The fashion industry has been focused on maximizing natural strategies and patterns for the past few years. One of the best methods that enable this is called Biomimicry as it is an imitation of models, systems, and different elements for solving difficult human problems.
Biomimicry is essentially an emerging method that focuses more and more on emulating nature’s strategies and patterns for directing product design and processes while drawing inspiration from the natural world.
When applied to the world of fashion, the concept of biomimicry presents a wide range of options that can be used for achieving real sustainability. It is a method of that allows designers to go back to nature, learn more from it, and create sustainable designs.
Now that we have a reasonable understanding of biomimicry for fashion materials, let us understand more about them in complete detail.
What is Biomimicry in Fashion?
Biomimicry is not merely a new concept but it is rather getting pressed by those concerned about true sustainability in Fashion. At the basic level, biomimicry involves looking to nature for tips and tricks when designing it comes to designing products and solutions. One of the best examples of this is Velcro which was engineered to replicate the way some types of burs stick to surfaces.
Biomimicry can be easily replaced when it comes to generating natural solutions for replacing synthetics and other environmentally harmful products. For instance, mushroom leather is considered an alternative to animal-based leather. The designers can bypass the need for relying on any unsustainable synthetic leather that can shed microplastics and even have negative environmental impacts.
As a method of sustainable fashion practice, Biomimicry is something that allows creators to learn more about developing from processes that have already been established in nature. It can be used to restore and regenerate damaged ecosystems. As a practice, Biomimicry can prove to be a popular and profitable strategy for forward-learning brands.
Why is Biomimicry Beneficial For the Fashion Industry?
While the customers may love fast fashion they do not merely enjoy what is being done to the environment. They want to be trendy but not merely at the cost of the earth. By educating the public on the benefits of Biomimicry, brands can set themselves apart and also introduce customers to appealing aspects of biomimicry in Fashion.
When it comes to the benefits of biomimicry, it provides functional solutions. In simple words, a textile is likely to meet the customer’s expectations if it has been designed on something that works well in nature. Serving as one of the best inspirations for innovators, nature has played an exceptional role in encouraging inspiration.
A reason why most customers can get behind solutions made by biomimicry is that they feel better knowing that they have been doing something constructive. Most people feel that they are contributing to the answer to the climate crisis and not the problem. Biomimicry also enables customers to invest in environmentally sound clothing and many restorative and fashionable textile goods.
Biomimicry also shortens the time needed to test new products. It is based on products that are built on natural and proven systems that are not being launched from the ground up. As a matter of fact, biomimicry improves the time taken to get innovations to the market which also means customers can have what they need quickly.
Some of the popular biomimicry innovations for fashion materials are mentioned below.
Fibre From Algae: One of the best illustrations of how biomimicry can be used to protect both the environment and customer health is by using fibre from algae. Zero-waste technology is used for creating fabrics and colours from algae.
Water and sunlight are also required to create fabrics made of algae which further results in a significant reduction in energy use and pollution. In addition, the algal fabric nourishes skin as customers wear it and all chemicals and allergens can get eliminated from the colours.
Bacteria Producing Colour: This is a method used for dying clothes while also protecting the environment. The process involved is producing colours that do not deteriorate with time by using microorganisms along with a fermentation process.
The method is very sustainable because it also requires over 500 times less water as compared to conventional dyeing techniques.
Waterproof Materials: There are textiles that increase outdoor comfort and protection. This is a fabric that looks like animal fur.
This biomimicry fabric is popular for repelling water from the body to provide protection from rain, fog, and even sweat.
Biomimicry Inspires Fashion and Textile Designers:
Biomimicry inspires textile design in significant ways. For instance, some researchers from Bristol have created a fabric that imitates the way in which a squid changes colors. The design allows the materials to change colors instantly by camouflaging substances. The materials are then used for making uniforms and also for making apparel for the future.
Other than this, a team of designers has also created a dress made from Wine. The living microbes grow as a by-product while making wine and they are then fermented and broken down into designs for creating a garment.
Taking a cue from all the ideas, it can be summed up that biomimicry in textiles can easily translate into designing solutions that are sustainable and developed for causing lesser environmental impact. Biological concepts are being made to make textile materials that are functional, durable, and environmental-friendly. When it comes to replicating designs, the process should be imitated for reducing the ecological footprint.
Summing Up:
Nature is a source of unleashing creativity and this will always be in the future. There is massive potential to develop new and advanced materials when it comes to biomimicry and fashion.
The way we stand here, it makes sense to imagine a future where Biomimicry can produce new fabrics and clothing for protecting the environment while making people who wear them feel comfortable without any compromises on appearance. The world is now demanding more sustainable and environmentally friendly solutions.
Studying Bachelor of Design in Fashion Design from an institution such as Chitkara University can allow you to a new set of skills to develop in the field of the fashion industry. The course gives you the opportunity to apply learnings from multidisciplinary domains of science and Design, Visual arts, Sustainability, Innovation, Creativity, and Engineering for serving the innovative fashion solution for future.
