Experience 2

riding a motorcycle in Faial

“(…)you really loose track of time when you smell something so pure and untouched by humans(…)the scents rush through you so quickly(…)”

• Bamboo jersey dress w lace trim

The front of the dress traces a natural path that flatters the body's shape, effortlessly drawing the eye along its contours. The back features a delicate, almost brittle structure, evoking the fragility of Earth in the face of humanity’s footprint. The long tail ripples in the wind, embodying the island’s natural air currents while riding

• Scented agar-agar bio-plastic flowers

The scented flowers are a scent journey divided into three aromatic sections, featuring fragrances of Faial island (sea fennel, lavender & rosemary). Preserving the bioplastic's natural shape and color as it forms and dries.

“pure”;”vegetal”

• Vegetal fur wearable sculpture

Made from cattail reeds harvested near the textile lab in Amsterdam. Resembling a large flower blooming on the chest. Preserving the cattail reeds’s natural shape and color after processing.

“rural”;“pure”

• Egg shells gelatine bio-plastic wearable sculpture

Represents the island's beach sand and rocks coloured by volcanic activity. Metaphor for holding the Earth and nature in your own hands.

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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

After making all the pieces for the final composition, I started thinking about how to join them together. I tried sewing, but it didn’t work because the material was too thick and left visible marks. Then I tested different glues—super glue, hot glue, and wood glue—but none worked. When trying to attach fur to fur, the glue would cause the fur to detach from the cotton fabric, leaving no proper joints.

So, I decided to take a different approach and started thinking of this top more as a sculpture. I used wire to join all the pieces together.

First, I created the vegetal fur base by sewing strips together, making sure to sew in spots where the stitches wouldn’t be visible. I had to sew them vertically rather than horizontally. Then, to attach the pieces to the base, I used a thick needle to make small holes in both the base and the corresponding piece. I threaded wire through these holes and pressed it tightly to create a strong joint. To finish the piece, I applied hot glue over the wire joints to prevent them from hurting the person wearing it, and glued the same cotton fabric on top to hide the joints.

To finish, I made holes on each side of the back strap, added four eyelets, and used a cord to tie it at the back, allowing for adjustments to fit different bodies and purposes.

For the final piece, I ended up adding two more front pieces. As you can see in the video above, when the top shapes to the chest, it opens up a lot, creating two gaps on either side of the middle piece. To fix this, I used the same wire technique to attach the additional pieces.

One great thing about using wires is that the design remains somewhat modular until the hot glue is applied. Even after applying hot glue, it's easy to remove if needed. Since the fur covers the holes, they are only visible on the wrong side (the cotton fabric), which leaves plenty of room for adjustments, mistakes, or future modifications!

bamboo jersey dress

scented bio-plastics

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.

I conducted a 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.

• Riding a motorcycle in Faial is a deeply sensory experience—one of freedom, introspection, and connection to nature. I chose essential oils for their ability to evoke specific island scents, allowing garments to transport the wearer and the spectator into a vivid, emotional moment while fostering a personal connection to the experience.

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.

• 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.

• For the gelatin, the scent dissipated the fastest. Gelatin itself has a naturally strong odor, which overpowered the essential oil within three days.

• 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

15 days

Alternative options to prolong the scent in agar-agar bioplastic:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. Adding a thicker layer of agar-agar to create a more solid, less porous structure.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. Dry plants/flowers as fillers. Use lavender, rosemary and fennel as fillers and see if it prolongs the scent.

For my second tests, I experimented with a more complex recipe using only agar-agar, as it had given me the best results in my initial tests. At this point, my sea fennel hadn’t arrived at the lab yet, so I used only dried lavender and rosemary.

I started by making infusions with the dried ingredients and with essential oils in the glycerin. Additionally, I tested using the dried materials as fillers to see if it would make a difference.

Agar-agar bioplastic recipe:

• 800ml water (200ml dry stuff infusions + 600ml water)

• 8gr agar-agar

• 7gr glycerine

Recipe - dry stuff infused in the water (tea):

• 2 tablespoons of dry stuff

• 200 ml water

• 1 hour infusing

Recipe - dry stuff blended in the water:

• 2 spoons of dry stuff

• 300ml water

• Blend them

• 1 hour infusing

There is an immediate difference in scent between the infused and blended mixtures. The infused scent is stronger and more herbal, while the blended one is earthier and more concentrated.

