You might be wondering how biotechnology can shape the future of the fashion world. Now, customers are becoming conscious customers and readily adopting sustainable lifestyles and sustainable fashion. Biotechnology is an amalgamation of biology + technology to enhance people's quality of life.
Biotechnology deals with living cells or any of their components to develop or create breakthrough quality products. Now, when the two distant worlds of biotechnology and fashion come together, that becomes the potent solution for the success of the sustainable fashion industry. In fact, biotechnology is not only revolutionising the fashion industry but also the perfume industry.
Everybody in the fashion industry is seeking new solutions to reduce the environmental impact caused by production processes. Biotechnology in the fashion industry paves the way for newer sustainable fabrics that are qualitative, biodegradable, and have a minimal ecological impact.
- Let's Understand the Various Applications of Biotechnology in the Fashion Industry
Biotechnology is all about innovation, and the most innovative applications of biotechnology in fashion include:
- Sustainable Fabrics
Conventional fabrics like cotton/wool require massive amounts of water, pesticides, and energy to produce them. Organic cotton, hemp, and bamboo fabrics are sustainable fabrics in vogue. With the application of biotechnology, sustainable fashion brands are producing sustainable textiles from abundant renewable resources like algae or fungi.
- Natural Dyes
Synthetic dyes use harsh coloring agents that are toxic and polluting. With the application of biotechnology, sustainable fashion brands are producing/procuring natural dyes made from sources like bacteria. These dyes, when used in biotech fashion, are 100% sustainable, non-toxic, and safe for the skin.
- Innovative Sustainable Leather and Sustainable Artificial Silk
Say bye to conventional leather and silk, and embrace innovative sustainable materials like vegan leather and vegetable-tanned leather that are produced from microorganisms. A notable mention is the sustainable silk material that is produced using insect proteins, and these fabrics, with other sustainable fabrics, are cruelty-free.
These materials have the potential to reduce the environmental impact of the fashion industry, and mainly, they are biodegradable. Some notable leather alternatives and sustainable accessories made from them are Zenkind Natural 100% Plant-Based and Biodegradable Coconut Leather Wrislet, Green Hermitage Atlas- Apple leather laptop bag, and Green Hermitage Helios Vegan Leather Men's Wallet.
- Waste Reduction
Sustainable clothing includes upcycled/recycled clothing and tailor-made fabrics, which reduce material waste. With the application of biotechnology in the fashion industry, sustainable fashion brands can upcycle/recycle textiles more efficiently, like East 14 Zero Waste Stuy Top in Upcycled Cotton. This enables the reduction of the vast number of clothing that ends up in the already massive landfills.
- Important Facets of Biotech Fashion and Lab-grown Materials
- Lab-grown Materials
Biotechnology enables fashion brands to employ cutting-edge techniques and replicate synthetic fabrics that are produced through culture of cells and tissues. These types of sustainable materials are termed "Lab-grown". It is very similar to natural fabrics but devoid of animal cruelty or usage of plants. Lab-grown materials are more robust, more durable, and more sustainable.
- Lab-grown Silk Material
Silk was one of the first lab-grown materials to be used in the fashion industry. This biotechnology process involves the cultivation of bacteria, for example, in vitro silk cultivation, which consists of the culture of silkworm cells in a controlled lab environment.
As these cells grow, they similarly produce silk without cultivating or killing silkworms. It has the same shine and softness as traditional silk. This fabric is used to create sustainable accessories and sustainable clothing in the fashion world.
- Biopolymers
Biopolymers and others are becoming increasingly important in the sustainable fashion industry. These natural polymers are produced by plants and living organisms to derive corn starch, keratin, and cellulose. These sustainable materials are biodegradable, compostable fabrics and reduce environmental damage during production.
Learning and Adopting From Nature
Biotechnology is inspired by nature, and its application in the fashion industry creates wonders. Can we even forget the iconic spray dress by Coperni worn by Bella Hadid at Paris Fashion Week 2023 and the Coperni Air Bag at Paris Fashion Week 2024! These sustainable fashion products were produced using cutting-edge biotech techniques such as biopolymers, polymers, and solvents. Such biotech fashion dresses and accessories show that fashion and science when blended perfectly, can create groundbreaking sustainable products.
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