Biofabricate: Biomaterials offer a potential to fashion’s future

Up until 12 January 2024, the industrial site of Fondation Fiminco in
Paris’ Romainville district is playing host to the Biofabricate trade fair,
where the most innovative companies in the field of biomaterials will be
showcasing their wares, each giving a new lease of life to the word
“fashion”.

For several years now (during which time the pandemic has only worsened
things), the fashion sector has been pilloried. The cause? The very system
of fashion itself, based on the programmed obsolescence of trends, which no
longer rhymes at all with a society that wants to be eco-responsible. Faced
with this dilemma, some have opted for second-hand goods, others for useful
purchases, and still others have rushed into experiments that still smell
of petrol. Suzanne Lee, founder of Biofabricate, meanwhile, presented
the

solution that could change the game: biomaterials.

Following a session in Brooklyn, New York, where Lee is based, and a
previous edition organised in London, this visionary, passionate about art
and biotechnology, has chosen Paris, or rather Romainville, an unusual
location for those used to fashion, to inaugurate the first European
edition of the Biofabricate Summit. Here, she is showcasing some of the
trendsetters with the potential to revolutionise fashion consumption, but
not only that.

“My aim here is not to enable exhibitors to sell their products, as they
would at Lineapelle or Première Vision, but to encourage meetings with
partners (including investors and collaborators),” she told FashionUnited.
Why Romainville? “Because before it was a residence for artists (Fondation
Fiminco), the site was home to pharmacology researchers. That makes the
choice of this location all the more meaningful,” added Lee. Why France?
“Because it’s the land of luxury. Despite the distance, the inauguration of
the show on Wednesday 10 January 2024 was well attended, with teams from
LVMH, Kering (partner of the show), Chanel, etc. among the visitors.

Biomaterials are primarily of interest to luxury brands such as
Balenciaga and Gucci, which are in a position to be part of a virtuous
circle

However, let’s make no mistake: the inventions presented here are mainly
aimed at the luxury sector, which has the financial resources to experiment
with this kind of technology. And they will remain so if investment, public
or private, is not made quickly.

In a dedicated room, the Kering Group is exhibiting items made from
biomaterials. These include Balenciaga’s Maxi Hooded Wrap Coat, first
presented in March 2022 on the catwalk for the autumn/winter 2022/2023
show. It is made from Ephea (SQIM patent), a material cultivated from
mycelium, a pure base, free from chemicals. The coat is also made from
Lunaform (Gozen), a biomaterial derived from nanocellulose (a natural
polymer found in plant cell walls) and produced by microorganisms during
fermentation.

For Gucci, Kering is presenting the Rhyton sneaker and the revamped
Horsebit 1955 bag. Both accessories are made from Demetra, which is
composed of up to 77 percent plant-based ingredients (viscose, cellulose
pulp and organic polyurethane). In the press release, Marie Claire Daveu,
Kering’s director of sustainable development and institutional affairs,
commented: “As a group, we are committed to developing new solutions and
transforming our business model to achieve our sustainability goals.”

Biomaterials made from organic waste, natural proteins, algae or
inspired by biomimicry

Spread over three floors, the stands at the Biofabricate Summit showcase
a wide range of experiments, including some of the most incredible
inventions, displayed on the large table in the main room.

OurCarbon, for example, is a carbon-negative material produced from real
organic waste, starting with wastewater residues known as biosolids. The
technology dries the organic matter using bacteria, then sterilises it and
transforms it into a fixed, stable carbon.

Using protein engineering and molecular biology, Bloom is harnessing the
untapped potential of nature’s abundant waste proteins to create scalable
and sustainable next-generation fibres that are “as soft as cashmere, as
fine as silk and as functional as polyester”, according to the
presentation.

Soarce exploits the unique properties of nanomaterials derived from
algae and ceramics. The plant-based products improve colour fastness, UV
protection, fire resistance and sparkle.

Capra Biosciences specialises in converting carbon waste into clean,
sustainable chemicals. Retinol (used in cosmetics) and lubricants are the
first of many products to be brought to market using bioreactors.

Pneuma uses artificial photosynthesis to harness the cells of microalgae
to create materials that capture carbon. Their flagship product, Oxya,
marks a milestone in the materials industry as a living material designed
to actively capture CO2 while releasing oxygen, enabling complete
biodegradability and reduced carbon emissions.

Significant progress in dyeing textile fibres with natural dyes

Frenchman Benjamin Droguet, based at Cambridge University (UK), has
created a buzz among a team at LVMH. His start-up, Sparxell, is inspired by
the colours of animals – butterflies, beetles, pigeon necks, etc. – to
develop plant-based dyes with a metallic effect, formerly obtained from
metals, minerals or dyes combined with plastics.

The latest example to arouse the curiosity of enthusiasts is the
Portuguese company Colorifix, which has developed a process for depositing
and fixing pigments on textiles, by directly dyeing the bacteria that
settle on them. Otherwise, the fabric naturally rejects the dye when it is
not chemical.

To conclude, it is worth quoting this text inscribed on a panel at the
entrance to the main hall: “There is only one primordial nation, the
unicellulars, who govern all living beings thanks to the countless
indefectible alliances they have forged with all forms of life on Earth. We
carry within us the living vestiges of primitive worlds. This is the key to
the mystery of life.

Making contact with invisible worlds has long been the privilege of
magicians, oracles and shamans. Since then, scientists have become the
modern intercessors who put us in touch with forbidden and fascinating
worlds, where we discover that the void is populated not only by atoms, but
also by an unexpected multitude: microbes. The invisible is inhabited by
tiny beings with unequal powers”.