I absolutely want to share with you this inspiring video, just for pure contemplation.
The braided suit is an animation inspired by bio-luminescent underwater creatures produced by MA Textile Futures year 1 students at Central St Martins, under the supervision of Amélie Labarthe. It is the research stage of a biomimicry design project where inspiration is taken from nature's principles to inject into design solutions and surfaces. Something to catch an eye on ...
Thanks to Amélie for sharing this amazing work!
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Biomimicry is a discipline that literally means "to imitate life" (derived from the Greek words "bios" and "mimesis"). The practice of biomimicry combines the innovations of modern technology with the special wonders of nature for both functional and aesthetic purposes. Although it is a scientific field, biomimicry is utilized by many designers. The first well-known example of an innovation inspired by nature is velcro. The inventor, George de Mestral, noticed how burrs would get stuck in his dogs' fur. By mimicking the hook shape of the burr he was able to develop what we now know as velcro.
ReplyDeleteA more modern example of biomimicry in today's society is with the popular and innovative new Interface carpeting. Interface carpeting is a new form of carpet that is laid down in individual square-shaped pieces with varying random designs. By mimicking the randomness of colors and patterns as seen on a forest floor, designers were able to create a sort of camouflaged carpet system which is both aesthetically pleasing and practical. This carpeting is often used in high-traffic public areas such as classrooms. If a stain or spill were to appear on the carpet, rather than replacing the entire room one could simply remove one square of carpet and replace it with another. The randomness of colors and patterns would make the cover-up completely unnoticeable.
Today in the science world, biomimicry has become the most fascinating progress that has happened in the field of smart textiles. Biomimicry is this new amazing study that observes all of nature’s elements and processes. These complex components of nature have become the inspiration for several new products that are created to solve human problems.
DeleteA lot of popular experimental textiles today are linked to squids and their ability to change colors within certain muscles. These specific muscles in many species of squid function as an aid for survival and protection from predators. With this phenomenon of instant camouflage, scientists have created a type of material that mimics how the muscles in squid change colors.
This magic-like material is constructed to respond with its surrounding environment and immediately change its color to camouflage its wearer. Having created this helpful apparel, it can be predicted that the military would be the primary buyer of this product. In combat, military soldiers can benefit from wearing special uniforms that can camouflage them within seconds, hiding themselves from enemies. Color changing clothing has many benefits for its wearer and I believe the new wave of the future.
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DeleteI just recently learned about biomimicry and it is truly fascinating. I love that we, as a society, are using nature and creating amazing technology from it. I never thought about velcro being derived from nature until I started researching this topic. Velcro was created after the inventor noticed how burrs stuck to his pants. Something so simple that occurs all the time in nature ended up creating an item that is used around the world for many different purposes. Recently, a German company produced a paint based off of the lotus flower. This flower has a micro-rough surface that naturally repels dust and dirt particles, keeping its petals clean. The new paint has similar properties to the lotus flower. It contains a micro-rough surface that pushes dirt and dust, diminishing the need to wash the outside of a house or a car. That sounds like a great paint to me! Biomimicry is also involved in protecting human lives. I read about a super skin helmet that adds a crustacean-like membrane to the outside of the helmet. This membrane should protect skulls better from a fall. It is crazy that a membrane from a crustacean could potentially save many lives. I can’t wait to see what biomimicry will produce in the future and the impact it will have on our society and the rest of the world.
DeleteAfter reading many blogs and researching biomimicry for an hour I became very fascinated with the whole concept. I love the idea using nature to inspire new technology in the real world. I found many other examples of biomimicry that I have bought and used in my life. Gecko tape I have used plenty of times because it is the highest quality of adhesive I have found to work for me. I just thought naturally it was invented to be extra sticky, little did I know that it was biomimicry mocking a geckos tight clung feet. This is great for people who need extra adhesion and it is in the same boat as Velcro, another biomimicry example. Sharkskin is another product that I love, I used it when I went scuba diving and snorkeling in the Cayman Islands, I have never swam so swift and fast in my life. Heaven knows I have never seen or touched a shark, but to know it was created based on sharks skin is astounding. The invention of the carpet square is great too, we have it in our basement back home and it has been put through the storm and back. After floods and spills it is easy as pie to pull up pieces that are destroyed and put down new ones. My favorite example I found in research was the lotus paint. The surface of a locus makes it so that dirt and water run right off and do not adhere. This made Ispo, a German company, come up with a paint that resembles the surface of the lotus. Biomimicry is everywhere I look now from Velcro to tape to paint on houses to cars. It is amazing what we can do with nature to better enhance our textiles. I have found through my research that inventing an object that is an example of biomimicry is hard. The concept is easy to see and find in everyday life, but to actually put something you saw or imagined in the works takes a lot of time and effort. It seems like the most common ideas are biomimicry and all it takes is one person to put it into action and change the world with it.
ReplyDeleteUntil researching and learning more about biomimicry, I never realized how many ideas were taken from nature. Now it seems as though most ideas have come from nature or other organisms. I would have never thought of incorporating a forest floor into a carpet pattern, but it's genius!
ReplyDeleteOne of the new technologies that I found absolutely amazing was the ability to mimic squid muscles to change the color of a fabric to camouflage into one's surroundings, as a squid would use its muscles to blend in to its surroundings. This would be great for a normal everyday person if they needed a quick outfit change, or could help soldiers at war if they need to blend into multiple different surroundings without being able to change their uniforms. If this new type of "camouflaging" fabric could be made out of spider silk (which is stronger than Kevlar) then the military could create a kind of "super suit" for soldiers to be undetectable and extremely protected by just the clothes on their back.
