Description

The textile industry is one of the most environmentally damaging sectors. Conventional dyeing processes cause high water, energy, and chemical consumption. The project researches pigment-producing bacteria as a sustainable alternative for textile dyeing and at the same time examines new forms of creative collaboration with living organisms. The focus is on the bacterium Janthinobacterium lividum, whose pigments are cultivated directly on textiles.

Through experimental laboratory work at the interface of design and science, dyeings shaped by biological growth processes are created. The work understands microorganisms not only as material or tools, but as active co-designers. As a result, the role of the designer shifts from control towards observation, care, and cooperation. The project connects material research with a more-than-human design perspective and opens up new approaches for sustainable textile design processes.