7. BioFabricating Materials¶

MY PREVIOUS WORK.

A Collection of (Bio) Bags↗
My (Bio) Process Book↗

[lecture notes]

I was very excited about this week as Biofabrication is my passion. Although I already have some experience within biofabricating materials, there was SO much to learn. I was particularly excited about learning about living materials such as Mycelium and Kombucha aswell as looking back at Fish Skins and Bioplastics. When I was first learning about Biofabrication, I came across Cecilia's lecture from 2019 and so it was an honour to now have the opportunity to try out these methods properly.

As we covered so much this week. I decided to split my documentation into the different sections of Plant-based, Fish Skins, Living Materials and Bioplastics. Starting with the processes and topics I found most inspiring.

Plant-Based Fibers¶

Nettle Dyed Jumber by Hedestrik↗
Knitted Nettles↗
Bolsa Erraticá Bag (pinterest)
Leaf Leather Bag↗
Grass Bag & Grass Yarn by me.

[Nettle research inspired by meeting the Nettle Project↗ at DDW]

I have experience in plant-based fibers having worked with growing my own Wheatgrass Root and Grass Textiles. Meeting Iepe from the Nettle Project, inspired me to think about other forms of textile so I was very excited when Cecelia spoke about making our own Cattail [Bullrush] fur!

Cattail Fur Process¶

A CATTAIL PURSE.

After seeing the shape of my Cattail textile, I immediately thought about making a little purse. This was very simple as I just sewed and glued a zip and piece of fabric to the top and bottom and voilá. I was really happy with this outcome and could definitely see it working as a practical, fashionable and sustainable piece.

[Cattail purse made by me]

Fish Skin Leather¶

Anna Virnich Snake Skin↗
Greenlandic seal fur underwear. National Museum of Denmark. 19th century
Kari Furre's Fish Skin↗

I love working with fish skin. It is a huge inspiration within my practise and I know it will be throughout my future of design. It was so nice to be back in my element and sharing tips and tricks with my classmates. Kari Furre's work with fish skin is some of my favourite work that exists. The way she shapes and molds the skin in such a unique way is so hugely inspiring. I'm excited to learn a new method of tanning with Ethanol and Glycerine, focusing on the transulency it can create.

The Process¶

Visual Representation of Preparation [images from my previous work]

FAT TANNING

‘Tanning’ is the process that transforms the raw fish skin into a durable, supple material. Once defleshed and descaled, Tanning agents are used to stabilise the collagen fibers, making the skin resistant to decomposition and water. beauty.

Fat tanning cures the skin, preserving its original colour and translucency. Harnessing the fish’s natural colour.

Traditionally the brain of the animal is used due to its high fat contents but egg yolk can be used as an alternative. Tanning with fats is a comparatively quick method, taking only a few days.

Leave to dry for a few days.

TANNING WITH ETHANOL AND GLYCERINE.

Ethanol : Acts as a solvent to help clean and process the skin, and evaporates, leaving the skin more flexible.

Glycerine: Acts as a plasticizer and moisturizer, helping to keep the skin from becoming brittle as it dries and creating a soft, flexible final product.

The combination of alcohol and glycerin soaks into the fish skin, breaking down the proteins and making it soft and supple. It is not a true tan in the way that fat tanning is, which creates a permanent chemical bond.

Remove from Ethanol and Glycerine solution
Wash with water and a little bit of soap
Drain
Massage with Glycerine
Stretch to dry on flat board [I used recycled carboard rather than wood to save waste, and this worked perfectly fine]
Once dry, peel off and voilá

This process created a much smoother, more transparent outcome. Drying it on a board was really effective in greating a flat textile. I also think the amount of glycerine I coated on was good because it has made the skin more durable and dynamic. This is a process I will definitely be continueing with in the future.

Mycelium¶

Moritz Ploens Mycelium Hats↗
Helena Elston's Decompostable Garments↗
Garments by Atelier Dashatsapenko↗

I have always been intruiged by Mycelium but never grasped really how or what it is. Annie's Lecture was fascinating and really helpful in outlining the different types of mycelium, ways to work with it and what to feed them. I loved the concept of calling them our 'guest' and listening to their needs and desires to help them survive. Giving them a balanced meal.

An Overview. Notes from Annie Ferlate's Lecture.

The Process¶

How to Inoculate the Mycelium onto a Material [Solid] :

Now we wait...

How to Propogate Mycelium onto a Fresh Petri Dish :

Bacterial Cellulose Leather¶

[Kombucha]

Bio-Couture by Suzanne Lee↗
Dried and sewn bacterial cellulose (pinterest)
Bag by Emma Vanderleest↗

This process has been on my list to learn for a very long time. Suzanne Lee is one of my biggest inspirations within Biofabrication so understanding her process within Bio-Couture was so so interesting. It has also made me appreciate these pieces much more as I understand the care and conditions that have gone into growing and constructing them.

The Process¶

What is a Scoby?

SCOBY stands for symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast. It’s a living culture that grows and evolves, consuming sugar as its fuel. So, when certain bacteria and yeast are put together and cultivated in the right environment, you get SCOBY which can then be harvested, dried, molded and used to make 100% biodegradable vegan leather.

Outcome growing...

Bioplastics¶

Making Gelatine Bio-Silicone¶

With experience in Agar and Alginate, I had never worked with Gelatine before so it was important for me to try something new. Within the class we all tried a range of recipes, this was my process making Gelatine Silicone. I had never worked with casting on textures so I was very excited about bringing a whole new element to the aesthetic of my materials.