7. BioFabricating Materials

Research

Biofabrication principles in textile and material design emphasize sustainable, experimental, and community-driven approaches. Here’s an overview of these core ideas:

Bioplastics Creation

Using simple, natural ingredients such as gelatin, agar, and glycerin, bioplastics can be produced with varied flexibility, transparency, and durability. The process is adaptable, allowing for customization based on intended uses, like fabrics, wearable items, or accessory parts.

Bioleather from Bacterial Cellulose

Bacterial cellulose, often grown through kombucha cultures, forms a versatile leather substitute. This material can be cultivated, processed, and customized for desired textures and thickness, offering a sustainable, animal-free alternative for fashion and accessories.

Local Material Sourcing

Prioritizing locally sourced and renewable materials like agricultural waste or wild plants supports reduced environmental impact and fosters a connection between materials and their origins.

DIY and Hands-On Experimentation

A hands-on, experimental approach to biofabrication empowers individuals to innovate through making, testing, and iterating. This DIY mindset makes biofabrication accessible and allows creators to explore and problem-solve in real-time.

References & Inspiration

Margherita Pevere

Skin studies (2017) is a series of works investigating the material poetics of microbial cellulose, a natural polymer produced by a variety of microorganisms. I have investigated this material over the years in various contexts: I have tested how different kinds of cultures can lead to different results, compared DIY and scientific protocols, and taught how to grow it in dedicated workshops. Microbial cellulose is a key material in my project Semina Aeternitatis, which features the storage of a collection of strangers’ memories on synthetic DNA. The featureless mask I wear I Eingeweide is made of microbial cellulose, as a counterpoint to the robotic prostheses worn by Marco Donnarumma.

Elissa Brunato

Designer Elissa Brunato has created the Bio Iridescent Sequin, a material research and design project that transforms cellulose into sparkling, biodegradable sequins in a variety of sizes and shapes, in an effort to make the fashion business more environmentally friendly. These eco-friendly sequins, which were developed in partnership with Material Scientists Hjalmar Granberg and Tiffany Abitbol from the RISE Research Institutes of Sweden, provide a biodegradable substitute for traditional sequins, which are usually composed of synthetic resins or petroleum plastic. One of the answers for a circular textile industry is this novel biomaterial.

Tools

Measuring Tools

Measuring Cups and Spoons: Accurate measurement of ingredients (e.g., starch, gelatin, glycerin) is crucial for achieving the desired bioplastic properties. Digital Scale: For precise ingredient measurements, especially when working with small quantities or adjusting formulations.

Mixing Tools

Mixing Bowls: Heat-resistant glass or stainless steel bowls are ideal for mixing ingredients, especially when applying heat. Spatula or Spoon: Used to stir the ingredients thoroughly to ensure an even mixture. Blender (Optional): Helps in achieving a smoother texture, particularly when incorporating fibers or other additives.

Heating Equipment

Hot Plate or Stove: To heat the mixture until it reaches the correct consistency, typically around 80-90°C (176-194°F).

Process and workflow

Exploring local nature can be an inspiring and refreshing experience, especially for someone interested in art and design. It allows you to connect with the environment, observe natural forms, textures, colors, and patterns, and draw inspiration from the landscape, plants, and wildlife.

The first experiment involving Gelatine Foam

During Biofabrication Week, our team experimented with Gelatine Foam from the Bioplastic Cook Book to take the initial steps toward creating bioplastics. We selected this recipe because it looked doable and allowed us to experiment with using common items to make a flexible, sustainable material. The provided image shows the required ingredients and recipe directions. We'll go over each step of the procedure in detail below, including our thoughts and experiences.

Ingredients

Ingredients

    * 15 gr Glycerine
    * 45 ml Gelatine
    * 60 ml water
    * 6 ml Soap

Instructions

    * Add gelatine, water and glycerine into a pot.
    * Cook over medium heat and stir until the gelatine dissolved and the solution starts to thicken.
    * Add liquid dish soap and then whisk the solution until it all becomes foam.
    * Tape down a wooden frame on a non stick surface and pour in the foam.
    * Let the bioplastic dry according to the previously stated steps.

