- CollegeCentral Saint Martins
- CourseMA Biodesign
- Graduation year2024
Meta-Moth-Osis explores the utilisation of waste streams within the textiles industry. Using the silk worm derived protein sericin, we can fabricate a new and beneficial material without causing harm to the silk worms & simultaneously using up a waste product.
Sericin, a protein present within silk, dissolves into the water when boiled, and is commonly discarded as sewage water. Sericin demands a high oxygen consumption to be broken down, contributing to environmental strain & pollution (Çapar, G. et al., 2022).
Meta-Moth-Osis explores the employment of sericin in the biomaterials industry and the properties this discarded protein can provide. Initial research into the protein suggests antibacterial, antifungal, and UV-protective properties with exponential applications, as it is also biocompatible. (Mondal, 2017).
Additionally, given the project's foundation in textiles and a strong personal interest in multifunctional garments, it was deemed appropriate to tailor the biomaterial to align with these interests. This approach will result in the creation of thoughtful and innovative fashion garments that can metamorphosise into a secondary form before composting completely.
Final work
Trouser/Skirt Hybrid
Hand-crafted from 100% pure silk. Custom pattern drafted and knitted in south London. Featuring Icording and 'BioBeads'- made from a sericin-based, compostable bioplastic.
The inseam of these trousers is stitched together using a sericin-based bioplastic yarn. Once the wearer is finished using the garment as trousers, they can expose the garment to continuous water for a few minutes, dissolving the bioplastic and turning the trousers into a skirt.
Halter-Skirt Hybrid
This look features the new and innovative bio-vest, made from a new sericin-based bioplastic that dissolves after a few minutes of consistent exposure to water, nourishing the skin with sericin's natural biocompatible & anti-inflammatory properties.
Additionally, this look showcases a halter-skirt hybrid. The neckline of this garment breaks after consistent exposure to water, allowing the garment to move down the body turning into a skirt. This is to try and tackle the human want to overconsume.
Dress One
This dress is handcrafted from 100% pure silk in South London. Featuring a selection of silk yarns, including handspun silk, ahimsa silk and tussah silk.
Dress One features a variety of domestic knitting techniques such as tucks, ladders and I-cording.
The dress' silhouette and colour palette were derived from microscopic images of silkworms and microorganisms adjacent to silkworms. As a textile designer, I created a wide range of drawings, paintings and mark-making to study what I could see down the microscope, and develop it into a garment design
Dress Two
This dress is also handcrafted from 100% silk yarns in South London, including ethically sourced Tussah silk. It features a variety of domestic knitting techniques such as tucks, hold and eyelets.
The dress' silhouette and colour palette were derived from microscopic images of silkworms and microorganisms adjacent to silkworms. As a textile designer, I created a wide range of drawings, paintings and mark-making to study what I could see down the microscope, and develope it into a garment design