Some of my tests unfortunately got moldy after 24 hours of drying. I made the mistake of leaving them to dry outside, as agar-agar bioplastic retains much more moisture than the gelatin-based one, making it take longer to dry and more prone to trapping humidity. The samples that contained dried materials as fillers molded even faster, likely because I should have boiled, dried, and sterilized them beforehand—but I didn’t. As a result, some of those samples started smelling pretty rotten and had fuzzy white spots, so I discarded them.

For the tests that didn’t mold after 24 hours, I placed them in a dehydrator at 130ºC for a few hours to prevent the scent from fading, as high temperatures can cause fragrance loss.

After drying them in the dehydrator, I noticed a ruffled effect that resembled a flower, along with beautiful natural color variations (ranging from dark brown to light brown) created by the dried materials. At that point, I realized how I wanted my scented agar-agar bioplastic flowers to be—preserving their natural shape and color as they formed and dried, without any additional processing to alter them.

In terms of fragrance, some samples had a slightly stronger scent than others. To enhance and prolong the scent, I decided to test two options:

1. Making a beeswax infusion with essential oils and using it as a coating.
2. Applying essential oil directly onto the surface.

For the beeswax infusion with essential oils, I ended up with a really crusty surface. I believe I should have applied a thinner coat, but it solidified so quickly that I couldn’t. I even tried scraping it off a little afterward, but it didn’t work. In terms of scent, the beeswax completely overpowered the essential oil, so that was a fail. Maybe next time, I should try using one part beeswax, one part coconut oil, and the essential oils!

For the direct application of essential oil onto the surface, it worked really well—just one drop made a noticeable difference. It didn’t alter the final texture, and the scent lasted for several days. So, this might be a good option: simply reapply the essential oil whenever the scent starts fading, and you’ll have nicely scented agar-agar bioplastic.

final recipe

For this final recipe, I made a few adjustments based on my previous tests, but I also made some mistakes. I should have used a larger quantity of dry ingredients for the infusions, but unfortunately, I didn’t have the resources to get more. However, I believe the essential oil coating at the end helps resolve the scent issue.

Below is the full recipe to follow if you want to create your own scented agar-agar bioplastic flowers. Remember, you can use any essential oil by replacing it with the corresponding dried ingredient, or you can experiment by mixing different scents to create your own!

Scented Agar-agar Bio-plastic Ingredients:

• 23g Lavender

• 43g Rosemary

• 50g Sea-fennel

• 1000mL Water

• 10g Agar-agar

• 8.75g Glycerin

Step-by-step final recipe for Scented Agar-Agar Bioplastic:

1. Prepare the Infusion:

• In three separate pots, combine 1000ml of water with the dried ingredients: sea fennel (50g), lavender (23g), and rosemary (43g).
• Let the infusion sit for 24 hours.

2. Add Alcohol and Essential Oils:

• Measure an amount of alcohol equal to 10% of the infused liquid.
• Mix the alcohol with 5-10 drops of the corresponding essential oil.
• Blend the mixture using an immersion blender, then strain it through a sieve to remove any solids.
• Cover the mixture with plastic wrap and store it in a cool, dry place for an additional 24 hours to continue infusing.

3. Infuse the Glycerin:

• Mix 5-10 drops of essential oil into the glycerin.
• Use a double boiler (bain-marie method) to gently heat the mixture, allowing the scent to infuse.

4. Prepare the Agar-Agar Bioplastic:

• Pour the infused blended mixture into a pot on the stove and heat it to a maximum of 80°C, starting at 30-50°C.
• Add the infused glycerin, then gradually incorporate the agar-agar while stirring constantly to prevent lumps.
• Mix until smooth, then let it simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the mixture reduces by more than half and thickens to a slimy consistency.

5. Molding:

• Arrange petri dishes of different sizes on a table to serve as molds.
• Carefully pour the mixture into the petri dishes, aiming for a thickness of approximately 0.8 cm.

6. Cooling & Unmolding:

• Let the mixture cool for 15 minutes until it has slightly solidified.
• Carefully remove the pieces from the petri dishes and place them in the dehydrator.

