We are, all of us, suffering for fashion. Our ecosystems are suffering, too. The clothing we wear today will be the trash we take out tomorrow. Every time we do a load of laundry, toxic nanofibres poison our water system. Plus, the textile and garment industry contributes hugely to carbon emissions and, ultimately, to climate change. That’s why Roya Aghighi, a student at Emily Carr University of Art + Design, developed Biogarmentry, the world’s first living, non-woven textile, which is compostable and made of photosynthetic organisms. The material, invented with scientists at the University of British Columbia according to a proprietary formula, is entirely non-toxic. What’s more, it is an active air purifier: Its cellular content converts carbon dioxide into oxygen. Once it’s brought to market, Aghighi’s invention has the potential to revolutionize fashion. Dressing up may be fun, but dressing green is better still. 

Project Biogarmentry School Emily Carr University of Art + Design, Canada Team Roya Aghighi with Frank Ko and Addie Bahi of AMPEL UBC and Sunjoo Joo and Jae-Hyeok Lee of Botany Lab UBC