I am excited to see what the future will hold with all the new developments in textiles using biomimicry.
First time when the high heel shoes coming into my eyes, I really feel crazy on it. It is distinguished from the normal design of the high heel shoes. It is in three dimension instead of two. These three dimension printed shoes are formed basically on the skull of birds. If we take a close look at the picture posted online, we can clearly see the front of the shoe is the cranium, and the spike heel is the beak. This design highly take advantage of the lightweight of bone’s of birds, which extremely helps the shoes achieve maximum strength with a minimum of material. It sounds really fantastic people can observe this character of birds and make contribution to our fashion. Birds are often used to engineering or fashion design. As it is known to all of us, the air planes are formed as the shape of birds, which means the designers take the idea to deal with the balance problem of the planes. But to be honest, although this is really nice and outstanding footwear, I don’t think I will go and purchase one. Because it is really not practical for me, the heel is too high for me. I don’t want to challenge it. But I still strongly agree that it is a smart design!
ReplyDeleteI find biomimicry fascinating. There is no better way of “survival of the fittest” than looking at the creatures that were here on Earth before us. They have outstood many more natural disasters and happenings than we have in our short time as humans. After researching this new and fascinating graduate field of study, I have new appreciation for nature and all things natural.
ReplyDeleteI have enjoyed learning about the projects of students at Central Saint Martins, especially the crotchet work of Atefeh Abdosalami, who uses monochromatic materials to reflect color due to their structure rather than making a certain color pattern with flat colors. I find this beautifully natural, as this is how butterfly’s wingers are—which was the inspiration for the project.
At first when my professor was explaining biomimicry in class, I thought it was basically textiles influenced by animals’ skins (such as Fastskin or Gore-tex) but then upon browsing the biomimicry blogs, I learned that it also involves sustainable energy and aspects of electricity. Nature is much deeper than just plants and animals!
Biomimicry can help protect and serve. The superskin helment I read about uses an extra crustacean-like membranes to protect skulls from a fall and rotation (thus hurting the neck). Fashion wise, biomimicry can also create beautiful runway pieces. I read about Diana Eng’s “Miura Ori” scarf that is designed like unfurling beech and hornbeam leaves in an origami pattern. It creates a breathable, voluminous, and warm scarf or wrap for your neck. Here is the link: http://www.ecouterre.com/10-eco-fashion-garments-inspired-by-nature-and-biomimicry/
After thoroughly researching about biomimicry, I finally have a clearer understanding of the concept and have become very fascinated with it. For one, the fact that the advances in modern technology combine with nature is amazing. One example of biomimicry that really caught my attention was the video of the braided beaded balls suit. I couldn’t take my eyes off of the screen. The suit was animation inspired by bioluminescent creatures from the sea. I would have never thought that sea life could be transformed into such a beautiful design. In fact, one of the most significant sea animals that contribute to today’s experimental textiles is the squid. After the squid was researched at the University of Bristol, a material was created that mimics the way a squid changes its colors. The squid’s muscles allow it to switch colors immediately, which gave the researchers the idea to create materials of camouflage. In addition, there are so many benefits to this concept. For example, visualize yourself on your way to a job interview, and you spill coffee all over your white shirt. Instead missing your interview to go home and change, you could change that shirt to a different color to become stain-free. Another interesting example of biomimicry I found was a dress made out of wine, the Micro’be’. This is probably one of the most mind-blowing concepts of smart textiles I have heard of. The dress is made out of living microbes that are used as a growing side-product of making wine. These microbes are then broken down to create designs like the Micro’be’ wine dress. All of these ideas plus many more are absolutely outstanding. It never occurred to me that anything like these concepts could ever be created. It takes a lot of creativity and imagination to invent such an incredible idea, but it’s definitely worth it.
ReplyDeleteWeb links: http://www.sffashionandtech.com/2012/06/05/from-biorythms-to-biomimicry-the-future-of-textiles-is-here/ &
http://textilefuturesphd.blogspot.com/2009/02/biomimicry-inspired-textiles.html
Biomimicry is a trend that is on the rise in the textile industry. Designers are looking to nature to find new innovations for their apparel. For example, at the University of Bristol they are studying the way that a squid can change colors and incorporating this into material and clothing. So essentially if a person is wearing a light colored shirt and spills coffee, tea ketchup etc. on it he could change the color of his shirt to hide the stain (Mark, sffashionandtech.com). Another example of biomimicry is the new “Super Skin Helmet.” Based off research done by Dr. Ken Phillips on the movement of skin, designers have created a helmet that will protect motorcyclists better on the road. This new helmet has an extra layer of “Super Skin” that has a lubricant underneath so when/if a motorcyclist were to crash the “Skin” would move and take most of the impact rather than the skull and neck of the person like before (Alter, Treehugger.com). This helmet could cut down considerably on the number of bike accident related deaths and brain injuries acquired from bike accidents. The other big new idea in biomimicry is spider silk. As the strongest fiber on the planet found so far, designers and engineers are trying to figure out ways to not only manufacture this silk but also incorporate it into armor and other protective gear.
ReplyDeleteThese are a few examples of new advances in the field of biomimcry but this category of apparel has been around for a while. More examples of this technique are basic camouflage clothing for hunting and the “Fastskin” Speedo suit used by Olympic swimmers. This is an exciting area of the textile industry. One that will surely keep changing and growing as new scientific discoveries are made around the world.
