The Intriguing World of Bio-Textiles

Youyang Song really is an innovator, she looks at an apple core and thinks ‘handbag’, or a banana peel and thinks ’tissue box’. Though still very much in its infancy, with this new medium Song has created textiles that are an answer to the problem that is food waste, able to be used and recycled time and time again.

From her base in Germany Song has made the award winning material Peelsphere, its completely biodegradable and makes use of discarded fruit and algae.

The material can be similar to leather, or 3d printed into knit table thread. Woven, laser-cut or embossed, there are many ways this material could be used. So far Nike and Mercedes are among the companies showing interest.

I love the banana peel bag, how the light shines through this material gives it a pleasing aesthetic. Semi-translucent and coloured with natural dyes, there does seem to be no end of uses. Song hasn’t finished yet, cooking all sorts of concoctions and pushing the boundaries of how elegant, useful and creative food waste can be.

Originally spotted at Yellow Trace.