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Biogarmentry, A+ Student Award, AZ Awards 2019

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

Biogarmentry

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2020
People’s ChoiceA+ Award for Student Work
School
University of Toronto, Canada
Team
Siqi Wang and Shawn Dylan Johnston
2018
Award of MeritA+ Award for Student Work
Location
New Haven, USA
School
Yale School of Architecture with Columbus House, USA
2021
Award of MeritA+ Award for Student Work
Location
Bar Harbor, U.S.
Team
Tim Cousin, Natalie Pearl, Latifa Al Khayat and William Marshall
School
MIT School of Architecture and Planning (Instructors: Sheila Kennedy, Rami El Samahy and Cristina Parreno)