Biomaterial Artistry: Investigating the aesthetic expressions of voluminous form-giving applied to knit-bacterial cellulose composite textiles derived from material development in the context of footwear

Abstract

Present times are ablaze with environmental change, with fashion being no stranger to controversy as it struggles not only with keeping up with market demand, but making material production more efficient. Living materials and biocomposites, due to being easy, relatively inexpensive and quick to produce offer a biodegradable alternative to traditional materials. This project speculates how bacterial cellulose combined with knitted structures can occupy a prominent place in fashion and design thinking by visually discussing the morphology and role of volume as conforming components intended to develop footwear prototypes. Making methods are reassessed to accommodate the properties of Pemotex and bacterial cellulose, offering visual cues to revamp established methods of assembling shoes. Throughout the concept narrative, object and shoe are challenged by reconsidering the use of the last, aiming to initiate a dialogue to speculate about what shoes could be, as well as what and how they could become.