Episode 001 | Next-gen textiles

There is power behind the clothes we love. Next-gen materials are revolutionizing fashion, blending style with sustainability in a way that speaks to both the sense of beauty and concern for the planet. It's not just about looking good; it's about making choices that feel good too. And indeed do good.
It's a complex issue, but solutions are within reach and underscore the urgency: over half of an apparel corporation's climate impact can stem from its supply chain, with 75% of the total supply chain footprint originating from raw material production and textile processing.

As we delve into the landscape of next-gen materials, it's crucial to navigate these complexities with an open mind, recognizing that while innovation offers vast possibilities it also demands a critical examination of its implications for society and the environment. Same - same for tradition and its unconscious biases that don’t account for planetary and human changes.

In this first episode #biote(xh)tile 001 we will explore the ground level of next-gen materials landscape, including its key ingredients and players. Bear in mind, that this is just a blueprint at March 2024 and of what I could find at the moment.

This piece is crafted as a handy guide for easy reference. Feel free to directly jump to sections that catch your eye and to explore the many links provided. Initially, I'll share key terms and insights that have helped my journey through the realm of next-gen textiles. Following that, we'll expand into specific categories of available alternatives, naming cellulose-based, other non-cellulose natural-based, mycelia, seaweed, and protein-based options.

First myth debunk: Anything labelled ‘Bio’ must be superior or biodegradable.

Same situation occurs for the label ‘sustainable’ and sometimes ‘biodegradable’. To truly grasp the environmental and social significance, we need to look at the very percentage of materials indicated in the label. It’s also not just about the raw components, but where they come from and how they have been transformed along the way to us. In future episodes, we'll explore more comprehensive frameworks and networks dedicated to accounting, measuring, and monitoring these aspects, which are particularly relevant in understanding clothes’ value chain and end of life.

For now, let’s start with ‘Bio’ definitions from the Biofabricate and Fashion for Good 2021 report (schematic below). Within ‘biomaterials’ the focus is on ‘biobased materials’, which states that all or few raw components come from biomass, excluding fossil sources. It includes both natural and synthetic fibers, from cotton, cashmere and animal leather to mycelia, algae and bacterial cellulose and more. Within biobased category, we encounter two more subdivisions: ‘biosynthetics’ and ‘biofabricated materials’, which overlap in what are ‘biofabricated ingredients’. In this grouping, the essential components and their transformation processes are the focus of attention.

‘Biosynthetics’ label has two meanings: 1) the process for which living organisms, such as bacteria, yeast and mycelia, create some raw building blocks, the polymers, like yeast fermenting into alcohol; 2) or that a biomass input was converted into chemical precursors for nylon, polyesters or fuel. On the other hand, ‘Biofabricated’ refers specifically to the growth process deriving entirely from living microorganisms. So, further in to ‘bioassembled’ structures, they are directly grown ready-macro-scale formations, as seen in Hermes’ mycelia leather Victoria Bag and Ganni’s bacteria cellulose Bou Bag. Finally, the two groups combine into ‘biofabricated ingredients’, such as Spiber x North Face’s spider silk made from the fermentation (biosynthetics) of recombinant spider silk proteins (biofabricated) which then takes further processing to become a fiber, ink or a sheet. I’ll explain a bit more the process below.

More categorizations and definitions will emerge in this intricate landscape, akin to ‘next-gen materials’. The crucial take-away is a critical mindset towards ‘bio-something something’ or ‘sustainable’ label. In other words, let's focus more on the composition of materials listed on the label rather than being swayed by the captivating bio-stories presented in fashion campaigns.

Before we dive into these materials, let's go through some crucial terms and insights that have shaped my understanding and perspective in the realm of biofabrication. You can always come back to this point afterwards.

• What are polymers? A polymer is a ‘long chain of smaller units (monomers)’. For example ‘sugar polymers’ are called ‘polysaccharides’, and ‘amino acids polymers’ are known as ‘proteins’. Polymers are the building blocks of natural fibers. So we find polysaccharides-based materials, if based on cellulose, chitin and alginate; and protein-based materials, which include keratine, fibroin and collagen.

