ReFib

Description

“ReFib - Recycled Fibroin as a Textile Finish” investigates the possibilities of biochemically recycling silk. Using a non-toxic dissolution process, silk fibroins were dissolved from mixed fabrics and production waste. The ReFib was then used to create wool yarn finishings, fabric coatings and organic shapes. The colour of the silk, its optic and haptic properties were applied to other materials. By using methods of design research, over one hundred samples were created and documented. Additional strategies for a more circular use of silk were described under the research title “silcularity”. Designing futures in the anthropocene is what drives this project. In order to achieve a higher level of resilience, new processes, materials, resource-efficient energy use, as well as resource-efficient raw material extraction are required. Design research helps to make scientific findings tangible and in the best case, usable.