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7. BioFabricating Materials

My bio-material dress was created a week after this assignment. Why? Because I truly enjoyed this week's project and found it incredibly inspiring. Take a look at my assignment to see what we explored during this week. By the end, you'll also find the detailed process of creating this wonderful dress.

Research

This is pne of the most inspiring videos I came across during my research It explores the fascinating potential of biofabrication and how it could revolutionize material design

References & Inspiration

I found these three amazing projects that inspired me a lot. Their designs showcase the incredible shapes that can be achieved, inspiring me to think about the possibilities of the materials we create. These projects also highlight the variety of textures that can be produced, sparking ideas for my own work.

describe what you see in this image

Credits
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Tools

Process and workflow

Gelatine (Bioplastic)

Gelatine bioplastic is a biodegradable material made from gelatin, a natural protein derived from animal collagen. When combined with glycerin, it forms a flexible, plastic-like sheet that is versatile and eco-friendly

Materials & Ingredients

Material name Polymer Plasticizer Solvent Additive
bio-Plastic Gelatine 48 g Glycerine 12 g Water 240 g Coffee ground 3 g

This is the final material without any additives like colors...

How to cook your Gelatine Bioplastic ?

  1. Heat the Water Measure and heat 240 grams of water to 90°C.

  1. Add Glycerine Weigh 12 grams of glycerine and add it to the heated water. Stir thoroughly.

  2. Add Gelatin Weigh 48 grams of gelatin. Tip: Before adding it to the pot, try melting the gelatin separately in a small bowl or another container. This prevents any unmelted pieces from ending up in your final mixture. Once melted, add it to the pot and stir well.

  3. Add Coffee Grounds Weigh 3 grams of coffee grounds and stir them into the mixture as the final ingredient.

  4. Shape the Material Mold the mixture into the desired shape and let it set.

Here is the final result of the swatches after they have dried.

Agar (Bioplastic)

Agar bioplastic is made from agar-agar, a natural gelatinous substance derived from red algae. It is a vegan alternative to gelatine bioplastic and is known for its strength and translucency

Materials & Ingredients

Material name Polymer Plasticizer Solvent Additive
bio-Plastic Agar 4 g Glycerine 12 g Water 200 g Food coloring 1 g

How to cook your Agar Bioplastic ?

  1. Heat the Water Measure and heat 200 grams of water to 90°C.

  2. Add Glycerine Weigh 12 grams of glycerine and add it to the heated water. Stir thoroughly.

  3. Add Agar Weigh 4 grams of Agar and add it to the pot and stir well.

  4. Add CFood coloring Weigh 1 grams of fiid coloring and stir them into the mixture as the final ingredient.

  5. Shape the Material Mold the mixture into the desired shape and let it set.

this the final swatches we did in the lab with different additives picture took from my colleague Ola

Alginate Threads

Alginate is made by combining sodium alginate, water, glycerine and a curing agent: Calcium chloride.

Ingredients

Alginate Glycerin Water Sodium chloride
12g 40g 400ml 10g (dissolved in 100ml water as a curing solution)

Recipes

Mix the Ingredients:

Start by pouring 400ml of water into a blender, followed by adding glycerin. Blend the mixture thoroughly. Gradually add the alginate powder, a little at a time, to prevent clumping. Continue blending until the mixture becomes smooth and uniform. For our batch, we included food coloring to give it a vibrant look.

Refrigerate the Mixture Overnight:

Transfer the blended mixture into a container and place it in the refrigerator overnight. This step is essential as it allows any air bubbles formed during blending to rise to the surface and disappear. Eliminating these bubbles ensures the final bio-sheet is strong and free from weak spots.

Sodium Chloride Curing Solution

Dissolve 10g of sodium chloride in 100ml of water,shake or stir well so we make our Alginate material inside it.

All alginate materials shrink as they dry.

Alginate sheet

Cast the Bio Sheet

To create the bio sheet:

  1. Prepare the Base:
    Line a container with fabric and place an embroidery ring inside to define the shape of the material.

  2. Layer the Alginate Mixture:
    Pour a layer of the alginate mixture within the ring. For reinforcement, add a layer of wool, then pour another layer of the alginate mixture to encase it completely.

  3. Cure the Bio Sheet:
    Spray the sodium chloride solution evenly on both the top and bottom surfaces of the sheet to ensure proper curing throughout.

KAOMBUCHA

Bacteria Cellulose known as SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast) leather, is created by fermenting tea with a symbiotic culture. This process produces a cellulose-based material that is flexible, strong, and completely biodegradable

Ingredients

Ingredient Amount Notes
Water 1 L
Tea 1.5–3 g Use a mix of green and red tea for color.
Sugar 100 g Fully dissolved in brewed tea.
Vinegar 0–100 ml Adjust based on pH (ideal range: 3–4).
SCOBY Mother About 8 cm in diameter Ensure it’s healthy and active.
SCOBY Solution A splash Helps kick-start fermentation.

Method

1. Brew the Tea - Boil 1 liter of water.
- Add 1.5–3 grams of tea (the amount depends on the desired color intensity).
- Let the tea steep for 10–15 minutes.
- Remove the tea leaves or bags, then stir in 100 grams of sugar until fully dissolved.
- Optional: Filter the tea for a smoother final texture.

2. Adjust the pH - Gradually add vinegar while monitoring the pH.
- Stop once the mixture reaches a pH of 3 to 4.
- This step creates an acidic environment to prevent mold and support bacterial growth.

3. Cool the Mixture - Allow the tea to cool to lukewarm temperature before proceeding.
- Avoid adding the SCOBY to hot tea, as it can harm the bacteria.

4. Add SCOBY and Start Fermentation - Gently place the SCOBY mother into the cooled tea mixture.
- Add a small splash of SCOBY solution to boost fermentation.
- Cover the container with a clean cloth and secure it with a rubber band.

5. Fermentation Process - Store the container in a warm, dark place (ideally 25°C–30°C or 77°F–86°F).
- After about a week, layers of cellulose will start forming on the surface.
- Allow the fermentation to continue until the sheet reaches your desired thickness.

Tips for Success

Step Tip
pH Adjustment Use a pH meter or strips for accuracy.
Temperature Control Keep the fermentation environment warm to speed up the process.
Avoid Contamination Ensure all tools and containers are clean to prevent mold growth.

The journey of growing up for my KOMBUcHA

Bio Plastic Dress

Prototyping

So at the end of this week I decided to make a dress of bio material and I choosed bio plastic material !!

I start do some prototypes here I got more Gelatine material - which is not the result I want

Ingredients

60 ml water —6 grams potato starch —6 grams gelatin —6 grams glycerin (3 grams makes a stiffer sheet)

Gelatin Glycerin Water potato starch
24g 24g 240ml 24g

so I decide to make the material more plastic by decreace the Glycerin and this is the ingredients I used

Gelatin Glycerin Water potato starch
24g 18g 240ml 24g

Some Additives

here I tried to add some

dry flowers with nice smell - my makeup waste(including Glitter and eye shadow)

and this is the result of the two faces

the one on the left was the upper face I added some glitter using makeup bruch after I cast it

Process

I started by mix the gelatin in another pot and hot water so it is easier to max it later with the glycerin

here I used the mixer to mix everything well and I added the eyeshadow which give me the color of the material

After casting the material I added some Glitter And I did not add the dry flower I felt it is better without !!

Here you see the material after 3 days still not 100% dry so it is ready to be shaped !

I started here shape the material but the only Isue I got that the materail start to get dry before shape it so I had to use the heat gun to make it SOFTER

Final result

You can also check the video of the dress on my Instagram page View this Instagram video