"Although not all wool farms have adequate welfare standards, and many activist organisations, such as PETA, argue that it isn’t ethical, wool is a sustainable fabric: renewable, durable and biodegradable. Additionally, some sheep farmers produce wool using techniques which sequester carbon from the atmosphere to reduce the environmental impact. The strength and resilience of the fabric - it is both flame-resistant and water-repellent - means that it lasts for a long time, reducing the need for fast fashion replacements."

"we could look to living organisms like bacteria to produce fibers for us"

The students believe that bio-based materials like theirs could be an answer to creating a circular and sustainable economy for the fashion industry. Not only are they extracted from low-energy-consuming organisms but they are also are biodegradable – important factors when considering that apparel production is the second largest polluter in the world, not far behind number one, the oil industry.

Immuno-modulating biomaterials
In the future, the concept of modulating an immune response towards the optimal clinical result will be widely applied in orthopaedic biomaterials. Immuno-modulating biomaterials can be broadly categorized into two: (1) biomaterials for replacement that integrate within the body and remain permanently inside on implantation, causing minimal inflammation and fibrous tissue formation; (2) biomaterials for regeneration that offer initial support and stimulate the formation of new tissue but eventually are degraded in a controlled way over time [2].

Biomaterials for regeneration
Biomaterials for regeneration aim to restore the lost structure and function of damaged tissue [2]. These materials should degrade in a period spanning several days to months while promoting the regeneration of host tissue that includes the regenerated matrices [15, 17]. 

Alginate is a natural polysaccharide exhibiting excellent biocompatibility and biodegradability, having many different applications in the field of biomedicine. Alginate is readily processable for applicable three-dimensional scaffolding materials such as hydrogels, microspheres, microcapsules, sponges, foams and fibers.

There is economic value in the materials that are used every day in the built environment. But, we need to design products, buildings, and cities differently to realize that value. When we create value through intelligent design, we not only create economic value but we also create positive impacts for people and the planet.

There’s no denying that the green building movement has made tremendous strides to reduce impact on people and planet by improving efficiencies in water and energy consumption. But bigger challenges remain: We are plundering our world of precious, finite resources at an increasing rate.

Reconnecting and Healing the Relationship between Humans and
Mother Earth
Dr. Carmen Hijosa

Designing with the end in mind

You might consider the impact of mixing materials at the product design phase, routes/methods for disassembly and opportunities for reuse/recycling/repurposing of the materials and its products.