(Removing them from the molds allows them to naturally reshape and wrinkle, creating the desired "ruffled" effect as they dry.)

7. Drying Process:

• Set the dehydrator temperature below 135ºC to help preserve the scent for longer.
• Leave them in the dehydrator for at least 10 hours, or until they are fully dry but still flexible.
• Avoid over-drying, as the pieces should not become rigid—they need to remain pliable.

8. Assembling the Flowers:

• Once dry, you will have various sizes and natural-colored flowers ready for assembly.
• Use a thin cotton thread and thin needle to sew them together, layering them on top of each other.
• Secure the layers with cross-stitches, being careful not to break the flowers.

9. Attachment Options:

• You can sew the flowers directly onto a dress, or make them modular.
• For a modular design, attach small magnets to the back of each flower using super glue (avoid hot glue, as it does not hold well).

1. Sea fennel-scented agar-agar biocomposite
2. Lavender-scented agar-agar biocomposite
3. Rosemary-scented agar-agar biocomposite

kombucha leather

The concept for the second look is rooted in the contrasts between rural and urban environments. 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:

• 3L Water

• 6 bags Green Tea

• 340g White Sugar

• 1,5L White Vinegar

• 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:

• 1,5L Water

• 4 bags Green Tea

• 125g White Sugar

• 100ml White Vinegar

• 1 Kombucha Mother

Fortunately, my kombucha started growing and forming a thin pellicle on the surface of the bath, just as I needed. Unfortunately, over the weekend, when I wasn’t nearby, the kombucha bath was spilled. By the time I saw it, it was too late, so it was another failure...

I hadn't given up yet, so with a big dream and too little time, I decided to buy a kombucha mother online and start a new kombucha bath with a different recipe. Instead of tea, I used dark beer because my mentors told me it would grow faster.

Since my goal was to make kombucha shorts and kombucha gloves, I needed at least four different sheets of kombucha leather. For that, I bought plastic boxes that were larger in length and width than in height, which are hard to find in really big sizes in regular stores. So, I ended up buying two smaller ones for the gloves and two bigger ones for the shorts—exactly the size I needed to make the garments, with no room for mistakes!

Start date: February 20, 2025

At: my house, Amsterdam

Recipe:

• 600mL dark beer

• 400mL water

• 15-20g sugar

• 100mL vinegar

• SCOBY

• 100mL starter liquid

Scoby Pre-activation Recipe:

• 500mL warm water

• 10-15g sugar

• 100mL beer (optional, but helps)

• Leave the SCOBY in this mix for 24 hours at ~30°C

Beforehand, when I received my kombucha mother at home, I started by pre-activating the SCOBY. I read that this would help speed up early growth. To do this, I used a jar, added the Scoby Pre-activation Recipe above, and placed my kombucha mother inside. It was floating and looked very healthy.

I left it there for 24 hours, and after that, I started my kombucha baths. Since I was making four different ones, I divided my SCOBY into four equal parts using a sterilized knife and plate, making sure to wash my hands between each step.

I took all the necessary precautions: I waited until the water was cold-warm before adding the SCOBY, used a cotton cloth and an elastic band to protect the bath, and placed heating mats to keep the temperature between 28º-30ºC to speed up growth.

The smaller containers had already started growing after just 24 hours. I was really impressed and happy. I noticed some bubbles on the surface, but I assumed they were from the beer and would disappear after a couple of days.

The bigger containers took a little longer, around 72 hours, to start forming the pellicle. However, I noticed some strange white formations on the surface, as seen in the images above. I made sure it wasn’t mold since it wasn’t fuzzy, so I assumed it was just the fermentation process at work.

But at some point, things started getting worse for the bigger containers...

One week later, I checked on the two growths, and both containers looked quite different. The one on the left had more 3D, filled bubbles that felt quite strong when I touched them, but if I used a sharp tool, they would break. The one on the right had a brain-like texture that was so thin that it would break just from being touched.

Still, some parts looked good—probably around 10% of the baths were fine, while 90% had these strange textures. I initially thought these were just surface irregularities and that the kombucha was still growing in thickness across the entire box. But no... when I tried to pick it up, it was completely ruined. It tore immediately.