With my exploration of biomimicry, I have realized how fascinating the entire concept really is. It is something that relates nature to not only clothes in general but to high fashion as well. It is amazing to me how the natural world can influence that part of our life. Obviously we take note from Mother Nature in many ways but I have never thought about how we could incorporate her work into clothes. Through my research I have found several examples of technological advances in clothes due to Biomimicry. For example, the skin of sharks inspired the fast skin suits that the swimmers wear in the Olympics. This seems like a logical thing to do but the amount of scientific innovations that went into the development of the suits is immense. Also, as something that pertains to my life, they have made new hunting clothes that disguise the sent of the hunter so that the animals can’t smell them. This is crucial when deer hunting and is something that makes man blend in more with nature.
ReplyDeleteOverall biomimicry is a very intriguing concept that I had been exposed to before but not at this depth. It is very interesting how we have always taken so much from Mother Nature and now we have decided to take the way we dress from her as well.
While conducting research on the topic of biomimicry, I found myself fascinated with how nature has inspired so many human inventions that we use on a daily basis! The term "biomimicry" refers to the "imitation of nature" and has been defined as the "copying or adaptation derived from biology". I did not realize how long this idea of biomimicry had been around for until I read about the Chinese attempting to make artificial silk, learned from the silkworms over 3,000 years ago!
ReplyDeleteFor many reasons, textiles try to emulate nature for the most efficient results. For instance, the spider's "dragline silk", which is the main structural web silk, has tried to be copied by humans because of its' strength, high elongation and excellent toughness.
Another example is the recent discovery of the fibrous structures of gecko's feet, which allows them to stick to and move along very smooth surfaces, often upside down. Many attempts have been made to construct a man-made material resembling the stickiness of the gecko's feet to achieve high dry adhesion. This invention is still in progression, but will hopefully someday be able to be fully used by textile companies.
This post just highlights a few of the many attempts by humans to reconstruct some of nature's most desired natural traits, but biomimicry will continue to be something that is used to enhance textiles as well as human life.
Katie Massey
Web Links:http://rsif.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/8/59/761.full
The Biomimicry Institute defines the design process of Biomimicry as “a new discipline that studies nature’s best ideas and then imitates these designs and processes to solve human problems.” After conducting research on specific examples of Biomimicry, I have taken a great interest in the “Fastskin” swimsuit, created to streamline the shape of a swimmer’s body and mimic that of sharkskin. I vividly remember watching the U.S. swim team at the Beijing 2008 Olympics shatter world records that had not been surpassed in years. At the time these suits, designed by Speedo, were the topic of much conversation in the media. The question of whether or not these suits were an advantage for the U.S. team weighed heavily on the minds of FINA, the international governing body of swimming, as well. This led to a ban of the suits in 2010 on the premise of “technological doping.” Biomimicry being equated to a performance-enhancing drug may seem silly, but when thinking in the context of this particular situation the “Fastskin” swimsuits mimic sharkskin so well that it is impossible for humans in normal swim attire to compete with them. Until learning about Biomimicry and gaining an understanding of what it is, I would never have grasped the magnitude of what nature’s design is capable of doing for us as humans. I am excited to see what inventions the future of Biomimicry has in store for us in years to come.
ReplyDeleteKrista Villers
Biomimicry seems to have lots of good ideas to use things from nature in textiles like clothes and protective equipment. However until these things become as wide-spread as intended, they are still just ideas. For example, some of the new protective gear that has been created for the military has not been issued to the majority of the troops, like the interactive camouflage that can take pictures of the background and make the wearer invisible, and the keyboards in the sleeves to make communication easier. However the military does have uniforms that are semi-water resistant and semi-flame retardant, and are also issued Gore-tex as a cold/wet weather coat, and moisture-wicking t-shirts. I also like the new superskin helmet being designed to imitate skin over a membrane to protect people from rotational injuries occurring in motorcycle accidents. I think that this helmet should also be adapted into a camouflaged outer skin and issued to the military to help protect soldiers in HMMWV accidents and from debris during explosions.
ReplyDeleteBiomimicry seems like a very logical scientific philosophy. The principal that nature has already solved many of our modern day problems in some form or another definitely makes sense to me. I'm sure that there are numerous naturally occurring phenomena that could be applied to various technological issues we are having right now.
ReplyDeleteThe most interesting biomimicry topic to me right now is Spider Silk. Spider silk, the tiny, transparent threads that spiders use to weave their intricate webs, has actually turned out to be one of the strongest, and most resilient natural textiles on the planet. In terms of strength, it beat out steel 5 times over. This definitely was probably something that was overlooked for a long time, as the wispy spider webs of the world are not the ideal picture of strength, but now that it's secrets have been unlocked, many great new textiles will arrise.
What is most interesting to me is spider silk's applications in ballistics. The lightweight yet incredibly strong material is ideal for a situation, like a bullet-proof vest, where portability and flexibility are necessary, but strength cannot be substituted. It will be very interesting to see where Spider Silk takes scientists in the future, as well as to see what they will derive from nature in the future.
Animals and insects have been evolving for over billions of years. Them evolving have inspired us to try to mix plant and animal textiles with our own. To try and improve our way of life. Almost every animal in nature has some sort of protective layer. It is meant to protect agains predators, the environment or just to attract a mate. Looking at nature in a new way will allow us to understand how they can be used to help solve problems. We do this by looking at nature as our model or mentor. Which in the end allows us to create more intelligent and sustainable design.
