Danish designer Bonnie Hvillum’s Natural Material Studio has collaborated with multidisciplinary studio Frama on a collection of biodegradable materials made from algae, clay and foam.
The collection comprises three different fabrics that were turned into clothes, curtains and drapes, and showcased at Frama‘s Copenhagen showroom as part of last year’s 3 Days of Design festival. The collaboration was the result of Natural Material Studio‘s long-running research into different types of natural materials (Carlson, 2022).
Alger: is an ongoing material research, where we explore the potential of seaweed and algeas as a potential future bio textile. Alger is a biodegradable and natural fabric material based on seaweed extract and softener. It is born out of a previous research project that looked into replacement of single use and short-term plastic packaging with better bio solutions. The project was framed around a chain of experiments with a selection of raw matter to understand their potential as new natural materials (Studio, 2020).
B-Foam: In 2019, a collaboration with Canadian-British designer Stephanie Moscall-Varey came to fruition. The joint goal was to create an eco-textile adaptable for the fashion industry that is durable, fully biodegradable, and desirable. Active charcoal can adsorb CO2 particles due to its empty carbon molecules. This makes it beneficial for the environment to captivate by materials. The material is biodegradable and based only on natural elements. It has a soft, inviting feel yet is strong and flexible as a garment (Studio, 2019).
Personal notes:
Alger and B-Foam are natural materials made from seaweed extract, softener, and charcoal, respectively. “The B-Foam has been an ongoing research project for years and is used now in many different contexts, including fashion and furniture” (Carlson, 2022). Materials research has been developed for years worldwide. This exhibition, held at a design event, demonstrates specific applications for the two materials. However, it is still necessary to advance in developing and producing natural materials to guarantee the use of those on a larger scale, taking advantage of their characteristics over conventional materials.
Carlson , C. (2022, January 18). Natural material studio and Frama showcase algae and terracotta fabrics. Dezeen. Retrieved January 14, 2023, from https://www.dezeen.com/2022/01/19/natural-material-studio-frama-algae-terracotta-fabrics/
Studio, N. M. (2019). Moskal design. Natural Material Studio. Retrieved January 14, 2023, from https://naturalmaterialstudio.com/design/Moskal
Studio, N. M. (2020). Alger. Natural Material Studio. Retrieved January 14, 2023, from https://naturalmaterialstudio.com/materials/alginate
