oils. They allow me to target specific scents that are emblematic of the island, enabling the garments to transport the wearer or viewer into a vivid, sensory-rich moment. This approach not only enhances the personal connection to the garment but also invites the audience to relate to the smells in their own unique and emotional way.
BIO-PLASTICS RECIPES
Agar-agar bio-foil:
- 4gr Agar-agar
- 3g Glycerine
- 400ml Water
Gelatine bio-foil:
- 48 gr Gelatine
- 12gr Glycerine
- 240ml Water
Sodium Alginate bio-foil:
- 12gr Alginate
- 30gr Glycerine
- 400ml Water
- 10ml Sodium Chloride hydrate
- 100ml Water
ESSENTIAL OILS
- Lavender Spike Organic
- Sea Fennel Organic
- Rosemary Camphor Organic
For my initial samples, I experimented with three different bio-plastic recipes—agar-agar, gelatine, and sodium alginate—to evaluate which base would naturally retain scents for longer without any additives, using only essential oils and the core bio-plastic formulas.
For the agar-agar and gelatine, I applied four drops of essential oil onto petri dishes. After pouring a thin layer of bio-plastic onto each dish, I gently mixed the essential oil into the bio-plastic layer. For the sodium alginate, which uses a cold preparation method, I created three separate batches and infused each batch with essential oil before immersing it in the calcium chloride solution.
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After six days, the results were less than ideal. Agar-agar performed the best, particularly with the sea fennel essential oil, which retained its strong, oceanic aroma the longest. The other scents faded significantly.
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For the gelatin, the scent dissipated the fastest. Gelatin itself has a naturally strong odor, which overpowered the essential oil within three days.
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As for the sodium alginate, the scent was strong while the material was submerged in the calcium chloride solution during the first three days. However, once removed from the liquid and left to dry for an additional three days, the scent had almost entirely evaporated.
3 days
6 days
Alternative options to prolong the scent in agar-agar bioplastic:
- Use a fixetive. Beeswax or Soy Wax, by melting a small amount of wax, infuse it with the essential oil, and mix it into the agar-agar solution./ Natural resins like benzoin, frankincense, or myrrh can act as natural fixatives. Dissolve the resin in the essential oil first and then add it to the bio-plastic mixture./ Alcohol-based tinctures or vanilla extract can act as a gentle fixative for lighter essential oils.
- Encapsulate the Essential Oils. Lipids or Butters, natural oils like cocoa butter, shea butter, or even coconut oil can help bind the essential oil. Blend it into the agar-agar mixture while warm./ Silica Beads or Powders, by mixing the essential oil with a silica-based powder, then incorporate the infused powder into the bio-plastic.
- Adding a thicker layer of agar-agar to create a more solid, less porous structure.
- Infuse Oils in Glycerine. Mix the essential oil thoroughly into glycerine and allow it to sit for a day or two to fully infuse. Add the infused glycerine into the agar-agar bio-plastic recipe.
- Layer or Coat with Wax to seal. Infuse essential oils directly into melted wax, then brush or spray a thin layer over the surface of the bio-plastic once it’s set./ Beeswax or candelilla wax can create a protective layer that reduces scent loss.
- Dry plants/flowers as fillers. Use lavender, rosemary and fennel as fillers and see if it prolongs the scent.
kombucha leather¶
The concept for the second look is rooted in the contrasts between rural and urban environments, with a strong focus on scents and purity. I aimed to bring these elements to life through materiality, emphasizing grown, bio-based, and landscape-inspired materials as the focal points of the garments.
During my first experience creating kombucha cellulose in BioFabricating Week, I became fascinated with the material and its potential. Simple changes to the recipe, such as using different types of tea, could significantly alter the final texture, color and properties of the textile. The possibilities for laser cutting, natural dyeing, and its translucent, skin-like appearance intrigued me. However, one challenge I encountered was the material’s natural odor, which didn’t align with the focus on pleasant scents in this look.
To address this, I aim to explore how essential oils could be infused into the material. Since kombucha is cellulose-based, similar to paper, it has the capacity to absorb liquids when in its dry stage. This characteristic provided an opportunity to saturate the textile with scents, enhancing its sensory qualities while maintaining its unique properties.
