I looked through the article to figure out exactly how they constructed it. It’s still stitched, which is good for being able to use our existing tools and skillsets to work with this new material. I was worried it would be a case of needing to grow each piece of clothing entirely in one piece. Still, since it’s not woven or knit, it would probably be more akin to working with felt or suede. It wouldn’t have the same characteristics as the fabrics we’re used to designing clothes for.

I do wonder how it would hold up for things like pads and diapers, I hadn’t considered that. Humidity seemed to play a big role in how the fabric behaves, so an excess of it might just make it fall apart. Currently, there is also still a plastic backing to absorbent hygiene products to stop things leaking through, so that would also need a biodegradable solution.

I’m curious if, instead of incorporating pigment producing microbes, they could incorporate something akin to dehydrated sphagnum moss… But I’m just spitballing now, I’m a sewist, not a materials researcher.

Thanks for your insight! It’s super interesting to me, but there’s a lot of noise in the discourse that’s kinda stopped me from looking into it.

I’m wondering, would hydraulic accumulators be a viable option? I’ve heard the scarcity of lithium cited as a reason to hold off on expanding the grid, and I’ve been wondering if maybe there’s a solution in old tech rather than new. But idk if lithium scarcity is actually an issue in this regard or just pointed to as a scapegoat.

I’m planning on making my own of white cotton voile or poplin. Poplin might add a tad more sun protection as it’s more dense, but anything that actually gets used is better than nothing. I’m not too concerned about SPF rating, because that’s only half the point - the right material and construction will also feel less warm than going sleeveless.

Linen is optimal, but pricey and hard to find in good quality, so cotton will do. Woven fabric, not knit, in a light colour will feel the coolest. Ideally something flowy or poofy. Idk your style in clothes, but an oversized button-down will do the trick, and is also fairly easy to find in charity shops. Just check the label to make sure it’s pure plant fibre.

This idea also appeared very strongly in Technology Connections’ recent video on ceiling fans, which fell out of use with the rise of air conditioning. Even though they work really well together with air conditioning…