So, I started researching what could have gone wrong and came up with two possible explanations:

1. Airborne contamination – This occurs when unwanted bacteria or mold spores from the surrounding air enter the kombucha bath. Even with proper covering, contaminants can sometimes find their way in, especially if the environment isn’t sterile enough. These contaminants can affect the growth of the scoby, altering its texture and weakening its structure.

2. Kahm yeast – Kahm yeast is a type of wild yeast that can develop on the surface of fermented liquids. It appears as a thin, white, or wrinkled film and is often mistaken for mold. While not harmful, it can alter the pH balance of the kombucha and interfere with proper scoby growth, leading to weak or unevenly formed pellicles.

So, I obviously had to discard both baths, which meant the Kombucha God had decided for me—no shorts were being made. But I didn’t give up! I still had the two smaller containers, and I could at least make some nice small gloves.

After a little more than a week, the kombucha had grown to ~1.2 cm in thickness, which I thought would be enough, knowing it would shrink by at least 80%.

At some point, I started noticing that both of my smaller containers had some contamination on certain parts of the surface. However, only about 30% of the leather was affected, so I figured I could still make at least one glove. And that was okay—it’s all part of the process. Actually, technicalities aside, they looked beautiful! While the kombucha was still wet, the contamination created this kind of flower pattern that I absolutely loved, but it was very fragile...

My process for cleaning and drying the kombucha leather was as follows:

• I started by letting it soak for 2-3 days. I removed the leather from the bath and placed it on a sterilized surface while I emptied the container and refilled it with filtered warm water. I changed the water every 12 hours.
• After that, I washed it with a neutral pH soap, adding the soap to the water and carefully rubbing the kombucha surface. Then, I rinsed it again with clean water to remove any excess soap.
• I used towels to remove the extra water.
• I laid it on an MDF sheet with a muslin cotton fabric on both sides to protect it from bacteria while allowing it to dry. I kept a window open in my room for air circulation and placed a Tupperware with rice nearby to absorb excess humidity since Amsterdam is quite humid.
• When the corners started drying while the middle parts were still wet, I lightly dampened the corners with a little water to prevent them from overdrying and becoming brittle.
• I made sure not to touch it too many times, move it around, or repeatedly pick it up and put it down, as this would cause it to fold.

It was at this point that I made a crucial mistake—I missed an important step: applying coconut oil at the beginning of the drying stage. I mistakenly thought I had to apply it after drying, which I did, but it had no effect. Instead, it just made the leather greasy and unusable. The material became extremely thin and brittle, like paper. Coconut oil is supposed to be applied early in the drying process to keep it flexible, like real leather.

That was my mistake, and by the time I realized it, I didn’t have enough time to start a new kombucha bath. But despite the setbacks (some of them pretty devastating), I had so much fun. I learned a lot from this process, and I’ll definitely try it again soon. It was an emotional journey, and I really enjoyed it.

Helpful kombucha links:

• Week 4 testing 2, Kombucha Leather updates

• How to make Kombucha Leather

• Growing Leather: Make Vegan Leather With Kombucha

• Making kombucha leather fabric: Drying the SCOBY sheets (2/3)

• Loes Bogers Documentation

• Kahm Yeast And Kombucha - Actionable Steps, Tips And Advice

• The Homebrewer’s Guide to Kahm Yeast And Kombucha

• How To Identify Mold Vs. Not Mold On Kombucha & What To Do Next

• What’s That White Waxy Layer Growing On My Kombucha Brew?

• PICTURES OF KOMBUCHA MUSHROOM SCOBY A GALLERY WHATS GOOD WHATS NOT

• Growing a Leather-like Biomaterial in the Classroom From Kombucha

• Reddit

Unfortunately, I couldn’t make any of the kombucha pieces I had envisioned, but now I know what not to do in my future projects. Despite all the troubleshooting, there is still so much potential for this material. Even though I wasn’t able to complete it within these three months, I gained a lot of knowledge from the process, and I’m looking forward to applying everything I’ve learned next time!

scent tests

First Recipe:

• 240ml water

• 1/2 tablespoon coconut oil (liquid)

• 10 drops of essential oil - sea fennel

Test 1: 3hours submerged (immediate discoloration + separation?)