ReplyDeleteBiomimicry is easily defined as being able to “imitate” nature. The idea of biomimicry is a growing trend in the use of textiles. Researchers and developers are finding inspiration from nature to be able to make clothing that help us survive, or adapt to the environment better. Even though biomimicry is a recent trend on the rise, it dates back thousands of years.
ReplyDeleteOne of the most common examples of a natured inspired textile is velcro. Discovered by George de Mestral, he noticed how burrs would stick to his pants as well as his dog’s fur after going on their daily walk. By studying the construction of the hooks on the burrs, Mestral was able to mimic the hooks and use that concept to design velcro.
Biomimicry is being used today in numerous ways. For instance, the Superskin helmet that reduces rotational injuries for motorcyclists, which may also lead to specific designed helmets for cyclists and skateboarders. Helmets that are able to potentially save lives are a phenomenal idea! Even more fascinating than that is the concept of design for the helmet; studying the brain’s natural ability to protect itself.
From researching biomicry, I’ve learned of many different and very interesting products. I think it’s a wonderful idea. I’m all for it!
Biomimicry is a very new concept to me. After researching it, I have become very amazed by the textiles becoming inspired by nature. One example of biomimicry that really caught my attention was the video of the braided beaded balls suit. This suit was inspired by the bioluminescent creatures in the sea. Something that is very beautiful in nature. Another major thing in nature is the squid. The squid was very surprising to me. It's muscles allow the squid to change colors when need-be. This concept has been research and mimicked today. A good use of this would be in the military, keeping them safe when in dangerous territories. Another interesting example of biomimicry I found was a dress made out of wine, the Micro’be’. The dress is made out of living microbes that are used as a growing side-product of making wine. These microbes are then broken down to create designs like the Micro’be’ wine dress. This is amazing to me. Trying to wrap my mind around the fact the a wine dress is possible in incredible. These new technologies in textiles created from nature has become a step forward in the fashion industry.
ReplyDeleteSmart textiles are definitely the way of the future, and biomimcry is one of the most interesting. Biomimcry simple means imitating nature. Inventor George de Mestral first introduced the idea of biomimcry textiles in the 1950’s. He created Velcro after he discovered the way burs attached themselves to his wool pants and his dog’s fur. Since then, biomimcry has made great leaps. There are areas that create textiles for performance and some for aesthetics. The sharkskin swimsuit is a swimsuit made of a textile that was made to mimic the skin of a shark and is said to make humans swim faster. The army is creating body armor that is made from spider silk because it has been discovered that blending spider silk with goat’s milk creates a textile that is stronger than Kevlar. There are also textiles that mimic nature, but are more for aesthetic purposes than their performance. For example, researchers at the University of Bristol have created a fabric that mimics the way squids change colors in order to camouflage. So, if you happen to spill spaghetti sauce on your shirt, don’t worry, you can just change the color to match the stain! I can’t imagine a day where this could become a reality. The possibilities are amazing and I can’t wait to see what scientists and researchers come up with in the way of textiles.
ReplyDeleteBiomimicry literally means, “imitation of life”. Biomimicry is a fast growing trend in the textile world. Many research and developers are discovering inspiration from nature to be able to develop new technologies, textiles, and clothing for a better way of life. An idea behind Biomimicry is that nature has already solved many of our problems that are naturally occurring marvels. An example of this is the discovery of Velcro. George de Mestral, who observed how burrs were sticking to his pants while in nature on a walk, discovered Velcro. He then studied the burrs hooks shape and from that developed the textile known as Velcro. There are many other examples of how nature helped form certain technologies that we now use today. Another discovery that was researched was the skin of sharks and how it could correlate to swimwear. The fast skin suits were made mimicking the skin of sharks. These were used in the Olympics by swimmers who actually won my seconds. This idea that nature is supply the technologies that we need, all is needed is for researches to find and develop these ideas. Biomimicry is a very interesting idea that has been around for many years, although is now vastly growing. Biomimicry is not only used for an everyday apparel purchase, but also serving as protection. There is a Superskin helmet which has a membrane located on the outside of the helmet, which separates the main body of it by a lubricant. This is created so that when the helmet hits the ground, the skin slides absorbing the rotational forces for the hit. The whole idea of this helmet came from how our skin already serves as protection. There are a variety of things that are being researched today using elements of nature used in new technologies. Biomimicry is a very interesting topic I am learning about. I think it is a great way in finding for things for our life. I think this research is one of the best directions that industry’s can use for new products.
ReplyDeleteBiomimicry is something that I have never researched until now. It is so amazing that scientists can study nature and then introduce new developments into the textiles world. As I was reading different articles online, the wine dress definitely stood out to me the most. The design actually used living microbes that were grown as a side-product and then "fermented" them into the designs. The video about the squids also caught my attention. Researchers created a material that imitates how a squid changes colors. Therefore, they were able to create camouflaging materials. If someone is wearing a white shirt and spills something down the front of it, instead of changing clothes, they could just change the color of the shirt. I can't even imagine what life would be like if that was possible. I am very curious to see what else scientists figure out and how it will affect textiles world in the future.
