The Combination of Art & Design and Science & Technology depth knowledge and with a little inventiveness for futuristic Fiber, Fabric, Fit out and Fashion, the Innovative ultimate goal will be to produce a bacterial fermented seamless garment that forms without a single stitch.

Just Imagine a fabric that grows ... a garment that forms itself without a single stitch! The Micro ‘be’ project is attempting to do just this. The project aims to develop innovative research into the production of unique fermented garments grown from a novel method of using bacteria that creates cellulose. The Micro ‘be’ team will investigate the practical and cultural bio-synthesis of microbiology - to explore forms of futuristic dress-making and textile technologies.

Instead of lifeless weaving machines producing the textile, living microbes will ferment a garment. A fermented garment will not only rupture the meaning of traditional interactions with body and clothing; but will also examine the practicalities and cultural implications of commercialisation. This project redefines the production of woven materials.

The project expands upon the concepts and practical applications explored in previous work undertaken by all participants, including Donna Franklin’s ‘Fibre Reactive’ a living garment and Gary Cass & Alan Mullett’s ‘Bioalloy: Designing a Cyborg’s Evolutionary Future’ In contrast to the ‘Fibre Reactive’ living material, Microbe fermented wear will be produced by biological fermentation. This consists of a colony of bacteria (Eastbound) that ferment wine into vinegar. This activity’s by-product is the synthesis of large quantity micro fibrils of cellulose (synonymous to plant based cotton). It is this process that will be used to fashion the garments.

Hence this Micro’be’ textile differs in discourse conceptually/ visually and biologically as it utilises bacterial waste rather than living fungal cells.

This new collaborative project Micro ‘be’ fermented wear, allows the biological clothes to be worn on the body without issues of fragility or outside contamination. This collaboration was also made possible by the unique environment of SymbioticA:

The Art and Science Collaborative Research Laboratory at the University of Western Australia. SymbioticA is in an exceptional position to link university faculties by integrating science and the arts.

Madhusudan Lal
(Anthoni’s Fashion)
Noida,sec.06
India