• What’s the difference between natural and synthetic? ‘Natural polymers’ means that the monomers are made by nature, while ‘synthetic polymers’ says that these smaller units have been created by humans through processes. Traditionally, the ‘synthetic’ category implied the use of petrochemical toxic processes and chemicals. Though, with ‘synthetic biology’ the definition expands to a mix of natural and man-made thanks to alteration of DNA in living systems. In this case, the monomers are natural and their ‘assembly’ into chains (polymers) are engineered. Take fermentation, for example: microorganisms like bacteria, yeast and fungi do it spontaneously from millennia when they convert their sugar food into alcohols, acids and gases, but this process is also used in a controlled way (engineered) for making beers or wine. The same natural occurring process is harvested into new materials with renewable and biodegradable sources that do not use plastic nor harmful chemicals. This is also what ‘Green Chemistry’ principles give guidelines and certification of, that discriminate bio-positive synthetic from environmentally damaging ones.

• Is natural better than synthetic or viceversa? It really depends on the whole manufacturing value chain. For example, looking at natural fibers the attention is particularly on farming conditions- is a small farm or a big corp? how much land is used? and water? what are workers’ social conditions? etc. When it comes to synthetic materials the focus is more on feedstock- do bacteria get fed with sugar cane competing with food production or causing deforestation?-, and chemicals - are they toxic or do they respect the green chemistry framework?. Both, among others, are principle components for an honest material assessment on social and environmental practices, and few frameworks help with it, including Higg MSI, Textile Exchange and CradleToCradle. Let’s keep this in mind for later episodes! Another point is that texture and other characteristics often depend heavily on the various chemical treatments. In fact, the original raw fibers are most of the times enhanced with natural or synthetic polymers. Thus, at this step, a natural fiber like organic cotton could get a layer of harmful chemicals that make the whole material waterproof but non-biodegradable anymore. Or a synthetic biofabricated textile, like mycelia leather, could be dyed with toxic pigments.

Let's dive in! We'll explore cellulose-based materials, other non-cellulose natural sources like chitin, followed by mycelia, seaweed, and protein-based bio-based materials. To provide context, I'll also touch on natural fibers (though not considered next-gen materials) as the foundational elements from which lab-grown materials are derived, whether extracted or synthesized.

It comprehends a natural cellulosic fibers’ introduction, cellulose-extracted biobased materials and bacteria cellulose.

CONTEXT: Natural cellulosic fibers.

Think of cellulose in plant fibers as a bundle of sugar chains neatly packed into small pockets (microfibrils), which are further bundled into bigger pockets (macrofibrils), in a Matryoshka-doll effect, and aligned along with the fiber's orientation. Some sugar chains are orderly crystals, giving the fibers strength and resistance, while others are more randomly arranged, causing flexibility. This great versatile structure is why cellulosic fibers are so widespread in textile and also why if you pull a grass leaf in the direction it grows you can get a sharp cut, like for paper cut!

1. Cellulose-extracted biobased materials.

The vast cellulose-extracted leather landscape includes: fruit waste, such as pineapple leaves Ananas Anam’s Pinatex, apples made into Viron’s Appleskin leather, citrus sources for Orange Fiber and grape skins in Vegea’s GrapeSkin; agricultural waste- mix of rice, cork, coconut and citrus peels- of Mirum’s leather used by Allbirds and Camper; wood pulp, processed into lyocell fibers and woven into a leather-like material, or sourced from cactus by Desserto; liquidised cellulose 3D molded into a whole new material by Simplifyber; urban lignocellulosic waste, agricultural and forestry waste. This last byproducts are the ingredients of Biophilica’s Treekind leather, showcased in Been London and Bestseller collections, and also turned into bio-glue. Recycled paper and wood pulp are converted into sequins by Radiant Matter x Stella McCartney’s jumpsuit, and vibrant colored dyes by Sparxell. Old cellulosic textiles are upcycled into new fabrics by Renewcell’s Circulose extensive collabs and into boots by Viron which converts old rubber and plastic too. Leftover CBD hemp fibers turn into Revoltech’s Lovr textiles. Unwanted food crop waste are upgraded into AltMat’s fibers and fabrics. Finally, BioFluff’s Savian turns nettle, hemp and flax into luxury faux fur showcased in Ganni’s Fabrics of the Future, that presents Circulose and Polybion (below) too. And Ponda’s BioPuff pioneers a puffer from typha plants, wetlands’ regenerative treasure, which are also good substitutes to wood pulp.

