Sustainable technics in fashion industry- bio materials and virtual prototyping (practic application)

Abstract

At the documentary synthesis stage for the elaboration of this work, it was found that, in the rush for external characteristics that imitate natural leather, producers of innovative "plant-based" or "bio-based" materials often use coatings made of petroleum products which makes them not 100% biodegradable. The aim of this work it to create a biodegradable and ecologic material which presents exterior characteristics related to natural leather and from which can be created functional clothing products. The interest in this field is reflected by the increasing wish of combining innovation and sustenability in fashion design, outlining the development of ecologic alternatives to traditional materials. At the basis of the search for the right biomaterial recipe for the collection to be made is the bio-leather recipe published in open access by Fabricademy, an intensive multidisciplinary learning program. By recreating the original recipe and carrying out multiple experiments, a new bio-material recipe was obtained, whose properties correspond to the requirements of the materials needed to make the collection. At the basis of the creation of the collection's models is the study of current fashion trends, the trendboard and the elaborate moodboard. The prototype of the basic model of the elaborated collection was initially made in a 3D drawing with the help of specialized software. The stage of making the model itself involves not only transforming digital designs into physical products, but also exploring the properties and possibilities offered by bio-materials in the context of making clothes. Through this approach, it investigates how new materials can be effectively integrated into the fashion design process, trying to find a balance between innovation, sustainability and functionality. This work represents a step towards a future in which fashion is not only the expression of style, but also of awareness and respect for the nature.