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The Soil Project collection highlights soil-based leather alternative

The Soil Project by Yuhan Bai, The Netherlands

The Netherlands – Designed by Royal College of Art student Yuhan Bai, the Soil Project clothing collection features naturally dyed vintage garments paired with a newly developed soil-based leather alternative.

Presented at Dutch Design Week 2022, the innovative textile mimics the look and feel of animal leather and is highly flexible like silicone. But it is manufactured using simple, cheap and natural ingredients only. Bai experimented with soil until she came up with a proprietary mix of soil, gelatin, agar, starch, glycerin, gluten and water, which is boiled and poured into a thin mould to achieve the sleek, leather-like finish of the material. ‘The method of making this kind of material is similar to cooking food; many of its formulas and composition are derived from food and the nature of the goods,’ says Bai about her process.

Consumers are increasingly scrutinising the plant-based leather alternatives that fashion brands are using, wary of PVC-based, fragile or costly options. As such, more designers are introducing lines using biomaterials like Bai’s soil leather, which stands out with its energy-efficient and natural transformation process.

Strategic opportunity

Nature-respecting and low-cost biomaterials will play a big role in material futures as they are scaling up. Can your business promote the replacement of animal hides or pleather by innovative biomaterials?

Roblox and Parsons Design School co-create a metaverse curriculum

US – Parsons School of Design in New York and online game platform Roblox are joining forces to offer a skills-based metaverse fashion course, teaching students how to create hyper-realistic and inclusive 3D digital apparel.

The 16-week collaborative course has been jointly created by the Parsons faculty and Roblox executives, with a curriculum centred on how immersive environments are reshaping the relationship between digital and physical fashion. Students will learn how to design prototypes of garments to be worn in immersive environments and get the opportunity to create retail experiences for their collections at Parsons and in the Roblox Avatar Marketplace.

‘Partnering with Roblox offers students an opportunity to engage the complex intersection of visual culture and social structure, and to play with how we make meaning when we dress ourselves – in digital and physical worlds,’ says Shana Agid, a dean at Parsons School of Design.

Beginning during the 2023 spring semester, the course will mark the first venture by a Web3 household name like Roblox in higher education. The future of education will be more collaborative curriculums like this one – opening up career opportunities in metaverse design and helping to define ethical considerations in Web3.

Roblox and Parsons, US

Strategic opportunity

Education needs to reflect tech acceleration and to be as agile as ever. Can your business have a role in helping youth acquire the skills they will need for their future careers?

Stat: How advertising is adding to Britons’ carbon footprint

Coors Chillboards, US

UK – Advertising climate network Purpose Disruptors’ latest report, published in the backdrop of COP27, looks at how adverts are adding to Britons’ carbon footprint.

The Temperature Check 2022 reveals the heavy environmental cost incurred by the advertising industry. The study quantifies ‘advertised emissions’, defined as emissions resulting from the increase in sales generated by advertising, and noted an 11% increase between 2019 and 2022.

Purpose Disruptors hopes that the findings will act as an incentive for the industry to renew its commitment to sustainability goals, both on the production side and in terms of the content of ads – and calls on advertisers to encourage mindful consumption over blind consumerism.

‘This year’s report makes it all the more important for advertisers to sit up and take notice. It’s very much business as usual at the moment, and rather than being on track for the 50% reduction we need by 2030, advertised emissions are at record highs,’ says Dr Grace Kite, economist and founder of Magic Numbers.

Where governments are failing to enact change, industry insiders – like designers tackling the climate crisis – can take the lead and act as change-makers.

Strategic opportunity

From production to messaging, rethink how your brand’s relationship with advertising. Are you promoting the right choices?

RSVP: Food & Drink Futures 2022 online event

Victoria Ling for The Future Laboratory

Join our Food & Drink Futures online event, where we’ll be exploring the ever-changing meaning of nourishment in turbulent times, and discover the cultural rituals, flavour profiles and bio-hacks that are set to propel the food and drink market in unexpected directions over the coming decade.

The desire to eat and drink is a constant human need in a world in which change is inevitable. But food and drink are being redefined by global citizens who are pushing for positive impact on people, planet and profit. In 2022, we’ll take a closer look at how future-fit food systems and new technologies will transform the sector. As consumers continue to re-align their social beliefs to fit their dietary requirements, brands will need to respond, refocusing on niche communities, ingredients and experiences. Join us to uncover the next frontier for food and drink. You can buy tickets for just £80, or join The Future Laboratory Community and get inside access to our full programme of online events in 2022. 

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