Ps: Lyocell is extracted from natural cellulose as its mates viscose (rayon), acetate and modal. Why then is lyocell environmentally friendly but viscose, acetate and modal are not? Green chemistry baby! Lyocell production uses organic chemicals to dissolve wood pulp in a closed-loop process (the solvent is recycled and reused over and over again), while the other fibers use toxic chemicals which leaks into water and landfills eventually. Plus, TENCEL Lyocell is a bit more proprietary but also a bit more certified, especially for the wood source coming from sustainably managed forests (FSC).

Pps: ‘100% Vegan PU (polyurethane) leather’ is plastic. Made from petroleum. Energy intensive. Non biodegradable. Use toxic chemicals. Sure PETA certifies that no animals suffered, but plastic is making everyone suffer including animals. Anyway, it may feel a kinder choice PU over a slaughtered cow, but, this topic deserves broader consideration and in this article you can find many high-quality alternatives to leather (and fashion brands who use them!).

2. Bacteria cellulose.

Finally, my beloved bacteria cellulose!

The process of bacteria transforming sugar into useful byproducts is called fermentation and Anna shows us a story on DIY bacterial cellulose. Bacteria’s food (called feedstock) can be sourced from agricultural and industrial byproducts, like agro-waste fed to Polybion’s Celium microbial leather, coconut waste for Malai’s bacterial cellulose and biowaste in MakeGrowLab’s Transleather. However, people still feed this microorganisms with feedstock that compete with food production, like agricultural sugars in Modern Synthesis’s nanocellulose, or do not make this critical information easy to find, as for Gozen and Bucha Bio. Now, you also know what’s behind Ganni’s Blazer and Bou Bag , and Balenciaga’s Lunaforma floor-length robe.

It includes short snapshots of rubber, chitosan and alginate, and PHA/PHB bioplastics.

Rubber.

Natural rubber is the natural polymer derived from rubber trees, primarily Hevea brasiliensis. Instead, natural latex is the milky fluid extracted from the same tree and contains the natural rubber polymer but in small pieces in suspension. Companies like Natural Fiber Welding, transform natural rubber into leather, fabrics enhancers and outsoles. Warning factors to consider relates to deforestation, slavery, and toxic chemical processing.

Chitosan and Alginate

In the same cellulose’s gang, they are the vital structures of the respective organisms, all about long, twisty sugar chains (polysaccharides), packed into their own unique outfits and fully biodegradable. TomTex transform the chitosan found in seashells and mushrooms waste into a leather alternative that made its appearance in Dophinette and Maitrepierre 2024 collections. A beautiful choreography of chitosan, cellulose and pectin can be admired in the Aguahoja, a 3D printed 5m-tall pavilion made of these biopolymers and part of Neri Oxman’s Material Ecology exhibition at Moma. We will discover alginate below in the seaweed section.

PHA & PHB.

It is not PET, nor ‘polyester’ nor the one used in plastic bottles. PHA is a byproduct of bacteria fermentation and it biodegrades. Mango Materials is at the forefront of PHA production, which ingredient is the basis of the first net zero carbon shoe Allbirds’ M0.0nshot. Their bacteria are fed with methane from waste waters, contributing in capturing GHG emissions and turning it into injection molding pellets, fibers and films! Another exciting plastic warrior is Nereid Biomaterials, which pioneers living materials that are specifically ocean biodegradable. They use bacteria to ferment PHB, PHA’s sibling in the family of fully biodegradable polyesters. The two companies collaborate together with a network of universities that are pioneering research on engineering functional living materials that regenerate the environment.

It’s all about mycelia.