Test 2: Brushed (soaked) on one side

Second Recipe:

• 240ml water

• 1/2 tablespoon 70% alcohol

• 1/4 tablespoon coconut oil (liquid)

• 10 drops of essential oil - rosemary

Test 1: 30min submerged (immediate discoloration)

Test 2: lightly brushed on both sides

(Let it all dry 24h without touching)

My kombucha scent tests were really promising, but I didn’t get much out of them. I cut small samples from a very healthy and strong dried kombucha leather we had in the lab. I tried two recipes—one with alcohol and one without. At the beginning, I noticed that the submerged samples had more discoloration and, in the end, became very brittle and thin. Meanwhile, the ones that were only brushed maintained their initial color, texture, and strength.

The results in terms of fragrance were as follows:

• The submerged samples held the scent for 24 hours, but after that, they became scentless—even the kombucha smell disappeared. The one with alcohol was slightly more fragile than the one without.
• The brushed samples didn’t hold any scent after 4 hours and still smelled like kombucha.

So, we didn’t manage to develop a recipe for scented kombucha, but Anastasia gave me these tips for next time:

• Do not add any scents, colors, food, or fibers while the kombucha is growing.
• If you start mixing things into your bath, you are genetically modifying the kombucha, meaning you're experimenting, and it may fail.
• Remove the kombucha and wash it for at least 1 hour by hand using dishwashing liquid. Then, soak it for 3 days, adding laundry detergent. Wash it again, and on the final day, soak it with fabric softener (as if it were clothing).
• After the 4-day process, you can submerge it in a dye bath and leave it for 1 day.
• To condition it, make a cream using one part beeswax, three parts olive oil, and any essential oil. Let the kombucha dry on wood for 12 hours in a vertical position so the water drips down. Then, massage it with the cream and use a paper towel to absorb any excess.

egg shells bio material

This eggshell wearable sculpture is meant to represent the sand and volcanic-colored rocks of Faial Island’s beaches. It also serves as a metaphorical representation of holding the Earth and nature in your hands.

This was my first time experimenting with this recipe. I saw a process for making an eggshell sculpture on Alicia Valdes's Instagram and decided to try replicating it without following a recipe—I just improvised and created my own.

I collected eggshells for a month and a half, and luckily, everyone at the lab helped by giving me theirs. I even ended up with more than I needed, which was amazing!

It's really important to rinse the eggshells after collecting them to remove any remaining egg residue. Once you have a good amount, you should boil them for a couple of hours and then let them dry in a well-ventilated space to prevent mold. After that, they’re ready to use!

Gelatine Bio-Resin Ingredients:

• 48gr Gelatine

• 8gr Glycerine

• 240ml Water

Step-by-Step to make Gelatine Bio-Resin with Eggshell Biocomposite:

1. Grind or crush the eggshells into a fine powder and sift them using a sieve to remove any larger particles.
2. Follow the recipe provided above to make the bio-resin.
3. Gradually sift the eggshell powder into the bio-resin while continuously whisking to ensure even distribution. Avoid adding too much at once, as this may cause lumps.
4. Continue adding the eggshell powder until the mixture thickens but remains pourable. It should feel strong and well-integrated, yet still in liquid form.
5. Pour the mixture into a silicone mold, or line your mold with plastic wrap to prevent sticking.
6. Place the mold in a dehydrator with the ventilation-only setting (no heat) for at least 10 hours, or until the material becomes rock solid. Ensure that the interior is fully dry.

(The material may develop a slight odor during drying, but this can be neutralized with a sealing overcoat.)

To paint my eggshell wearable sculpture, I tried two techniques: firstly, I used watercolor paints because they were the only ones I had available, but I believe that oil paint would work better. Also, using a water-based paint is not ideal for the biomaterial because it moisturizes it, which can lead to mold growth. Therefore, I used just a little bit of water, resulting in a very subtle color on the sculpture.

Then, I tried using black makeup eyeshadow. It worked well; for a stronger pigment, layering is necessary, but it turned out quite opaque with a strong pigment.

To finish, I applied transparent nail polish as a coating. This not only sealed the piece but also helped trap the unpleasant smell of the eggshells, and after 24 hours, the nail polish smell became very subtle. I applied about 2 to 3 layers of coating and let it dry.​

half-fabrication files