The Ori Seri is tangible proof that innovation can help Mother Earth. Of course, sustainable fashion must be the goal of many brands and companies, but we acknowledge it’s not an easy feat.
Ori Seri is made from algae and silk protein. It’s a biodegradable textile that combines different materials to reduce waste. The designer knew science and technology would yield achievable solutions. Unfortunately, there aren’t many ideas yet in the fashion industry, but we’ve been learning about sustainability.
Designer: Scarlett Yang
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We still have a long way to go before sustainable fashion becomes a standard, but we are grateful for efforts like this Ori Seri. Scarlett Yang is a creative technologist and materials designer who has always been interested in material tactility and virtual realities. Her idea focused on developing innovative ways that may benefit fashion, technology, and design. Her background in digital fabrication labs, bio laboratories, and even couture ateliers helped this project intending to minimize waste.
Ori Seri is a bio-textile that can be used for fashion. It is a glass-like garment made from silk cocoon biowaste- sericin and algae extract. The former is the waste produced in textile manufacturing. Yang’s efforts resulted in a unique material that can grow and change shape depending on the humidity and temperature. Moreover, it’s a bio-material which means it is biodegradable in water.
The design of the textile model is created using 3D technologies. Fashion can be fully circular someday if more products are made focusing on sustainability. The bio-textile Ori Seri can no longer be reused, but it will still have what they call “virtual existence.” It’s given a digital life, so it becomes more “accessible.”
The design process and methodology appear complicated, but it aims to work with nature. It incorporates bio-design as well as digital fabrication. These are then applied with traditional fashion craftsmanship that we hope can make it to the consumer market.
Different award-giving bodies have recognized the project that resulted in an innovative material called the Ori Seri. It won the LVMH Maison/0 Green Trail and The Mills Sustainability Prize in 2020. It was also named a SHOWstudio Class of 2020 winner and the grand prize winner at the YouFab Global Creative Award 2021. It was even shortlisted for the Lexus Design Award. In addition, at last year’s Design Intelligence Award, it was given an Honorable Mention.
Yang’s bio-material has big potential on the runway and in the real world when used in everyday clothes. There are plenty of interesting ideas and projects like this that must be recognized and given a chance. Feel free to share if you have anything related. You will never know what your idea can do for the world. Click here to enroll for the 2022 Design Intelligence Awards FOR FREE!