Mycelium is the thick web of tiny threads called hyphae, which are crucial for fungi to live, grow, and even "talk" to each other. What we call 'mushroom’ is the fruiting body that develops from the mycelium. Many mycelium webs form mycelia networks.

like the one made by Mycoworks x Hermes, or Ephea x Balenciaga’s coat. By changing what the mycelium grows on, the substrate and the molding tray, we can change the texture and shape of these materials. For example mycelia-leather Mylo by Bolt Threads is made of mushrooms (probably Reishi) grown on organic beds. This means that, first, fungal spores are added to wood chips, hemp, straws, hardwood pellets, oat or sometimes coffee grounds, and then, the mixture goes on trays in a controlled chamber where the mycelia grow til the mat forms. Many brands are now experimenting with mycelia to the point of making a ‘Mylo Consortium’ of Adidas, Kering, Lululemon, and Stella McCartney, shooting mycelium-based collections as the Adidas’ Stan Smith. Mycelium grows quickly, doesn't need much resources like energy and water, and it is very versatile, as Ecovative’s AirMycelium process shows or even Mogu’s acoustic panels. Mycl feeds its mushrooms with agroforestry waste to create leather and fibers as in the 2022 collab with Doublet, but also walls, furnitures and surfboards. Yet, despite previous insights, be aware that Mylo can still include plastic (in this case water-based polyurethane), underscoring the importance of examining material details carefully. Finally, may the infinite mushroom enter in your (after)life too.

Spotlight on seaweed.

Vast underwater forests and microscopic powerhouses, seaweed (macro algae) and microalgae grow quickly, absorb CO2 and require minimal resources—no need for fertile land, fresh water, or pesticides here.

Brown algae, as Kelp, sources alginate, a great hydrogel which can be combined into fibers and spun into yarn such as Keel Labs’ Kelsun, or made into Notpla’s disappearing packaging as seen at the UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 final or into Sway’s compostable packaging. From red algae is extracted agar - used to germinate fungal spores in petri dishes or transformed into Valdís Steinarsdóttir’s jelly clothing - and carrageenen, the ingredient of biodegradable films. Green algae are frequent in fertilizers and dyes, and can be spun with nanopolymers into Roya Aghighi’s photosynthetic biogarmentry or mixed with silk cocoon protein waste for Scarlett Yang’s decomposing digital fabrication. Then there is the world of microalgae with their rich content of proteins, lipid and carbs. These little organisms are stepping into the spotlight as a source of sustainable dyes, photosynthetic living and breathable textiles such as Pneuma does, and oils for wicking finish in high performance textile as seen in Beyond Surface Technologies. It’s so fascinating how each species produces different pigments that are taking the scene of natural dyes. And why not making DIY microalgae dye with Studio Blonde & Bieber’s tutorial! Spirulina, which is actually a cyanobacteria erroneously known as microalga, colors in electric blue and green given from its rich pigments phycocyanin. The green alga Dunaliella salina is rich in carotenoids (like carrots and daffodils!) that produce vibrant colors from yellow to red and can result in brown shades. Another green microalga H. Pluvialis produces Astaxanthin, the carotenoid responsible for vibrant red and pink clues. Finally, some brown microalgae species can produce darker pigments, especially in response of environmental stress, like fucoxanthin, which may be the mysterious ingredient behind the Living Ink’s Black Algae seen in Vollebak’s t-shirt and Patagonia’s Boulder guidebook. Some algae can actually cause trouble like the harmful algal blooms which suck oxygen out of the water, harm fish and can even make people sick. Bloom stepped up by turning these algae into foam, making everything from Etnies’ sneakers outsoles to Firewire’s surfboard grips. Finally, the foam containers used for insulating takeout food, made of expanded polystyrene (EPS) aka plastic, are being reimagined by Bioplaster's GreenShell, which transforms sargassum seaweed (brown) into an EPS substitute. Meanwhile, Smartfiber AG's SeaCell fabric combines cellulose and seaweed through the Lyocell process, embedding seaweed permanently into the fiber. And the future holds thrilling prospects with the development of living composite materials, like 3D-printed microalgae fabric, promising to revolutionize the functional material landscape - with a touch of democratization and affordable access.

It introduces natural fibers, divided into keratin-based, fibroin-based and collagen-based; and explain their lab-grown alternatives under the scientific name of ‘recombinant proteins and microbial cell factories’.

CONTEXT: Natural fibers.

Proteins, vital for the biological functions of all living organisms, serve essential roles in plants (from photosynthesis to nutrient transport to defense against diseases etc) but do not form the structural fibers used in textile like cellulose.

• Keratin-based.