ReplyDeleteI find the concept of biomimcry absolutely fascinating and would probably say it's the best approach to coming up with new concepts and designs. As Alexander McQueen said "There is no better designer than nature". Just as animals, plants, and insects have evolved to better efficiently survive and adapt, their progress has inspired many new ideas within the textile world. From camouflage, a quite obvious technique of biomimcry, to a dress made out of wine by using living microbes, the concept has grown and gained popularity more recently. It is the way of the future, but in fact, biomimcry has been around for thousands of years. For example, over 3,000 years ago the Chinese began attempting to make an artificial form of silk. Furthermore, Leonardo da Vinci designed ships and planes inspired by fish and birds. I am excited in general to see what inventions and new concepts come about in the future, and can't wait to see the role of biomimcry lead our fashion industry.
ReplyDeleteBiomimicry is a new concept that I have just learned about. But after doing research and learning more about it, it completely fascinates me in how new technologies can mimic the natural world. It amazes me that such textiles can sense and respond to their environments and situations. Smart textiles is definitely our future and is going to change how we think of clothes. I am excited to see what is in store for clothing and textiles in our future.
ReplyDeleteBiomimicry translates directly as 'imitation of life'. Focusing on using nature as inspiration for new and inventive ideas. Nature is where everything began as far as this earth so it makes sense to have that act as the inspiration for new technology. I watched a video about a new design for helmets using inspiration from facial skin. Lazer helmets have designed a new helmet that is anti-rotational and has an outside covering that imitates the natural movement of the skin over the skull. This helmet limits the amount of rotation among impact of a fall. This helmet eliminates the dangerous rotational forces being transmitted to the head and brain. After reading about this helmet I was so impressed that new technologies like this are actually in the works. I looked at some other websites that included more "fashion statement" pieces that include cool light features in sweaters, and interesting design pieces, but I was impressed that this research team the most. I found it surprising that they has been working to help prevent head trauma in helmets for fifteen years and something that is more meaningful as apposed to a "fashion statement".
ReplyDeleteBiomimicry is a fascinating subject. The idea of modeling or emulating nature to create new things seems both ingenious and simple. I had never heard of it until recently, but upon learning about it I became immediately interested. Studying how plants and animals respond to the environment around them can really further the textile industry. Three advancements that really interested me were gecko tape, textiles that emulate squids and interface carpets. Gecko taps is a material that is modeled after gecko lizard’s feet. It is made up of nanoscopic hairs that give it an adhesive effect. Another development in textiles is a material that is modeled after a squid’s ability to change colors. The material acts like the muscles of squids that allow it to camouflage. With this technology, clothing could be able to completely change color in order to camouflage to something else. Interface carpeting mimic the randomness in the forest floor in order to make it more sustainable. The design allows for easy replacement of stained or dirty carpet.
ReplyDeleteThere are so many ways that biomimicry is currently changing the fashion industry. I can’t even begin to imagine what developments they will come up with next!
Biomimicry has allowed for the advancement of technology and the creation of new products. Before researching biomimicry, I was quite unfamiliar with the topic, what it means and what it involves. Moreover, I truly was not aware of how many of today’s products (textiles, technologies and so forth) were inspired by nature. Now that I have a further understanding of the subject, I realize how pertinent biomimicry is to our environment. By studying the environment, we, as a society, can discover the amazing ways of nature, in addition to acquiring knowledge on how to become more sustainable in our daily lives. For thousands of years, the components of nature have adapted to the ever-changing conditions of the environment in order to survive for generations; so it is only fitting that we use nature as inspiration when improving all fields of technology. The braided beaded balls suit that students at Central St. Martins completed is a good example of how bioluminescence can be manipulated for use in textiles. Their project encouraged me to think about other products that have been inspired by bioluminescent organisms – glow sticks anyone? I know I loved to use these as a kid. I also wonder if bioluminescent organisms inspired hi-vis textiles. Additionally, I learned that the superhydrophobic characteristic of the lotus leaf inspired water repellant textiles, the kingfisher inspired the reengineering of the front end of Japan’s shinkansan bullet train, and the boxfish inspired Mercedes Benz aerodynamic concept car (http://www.designboom.com/contemporary/biomimicry.html). It will be interesting to see what further developments arise in technology as a result of observing organisms in nature.
ReplyDeleteBiomimicry is an innovative and fascinating concept. It’s amazing how we are able to solve our own problems simply by understanding nature and mimicking its solutions for problems to create our own solutions. For example, Velcro was created after the inventor, George de Mestral, discovered the way burrs stuck to his clothing. He applied the plant’s technique to create an imitation manmade product. Another example of biomimicry is interface carpets, which mimic the design of a forest floor. Interface carpets consist of random colored squares of carpet, which are easily interchangeable and would be ideal for rooms that could potentially have a lot of spills or messes. The interface carpets are a cheap and quick way to fix spots on carpeting. There are many other examples of biomimicry in textiles, and many more are continuing to be developed. Biomimicry is a very interesting concept, and I think it creates a lot of potential for the future of the textile industry.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading different articles and looking at different pictures that demonstrate the biomimicry technique, I have a better understanding of the practice. Biomimicry can be a bit confusing to comprehend when trying to be explained through text. Looking at pictures gave me a clearer connotation of it. I now realize what types of ideas ad inspirations we gather from nature. Patterns, colors, designs, and styles are all different features that designers use in their forms of art.
ReplyDeleteThe research and studies of biomimicry are traced back to many years ago, but its teachings are still being taught today. Now people are focusing on how we can bring technology into clothing. I think the clothing that makes you burn more calories is fascinating. Physical fitness is very important to people and now those people can exercise without actually exercising if they wear the proper clothes.
