The Textiles Futures Research Centre

The Textiles Futures Research Centre is a group based across a couple of colleges at the University of the Arts, London. These are: Central Saint Martins and Chelsea College of Art. The Design and Research team look at the sustainability of textiles and how to make this possible within today’s practise. It is in the hope of looking towards the future. 

They aim to discover ways of making textiles more sustainable by focusing on three areas: science and technology, sustainable strategy and well-being and social innovation. These are all very different branches so cover the variety of subject matters within this field.

Carole Collet – Biolace: The promises of Synthetic Biology for Future Textiles

Carole Colette is a deputy director for the Textiles Futures Research Centre. She is interested in looking at plants and biological research which could provide living technology. Biolace is a project she worked on between 2010 and 2012. This is a research project which looks at plant science and the possibilities that these could hold. It is a project which looks at what could be possible in 40 years time. She has looked at genetically designing planets to perform to meet human needs and in particular producing textiles. 

I really like the photographs which she has taken to demonstrate the concept of this project. They look really interesting in the way that the upper part of the plant is completely natural, whilst the roots are what contain the fabric/lace. I think that the strength of her images caught my attention which is why I chose to look more at this particular project. 

I like her ideas and concepts and although I'm not sure if this will indeed become the future of textiles; it has opened my eyes to the possibilities of a radically different textiles industry. This is something which could be very exciting for the future as well as being better for the environment. 

Textiles Futures Research Centre. (N.D.) BioLace: The Promises of Synthetic Technology for Future Textiles. Retrieved  From: http://www.tfrc.org.uk/research/biolace/

Collett, C. (2010-2012) Strawberry Noir. Photograph. Retrieved From: http://www.tfrc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/BioLace-Press-Release.pdf

Collett, C. (2010-2012) Factor 60 Tomato. Photograph. Retrieved From: http://www.tfrc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/BioLace-Press-Release.pdf