Design Residency Maison/0

The biological world holds many solutions to our environmental textile challenges. Research into microbial dyes to date has evidenced clear benefits including biodegradability and significant water-saving compared to synthetic dyes. Bacterial colours also work across fibre types without the need for toxic mordanting.

For the past decade we have witness the development of promising microbial dyes research now commercialised at scale. These new dyes offer an alternative to our petroleum-based synthetic dyes.

For textile designers, the application of bacterial colour onto cloth is more than an environmentally-positive technical process, it is a new platform for creativity.

Automating Violacein




Bacteria Dye Machine_01

Moving Pigment aims to scale up and automate the process of co-designing textile patterns with pigment- producing bacteria. It intends to make visible a reality that is usually hidden from sight, showing us the incredible beauty of this parallel microscopic world.

Challenging the established separation of human and non-human species can create meaningful innovation. Designing with and not against nature necessitates alternative practices and new instruments. The machine is designed to explore the process of bacteria dyeing through automation. It represents a case study for the prospective large-scale implementation of sustainable co-designing dye practices.

Moving Pigment