This is just one example of how biomimicry is changing clothing. Because of the success and over the top designs created with the use of biomimicry, we can only expect great inventions in the future.
-This semester I am taking three Textile and Apparel courses at the University of Missouri (Mizzou), and if you would have asked me about my experiences and true knowledge of clothing production, history, and my over all passion, I would have given you a less than enthusiasm response. But I have recently seen that I am having a growing interest in the field, simply because all the interesting possibilities with clothing and textile production. For instance, we are currently studying biomimicry, and the basis behind biomimicry research and designs being done.
ReplyDelete-So bimimicry is a discipline inspired by nature, which basically runs on the idea that nature has already solved problems on its own, why not learn more from it. For instance, we have velcro, based on cockleburs stick pants, we have spider silk being research for all kinds of uses including bullet proof vests, other examples include camouflage, under armor, and fastskin. Well anyways, there are many kinds of biomimicry examples, but when I first was introduced to this new technology, there was only one example that jumped into my head, and that was the wingsuit flying. I want you all to watch this video of a man skydiving, or more properly coined now as wingsuit flying just to give you an example. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWfph3iNC-k In today’s society, new advances are occurring all the time, and innovation is key to success and sustainability. For me, I just thought this was one of the greater ideas/inventions out there. Everyone has always had the dream to fly, and this basically gives them the opportunity to do so.
The practice of fashioning materials into clothing has developed over the course of our lifetimes. The use of clothing has transformed to serve as both an expression of culture and of social status. The term ‘biomimicry’, or imitation of nature, has been defined as, ‘copying or adaptation or derivation from biology’ which has been inspired by nature and has become a focused discipline within the Textile and Apparel Management world. Wood, bamboo, and spider silk are excellent examples of natural fibrous composites with high work of fracture. The very idea of using natural resources within the fashion industry is an amazing concept and could revolutionize the fashion industry as we all know it.
ReplyDeleteI have not learned a lot about biomimicry in the past until I have read over a few articles. What I learned was that biomimicry is actually helping not only the military but also everyday people. I have learned that biomimicry was an interesting concept. The fact that things such as lights can actually be put into clothes and not just in our household, amazes me. The thing I find most exciting is the British Military's invention of the camouflage slash invisibility cloak for the soldiers. This fabric reflects things that are standing by it which means that the soldiers potentially are blending in with their surroundings. This is a great innovation since the military is always needing more protection from their enemies. If biomimicry did not exist, these types of products would not exist and technology would not be what it is like today.
ReplyDeleteI never knew how much the environment and the world around us effects the global textile industry. It seems as if the majority of products are based off of things that are seen in nature. One of the most interesting articles I found when doing my research was one about the cleanliness of the environment. Have you ever stopped to think about how the leaves of plants and trees always look so clean? It has something to do with the Lotus Effect. There is a natural adhesion between water and solids and the dirt particles on the leaves stick to the water droplets. This is what textile scientists are trying to copy. A fabric finish created by G3 Technology Innovations uses the principle of the Lotus Effect to increase water and stain repellency on clothing. Humans are quite dirty species, and we are harming the environment with our grime. Through the use of these new textiles inspired by the natural environment we can reduce our harm to the world.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.biomimicryinstitute.org/case-studies/how-nature-cleans.html
Biomimicry is a new discipline that studies nature's best ideas and then imitates these designs and processes to solve human problems. Nature has already found what works, and solved our biggest problems for us. It was interesting to learn about biomimicry because I have never heard of it before. After reading blogs, and researching biomimicry, I became interested in the concept. I found many other examples of biomimicry that I have bought and used in daily life. It is very interesting to me that we already base many things off of nature, such as helmets. Nature has already created the best helmet for us. The skin on our skull and scalp played an important role in protecting us in case of impact. As I read the tree hugger article, I was interested behind the creation of these new helmet based on biomimicry. Head trauma usually is caused by “ rotational acceleration” as the brain is moving around loosely inside. The super-skin helmet has a separate membrane from the main body of the helmet, which slides to absorb forces when it hits the ground. The super-skin adds to natures own protection to prevent the dangerous forces to the brain. Also, biomimicry is used in most basic ways in textiles. Inspired by the scales of butterfly wings, Atefeh Abdosalami uses monochromatic materials that are inspired by butterfly wings to reflect color. Even more incredibly, Lucy Hall envisions her ‘Polymorphic Print’ as a surface design that reacts to a wearer’s emotions, either blending into the background, or becomes bright.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.treehugger.com/cars/new-helmet-design-uses-biomimicry-to-reduce-rotational-injuries.html?campaign=daily_nl
Biomimicry is something that I knew nothing about before doing research for this assignment. I am absolutely blown away by what I have read. By studying nature, we are able to solve major problems and learn how to become more sustainable in our everyday lives, not only through inventions, but also through textiles. One idea that really caught my attention was the concept that mimicked the squid. The researchers at the University of Bristol created a material that mimicks how a squid changes colors. They applied that research to fabric. Therefore, if you spill something on a white shirt or want to be camouflaged in the woods, you can just change the color of your shirt to become what you want it to be. That can help drastically in the lives of everyday people, and especially in the lives of our military.
ReplyDeleteBiomimicry technology is some of the most advanced research that I have ever read about. Mother Nature provides us with everything we need and now it is up to us to use what we have. This concept is the future of clothing and I am so excited to see what other innovative concepts we can come up with.
