Abstract
This paper explores the emergent notion of the ‘grow-made’ by evaluating current work produced for Mycelium Textiles, a design research project that investigates the potential for co-making and co- designing with mycelium. Mycelium is the root of fungi, it is composed of a fine network of thread-like branches and is found underground. By cultivating mycelium on a range of substrates, it is possible to grow materials by harnessing its ability to digest and transform cellulosic food into natural composites. This paper will specifically discuss work in progress into mycelium colonisation techniques applied to textiles and their potential to propose innovative patterning processes and slow-grown embellishments for fashion applications. By revisiting traditional textiles and surface embellishment techniques, the project also examines the potential to cultivate the self-assembly properties of living organisms to evolve ‘self-patterning’ textile protocols. Inscribed within an exploration of alternative sustainable fabrication models, the project explores expanded design toolkits and methods for co- making with living systems. Augmented by husbandry techniques, traditional and contemporary textile craft can inform the cultivation of living mycelium for patterning and surface embellishments. Whilst textiles are profoundly anchored in the history of humanity as material and cultural artifacts, they have so far allowed us to navigate both the hand-made and the man-made paradigms. With emergent practices in biodesign, the notion of the ‘grow-made’ is now also possible. What are the implications for the design of our future ‘grown’ materiality? Will ‘grow-made’ materials facilitate the transition to sustainable fabrication?
Keywords
Mycelium; Textiles; Grow-Made; Self-Patterning; Sustainable
DOI
https://doi.org/10.21606/eksig2017.101
Citation
Collet, C.(2017) Grow-made Textiles, in Elvin Karana, Elisa Giaccardi, Nithikul Nimkulrat, Kristina Niedderer, Serena Camere (eds.), Alive. Active. Adaptive. International Conference on Experiential Knowledge and Emerging Materials, 19-20 June 2017, Delft and Rotterdam, The Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.21606/eksig2017.101
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Grow-made Textiles
This paper explores the emergent notion of the ‘grow-made’ by evaluating current work produced for Mycelium Textiles, a design research project that investigates the potential for co-making and co- designing with mycelium. Mycelium is the root of fungi, it is composed of a fine network of thread-like branches and is found underground. By cultivating mycelium on a range of substrates, it is possible to grow materials by harnessing its ability to digest and transform cellulosic food into natural composites. This paper will specifically discuss work in progress into mycelium colonisation techniques applied to textiles and their potential to propose innovative patterning processes and slow-grown embellishments for fashion applications. By revisiting traditional textiles and surface embellishment techniques, the project also examines the potential to cultivate the self-assembly properties of living organisms to evolve ‘self-patterning’ textile protocols. Inscribed within an exploration of alternative sustainable fabrication models, the project explores expanded design toolkits and methods for co- making with living systems. Augmented by husbandry techniques, traditional and contemporary textile craft can inform the cultivation of living mycelium for patterning and surface embellishments. Whilst textiles are profoundly anchored in the history of humanity as material and cultural artifacts, they have so far allowed us to navigate both the hand-made and the man-made paradigms. With emergent practices in biodesign, the notion of the ‘grow-made’ is now also possible. What are the implications for the design of our future ‘grown’ materiality? Will ‘grow-made’ materials facilitate the transition to sustainable fabrication?