Start date: January 20, 2025
Recipe:
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3L Water
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6 bags Green Tea
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340g White Sugar
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1,5L White Vinegar
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1 Kombucha Mother
To ensure best practices, I started with a smaller container and will gradually transfer the kombucha to larger containers over time. Fortunately, our bio lab had several Kombucha mothers available, so I used a very thin SCOBY to begin growing my kombucha cellulose.
It is crucial to adjust the bath's pH to match the Kombucha Mother's pH. To achieve this, I gradually added vinegar to the bath until I could match the SCOBY's pH of 3. After each addition of vinegar, I waited 15–20 minutes to allow the vinegar to mix thoroughly before testing the pH again.
Matching the pH was challenging, so I ultimately introduced the Mother into the bath when the pH reached 3.5.
It is essential to keep the kombucha in a warm environment. To achieve this, I placed it in the warmest area of Waag, the textile lab, with a heating pad underneath it at all times.
Unfortunately, my first kombucha bath did not show any signs of growth or stability after one week. Over the weekend, someone unintentionally turned off the heating pad beneath my container, which was meant to maintain the bath temperature between 25°C and 30°C for optimal growth. When I returned to the lab on Monday, the kombucha looked exactly the same as when I had left, but with the addition of some white fuzzy patches scattered across the bath.
The SCOBY was not floating, and there was a very thin brown growth in the bath. I wasn’t sure what this brown substance was, but it was unusual and seemed to be the only thing that had developed during the week. However, by Monday, the brown substance hadn’t grown any further since I last checked on Thursday. The white fuzzy patches, which appeared to be initial mold contamination, were the most noticeable issue.
I suspect this happened because I added 1.5 liters of vinegar to the bath in an attempt to match the pH of the SCOBY with that of the bath. In hindsight, this was probably not the best choice—I should have maintained the bath pH at 4 instead of trying to lower it to 3. Additionally, the SCOBY I used was quite thin and may not have been as healthy as I initially thought. It’s possible that the SCOBY had some underlying issues that contributed to the bath’s failure.
As a result, I decided to start over with a new bath and a fresh SCOBY on a smaller container. For this second attempt, I used the same recipe quantities that I had successfully used during Biofabricating Week, keeping the ingredients proportional and avoiding unnecessary modifications.
I also selected a thicker, healthier SCOBY this time, with high hopes that it will begin forming a thin, slimy sheet on the surface of the container within a few days. Fingers crossed for better results this time!
Start date: January 27, 2025
Recipe:
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1,5L Water
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4 bags Green Tea
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125g White Sugar
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100ml White Vinegar
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1 Kombucha Mother
3D flower models¶
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Hydrangeas (Hortênsias): Faial is famously called the "Blue Island" because of the abundance of hydrangeas lining roads and fields. These flowers bloom in shades of blue, pink, and white, depending on the soil's acidity.
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Lily of the Valley Tree (Clethra arborea): A tree with delicate, bell-shaped white flowers. It is often found in the Azores' laurel forests and adds to the island's biodiversity.
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Azorean Blueberry (Vaccinium cylindraceum): A native plant that produces edible berries. It’s often found in the laurel forests and higher altitudes of the island.
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Japanese Cedar (Cryptomeria japonica): These tall, coniferous trees dominate the landscape in certain areas, especially plantations for timber. They thrive in the island's mild climate.
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Agapanthus (African Lily): This plant, with its striking purple-blue flowers, is widely cultivated and often grows along roadsides and gardens. It complements the hydrangeas beautifully.
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Azorean Bellflower (Azorina vidalii): A rare and endemic flower of the Azores, with delicate bell-shaped flowers that grow on cliffs and rocky areas.
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Canary Island Marguerite (Argyranthemum spp.): These cheerful, daisy-like flowers are common in the wild and gardens throughout Faial.
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Ferns: The lush volcanic soil and humidity support a variety of fern species, adding to the island's verdant appearance.
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Sea Fennel (Crithmum maritimum): Found along the coast, this edible plant has a salty, aromatic flavor and is used in local cuisine.