What is so great about Biomimicry is that the innovations from this form of design are virtually endless. Nature is always changing and working to make everything function together in the best possible way there is. Designers are then able to combine their own creative ideas to what they see in nature thus creating an unlimited number of ideas that can all start with biomimicry. When people think of nature they usually associate it with earth tones however after reading several blogs and websites about biomimicry it is truly just the opposite. There is actually so much amazing color in nature which many designers incorporate in their designs which makes their look seem more on trend yet still have an interesting background with the biomimicry inspiration. Biomimicry also seems to be the reason for so many well-functioning products. Without looking to nature for inspiration and really studying plants, animals, etc. designers and inventors probably would not have been able to come up with some of the technology and methods used today on their own. Animals and plants have been coping with weather changes, predators, and other disasters longer than humans have been around so it seems nature definitely knows more about survival be it speed, camouflage, hunting, or protection to name a few and it only makes sense we look to nature to create new products for ourselves.
ReplyDeleteThe term and concept of biomimicry is a new to me but only because I've never realized how often it really happens. Who better to imitate than Mother Nature herself? From camouflage, to safety and comfort, she's got it all figured out. One example I read about was new safety technology for helmets. The idea was based off of the movement of the human skull. There is a membrane on the helmet that acts like the skin on a human skull. The membrane allows a little more movement on impact which can reduce the risk of brain trauma. This is revolutionary for motorcyclists and could save lives, all because of the concept of biomimicry. The possibilities are truly endless when we take ideas and inspiration from nature.
ReplyDeleteUntil I actually researched biomimicry, I never knew how much of our clothing, technology, and everyday used materials were based on nature. I originally thought that modern day technology was the reason our clothing and other textiles were so highly advanced. After I was introduced to biomimicry, I realized that it isn't solely technology, but instead in our increasing ability to understand the naturally occurring processes in nature. We then use our advanced technology to mimic nature. Why not turn to a source that has been constantly adapting for billions of years? It is much more advanced than any piece of machinery or mind in our universe today. It is shocking to think of the possibilities that lay ahead of us. If we continue to understand animals and plants and their advanced genetics, our military will be safer, stronger, and more protected, not to mention new inventions that we can use in our everyday lives.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading all about biomimicry and about all of the amazing and cool things that can come out of it, I found many different things that I didn’t know could come from nature. It’s truly unbelievable to see how nature can influence our everyday lives, without us even thinking about it. My favorite aspect of biomimicry that I found is creating the illusion of color without actual dye. There is a dress that I found that mimicked a butterfly’s color solely by light and no dyes or pigments are necessary. The butterfly’s colors are so vivid because of the overlapping scales and the dress’s color is from alternating layers of polyester and nylon fibers that vary in thickness and create different colors like red, green, blue, and violet. That creates the different color effect that the dress has. It’s really cool to see what nature can do and it’s crazy to think that in the future, even cooler things will be created by nature that we can’t even imagine now.
ReplyDeleteNever having heard of bimimicry before, I was under the impression many inventions were original thoughts that were inspired only by a surge of abstract ideas form intelligent people. I have come to find out that many inventions were inspired by the very nature surrounding us. Nature can provide insight on how to better advance common things around us. One invention I thought was particularly interesting was the Ultracane. Similar to how bats use ultrasonic echoes to see in the dark, people with vision impairment can use ultrasonic echoes to assist them in mobility. A cane was implemented with technology that projects an ultrasonic pulse then times how long it takes to echo back. This cane helps blind people move around with confidence and assurance. Technology like this inspired by nature has impacted our world in a positive way, I cannot imagine what other tips nature has to offer us.
ReplyDeleteThis is the first time hearing of bimimcry , after reading many blogs and researching biomimicry for an hour I became very fascinated with the whole concept. If you really think about ti though it does make sence . For instance humans breathe in oxden from plants and breathe out carbon mionoxide, this is totally natural, one cane not live without doing so. Where on the other had we have spiders that naturally create webs to catch their prey so they can survive. It truely is amazing how natural can influence every day lives. Its almost like imitating mother nature its self. One of the bimimcry I found very interest was making a bullet proof vest out of spider web. I had to re-read the article a few time to fully understand. It is quite amazing what a little textile can do. Bimimcry goes to show everything is put on earth for a reason.
ReplyDeleteBiomimicry is a new term to me. When I first learned about it in class I thought it was neat that there was actually a term and a study on things that were developed because of inspirations from nature. After doing more research online I found that I have been accustom to things created from biomimicry all my life. Velcro is the biomimicry invention that surprised me the most. George de Mestral created Velcro because he saw how burrs stuck to his dog’s hair. Then under a microscope he saw the hooks on the end of the burrs spine are what attached the burrs to so many things. The coolest and most exciting biomimicry is the use of smart textiles and the inventions that are being created from studying squid. Researchers are creating a material that mocks how squids can change colors; ideally you will be able to transform the color of your clothes in a moment’s time.
