Climafibre
Modular materials made entirely from sunflowers
Imagine a rain jacket made entirely from sunflowers. Climafibre uses sunflowers to develop textiles, dyes and a hydropic coating for the fashion industry that support regenerative food systems, protect biodiversity and aid climate mitigation. Using enzymes, Climafibre is the first to develop a unique process to isolate cellulose fibres from sunflower stems, which are then spun into yarns. The hydrophobic coating is made from a by-product of the sunflower oil industry, providing protection for natural fibres. Pigments are extracted from various parts of the plant, and used as natural dyes.
Company/Institution
CENTRAL SAINT MARTINS UAL
Material Futures is where science, technology and design collide.
We invite practitioners from all fields of the creative industries to create alternative narratives to what will become the defining issues of our times. United in our belief that our planet is at breaking point and our current methods of managing and dealing with these systems are ineffective and outdated, we encourage our students to look beyond existing disciplines to anticipate our future needs, desires and challenges for the 21st century.
Country
United Kingdom
Website
Designer(s)
Jess Redgrave
Jess Redgrave is a multidisciplinary designer working at the intersection of fashion and science, pushing the boundaries of regenerative design and traditional biological practices.
After working for several years as a fashion designer, Jess enrolled in the MA Material Futures course at Central Saint Martins, where she set up her design practice with a focus on fashion that’s actively good for the planet and biodiversity.
Climafibre was developed as her graduation product and supported by enzyme scientist Dr Cuskin, lab technician Dr Corsini, and for pigment extraction, chemist Dr Emami.