Keratin, a fibrous protein that forms the main structural component of hair, wool, feathers, and nails in animals, is the basis of fibers like wool, cashmere, alpaca, mohair, and angora. Imagine this protein as twisted chains, forming helical and cross-linked structures. Its hierarchical structure is like plant cellulose, with crystalline areas for strength and amorphous regions for flexibility. These features give keratin-based fibers properties like thermal insulation, moisture-wicking, and elasticity, prized in textiles for their durability and comfort.

Just as cellulose can be derived from various plant sources, keratin can be extracted from animal hair, feathers, and wool. Through processes of purification and hydrolysis, keratin is broken down and then reconstituted into films, foams, or fibers, and even as fertilizers.

• Fibroin-based.

Fibroin is the core protein in silk, produced by silkworms, and extracted from the silk fibers spun by these worms. This protein is structured in ‘beta-sheets’ which are like the folds in a paper fan, making proteins strong and stable. They can fold up next to each other like pages in a book, either all facing the same way or in opposite directions. This special folding helps proteins, like silk, be really strong but still smooth and light enough to float in the air!

• Collagen-based.

Collagen is a very abundant protein in nature and is the most plentiful one in mammals, making up a significant part of the skin, bones, tendons, ligaments, and connective tissues. Basically, collagen makes sure our body parts stay strong and connected together. It looks like long, thin strands twisted together, which wrap around each other to form fibers, similar to a rope or a braid. Collagen can be extracted from skin, bones, scales, connective tissues of marine sources, such as fish; chicken and other poultry; reptiles and amphibians; some invertebrates, like jellyfish and certain sponges; and even inside eggshells. Leather is made of collagen found on animals’ skin, and precisely of those collagen fibers stabilised through the tannin process, which uses toxic chemicals (most used is chromium sulphate, a super toxic carcinogenic chemical when disposed into the environment).

1. Protein-extracted biobased materials

As collagen is a readily available byproduct of various industries, companies can make collagen sheets from, for example, freshwater fish farming waste, as for Pact’s Oval faux leather celebrated in the EVERLOOP collection launch in Paris few weeks ago.

2. Recombinant proteins and microbial cell factories.

Recombinant technology is the method to change the DNA for making specific proteins. It is like a recipe assembled together from other recipes, like finding nonna’s notes and putting them together to recreate that childhood delicacy.

There are various way to make the desired proteins depending on where scientists put the new DNA recipe into, so that it gets expressed. These includes: microbial cell factories, when they instruct bacteria, yeast, fungi or algae as the tiny factories that use the new DNA to make proteins; plant-based systems, if they insert DNA instructions into plants for them to grow the specific proteins ; mammalian cell cultures, when the recipe is more complicated, so they use animals or humans cells as factories; insects, as for bacteria and yeast; cell-free systems, as a way to make proteins without using living cell that is particularly applied in bio-based dyes.

For instance, Bloomlabs regenerate the proteins found in biomass and textile waste to turn them into fibers. Instead, SpiberInc feeds bacteria sugarcane feedstock and specific DNA to let them make ‘Brewed Protein’ (do you remember fermentation? bacteria pooping their food?) which are the proteins with desired sets of features, spanning from silk-like fibers to leather to fleece and fur alternatives. Engineered microbial factories are also used from Werewool in their upcoming colorful textiles, from Genomatica’s faux nylon and in Bolt Threads’ B-Silk protein. Proteins have many applications as functional ingredients in personal care, cosmetics and dyes. So, Bolt Threads B-silk proteins have those applications too. Likewise, Octarine Bio uses the same technology to design for beauty care and health supplements. And Insempra too, it adds up to the microbial proteins family making fibers and functional ingredients. Finally, Colorfix has a large ‘color codes’ DNA book to make bacteria produce vibrant natural dyes at customers’ desires.

I haven’t touched the world of smart textiles, programmable matter, functional living materials, quantum computing collabs and new states of matter on purpose. Also the whole upcycled/repurposed/recycled realm. There are so many, everywhere, in all the forms and shapes, physically and virtually. Including my beloved Studio Soriano. And I am extremely happy for that. And this is so inspiring that I started myself sewing upcycled material. Plus, I didn’t go into details of natural fibers. There is so much more to come and dimensions to explore!

I'm very up for a chat/inspiration/feedbacks/corrections/content… if you want to drop me an email at sprfldrppn@posteo.me, and I'll do my best to reply as soon as possible.

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