Making Gelatine Foam with Erika

Recipe from Biolastic Cook Book by MARGARET DUNNE

Link https://library.ucsd.edu/dc/object/bb5094430n/_2_1.pdf

Result

Agar-Agar

Plant Based Bioplastic

Ingredients

    * 1.5 gr Agar-agar powder
    * 1 tsp coffee grounds for color and texture
    * 100 ml water

Instructions

    * Boil the water, add agar-agar powder and stir antil dissolved
    * Add coffee grounds for color or texture
    * Pour the mixture onto a flat surface and let it dry for 12-24 hours.

ChatGPT provided us with an intriguing recipe to explore for our second experiment. Under its direction, we made an agar-agar film that, depending on the concentration, can be either flexible or hard. This is what we did!

Making Agar-Agar film with Erika

RESULT

Alginic Acid Gel

Ingredients

   * 4 gr Alginate powder
   * 8 ml glycerin
   * 200 ml water

Instructions

    * Boil the water, add alginate powder and stir antil dissolved
    * Add glycerin
    * Pour the mixture onto a flat surface and let it dry for 12-24 hours.

I therefore made the decision to include a fir branch in the biofilm mixture for this experiment. After pouring the alginate mixture into the frame, I carefully positioned a fir banch.

RESULT

Alginate Strings

Creating Alginate String is a fascinating process that involves two main components: sodium alginate and calcium chloride.

• What is Sodium Alginate?

Sodium alginate is a natural polysaccharide (a type of carbohydrate) derived from brown seaweed. It is water-soluble and forms a gel-like substance when combined with a divalent cation, such as calcium. Sodium alginate is commonly used in food, pharmaceuticals, and textile industries due to its ability to form gels and its biocompatibility.

Ingredients

 10 gr  Sodium Alginate
 400 ml Water
 40 gr  Calcium Chloride

Instructions

    * Mixed 400 ml  water, with 10 gr sodium alginate in a bowl and stirred until smooth.

RESULT

Making Kombucha¶ Hibiscus Karkade Kombucha Recipe¶

The methods I and Erika took to brew five liters of kombucha with karkade (hibiscus) for a lovely color and acidic twist are detailed in this guide.

Ingredients

• Tea: 10–12 bags of black or green tea (or around 4-5 tablespoons, or 20–25 grams of loose leaf) • Ten to fifteen grams of dried hibiscus flowers (about three to four tablespoons) or five hibiscus tea bags 500 grams of sugar • White One hundred milliliters of vinegar

Directions

Get the Sweetened Tea Base ready. Five liters of filtered water were brought to a boil. - After that, we added 500 grams of sugar, karkade, and tea. thoroughly stirred to fully dissolve the sugar. - After letting the tea simmer for ten to fifteen minutes, we took out the karkade and tea.

We allowed the tea to cool for a few minutes.

Add the vinegar and scoby.

We filled a food container with it. One hundred milliliters of white vinegar (or starter kombucha) was added. After that, we carefully positioned the SCOBY over the tea.

The process of fermentation

We wrapped a permeable fabric around a food container and fastened it with a rubber band. Allow the kombucha to ferment at room temperature for seven to ten days.

Result

Kombucha by Christina Avagi

Bioprinting

We investigated the possibility of developing materials appropriate for 3D printing in addition to our work with bioplastics. Working together, we concentrated on creating biocomposites out of banana peels, eggshells, agar-agar, and leftover coffee. We were particularly thrilled about the prospect of eventually hacking one of our 3D printers to make it a bioprinter so we could keep testing these materials.

Recipes 1.

Ingredients

 150 ml water
 4 tbsp coffee grounds (leftovers)
 5 g eggshell powder
 2g xanthan gum (to improve the viscosity for printing)

Instructions

    We made the coffee and eggshell biocomposite by combining water, coffee grounds, and eggshell powder. After heating the slurry, we added xanthan gum to improve its viscosity, which was necessary to make it thick enough for 3D printing.

Ingredients

 1200 ml water
 10g agar-agar
 70g banana peels (blended)
 15g glycerine (for flexibility)
 Blue pigment

Instructions

    For the agar-agar and banana peel recipe, we first blended the banana peels into a homogeneous paste and combined them with the agar-agar solution while heating everything together. Glycerine was added to the agar-agar mixture to make it more flexible and prevent cracking.

Results

Different experiments with alginate