Our Bacterial Lives - Pure Effect Conversations

There is really a new age of designers emerging, utilizing biological systems to invent new materials and functions, reshaping notions of luxury, ethics, wellness, and sustainability. In today’s episode we talk to Rosie Broadhead, apparel designer specializing in biomaterials in the fashion industry. She has integrated live bacteria into the fibers of clothing that reduces body odor, encourages cell renewal and improves the immune system, when activated by sweat. Rosie Broadhead is an apparel designer specialising in biomaterials in the fashion industry. She is a graduate from Central Saint Martins’ MA ‘Material Futures’ course and has a background as designer and Head Sustainability at ski wear brand Perfect Moment and the R&D department at cycling brand Rapha. She is interested in the interaction between skin and clothing, and how science and technology will influence the future of fashion. By looking at what is natural on our bodies, Rosie looks at how we can create sustainable yet functional clothing. Through collaboration with scientists, her work focuses on developing materials and clothing that are healthy for our skin, have minimal impact on the environment, and use technology that works in synergy with the body. More recently she has co-founded Surface Tension, a platform centred around realising the positive potential of materials.

In our next conversation we meet Jan Klingler, a German industrial designer awarded for his groundbreaking work with his bacterial lamp. The project is inspired by microbiology and he's committed to make objects that tell a story to create a strong bond with the user. 'There are less than 100 spices of bacteria that can cause infections in humans, but it's association with disease persists. We are masters at consciously avoiding and killing bacteria, while unconsciously needing them. I want to transform our perception of bacteria as a carrier of disease to a carrier of meaning, by picking up on these strong emotional triggers and refocusing them onto something positive. Every place and every person has its own microbiological fingerprint.' Join us in this conversation about how bacteria became art, our human bonds and fingerprints, and what it’s like to be a pathfinder.

Have you ever thought of your laundry strategy? We often talk about the consequences of fast fashion and consumption behaviors when we raise issues of environmental impact. But what about the impact from all the garment that needs to be washed? Did you know that only 7% of an average laundry bag needs washing? What do you do with all clothes that can’t be washed properly today? What part can biotechnology play in creating a more sustainable fashion industry? In this episode the team behind Pure Effect reveals the hidden truth about traditional washing and dry-cleaning. Together with textile professor Vincent Nierstrasz they explore alternative ways for cleaning in the future (and in space) and discuss how we can use microorganisms as resource-efficient technology for changing some of our most programed washing habits. Pure Effect introduces the next generation of garment care and interior cleaning. By using nature's own cleaners, microorganisms, they inspire an easy, conscious lifestyle. With their mantra Less washing and less cleaning - they want to make the materials we love last longer and reduce climate footprint. Microorganisms are a vital part of human health and our ecosystem, hence Pure Effect has developed microbial cleaning for garments and interiors, based on the understanding of the microbial world we live in. Learn more and continue the conversation on Instagram and through the newsletter on pureeffectsweden.com - make bacteria care for you Vincent Nierstrasz is a professor in Textile Materials Technology at the Swedish School of Textiles at the University of Borås since November 2011. His research focuses on surface modification and surface functionalization of textile materials for production functional and smart textiles (via e.g. catalysis, biocatalysis, coating, printing, 3D printing, inkjet), textile and polymer biotechnology. Prof. dr. ir. Nierstrasz was previously appointed at Ghent University in Belgium as senior researcher and Marie Curie fellow, he holds a PhD degree from Delft University of Technology and is also a foreign member of the Royal Holland Society of Sciences and Humanities (KHMW).

What is really clean? What is dirty? When is your clothes dirty enough to be thrown in the washing machine? Why  does it smell? What is sweat? How can we remove smell with biotechnology? How do we work with perfumes? 25 years ago most people would define clean as a bacteria free environment - that kind of clean is killing ourselves and the planet. This is the entry level to our microbiological world and our hope it that you too will start to love and use the bacterias around you.