ReplyDeleteAfter researching biomimicry, I now have a much clearer understanding of the concept, and I find it very interesting to learn about. It is very fascinating that the idea is that nature has already solved so many problems. The video about the braided beaded balls suit, shown above, really caught my attention. The braided suit is an animation inspired by bio-luminescent underwater creatures that were created by MA Textile Futures. This video is at the research stage of a biomimicry project where creativeness is taken from nature’s principles to be put into design solutions and surfaces. This video will make you stop in your tracks and stare. It was so interesting to watch, it was nothing like I have ever seen before. This video is a great way to get people’s attention about biomimicry, because before this research I never knew what it was, so I’m sure most people have no clue about it. I’ve never realized how many ideas come from nature or other organisms. One technology that I found very interesting was the sharkskin inspired swimsuit. These swimsuits received a lot of media attention during the 2008 Summer Olympics. Sharkskin is made up of overlapping scales called dermal denticles, also known as “little skin teeth.” The denticles have grooves that disrupt swirls of slower water, which in turn, makes the water pass by faster. Scientists have been able to replicate denticles in swimsuits and now the bottom of boats. It’s amazing the amount of research that goes into creating something that will help people swim faster, or boats move more efficiently, and its all based on ideas from mother nature.
ReplyDeleteUntil a few weeks ago, I wasn’t aware of the significance of biomimicry, or even its concept. However, the idea that nature has already solved dilemmas we struggle to deal with today is quite intriguing. An article I came across introduces a new technology in helmets. Eighty percent of fatal motorcycle crashes are due to head trauma; the rough shell of a typical helmet does not provide the function of protection that needs to be implemented into our safety system. Yet, a new innovation has been devised based on biomimicry that could potentially save lives. ‘Superskin Helmet’ is made of comfort padding, inner lining, and a shell, just as every other helmet, but added in an outer membrane that will stretch and slide to protect the head from harsh forces. There is a layer of lubricant between the membrane and shell to better imitate the best helmet that nature has already invented: the skin on a human’s skull.
ReplyDeleteStudents in the Textile Features program at Central St. Martins have invested time designing textiles that were inspired by nature. One of which is a print that reacts to the body’s emotions, the print will blend in with its surroundings when the wearer feels self-conscious and become bold when the wearer wants to be noticed, much as a chameleon does. Another student designed a crocheted project, ‘Symatic Symbiosis’ in which the textile harvests kinetic energy and creates electricity when manipulated. This causes floral patterns to grow as more energy is generated. The textile looks as if you were watching a garden bloom, analyzing every flower as it grows with its cluster. Researchers at the University of Arkansas designed another interesting textile I came across. They have developed a smart textile in which sensors can monitor the wearer’s cardiac signs and relay the information with doctors, no matter where the wearer is located at the time.
Biomimicry can play a huge part in our future , looking towards nature’s past to help with present innovations. This discipline is a creative, efficient way of solving problems we encounter daily. Who knew that nature knew best all along!
Learning about Biomimicry through my Textiles course and through online research has been such a learning opportunity for me. I had never heard the term before and have been finding out so much about it through various websites. It makes me really excited for what is to come in the future with the advancements of textiles in regards to Biomimicry. The one example of Biomimicry from another website that really got my attention was in relation to squids. Researchers have created a material that changes colors similar to a squid. Wouldn’t that be awesome if all you had to do was buy a white t-shirt and it could change color depending on what you felt like wearing on a particular day? I am anticipating the introduction of these products to the retail industry. I cannot wait to see them in stores, and tell people I already knew what Biomimicry was! Biomimicry is making so much possible that people don’t even know is possible.
ReplyDeleteAs of Fall 2012, one of my close friends began studying Textile Development at the Fashion Institute of Technology. When I was first told she was going there to study textiles, I could not believe what her field she was entering. I did not know what her studies would encompass, but I am fairly certain that she will be learning a lot about biomimicry. A word that holds so much power in the textile, apparel, engineering, and science arenas, I had no idea what it meant...yet it is so simple! Bio means life, and mimicry literately sounds like and means mimic! The idea of textiles mimicking nature and life is almost too different to think about. At this time, much of the world thinks of textiles as a way to clothe themselves and decorate their homes and their offices. To allow textiles made of wine to enter into mass society would erupt in a bunch of “no ways!” and “yeah rights!” from many people. It seems almost impossible, but with the way science is moving these days people will have to start believing, including myself.
ReplyDeleteAs soon as I finished reading up on biomimicry I went on Facebook to take a quick breather. After scrolling down my homepage for only seven seconds, I stumbled upon a website that advertised “Hot Pants” that could make you loose weight up to four times faster. A vague and bold statement, but it got me to look further into their website. Apparently, these pants help warm up your body so your body heat is higher and your metabolism increases, therefore helping you to lose weight quicker while working out. A crazy concept, and ironic timing for myself, I couldn’t believe a form of biomimicry was right in front of me. Of course, this example is not as awe-inspiring as a skin in a helmet that prevents injury during motorcycle accidents, but it is still interesting to see advertisements for simple ways to make textiles mimic nature.¬¬
Research URLS:
http://www.sffashionandtech.com/2012/06/05/from-biorythms-to-biomimicry-the-future-of-textiles-is-here/
http://www.treehugger.com/cars/new-helmet-design-uses-biomimicry-to-reduce-rotational-injuries.html?campaign=daily_nl
http://zaggora.com/how-it-works/
I did not know what biomimicry was until we had a lecture over it in my textiles class. Once we started going over examples I realized that I have used all sorts of biomimicry and I did not even realize it. All of the wicking athletic wear is biomimicry because it allows your body to use it's sweating function efficiently, even in cool temperatures. I also think the body censoring clothing is very interesting. It could help athletes train more efficiently, and it could also help overweight or obese people get healthy. Not only can biomimicry help with body function, it can also make the human body resistant to the harsh elements, such as the helmet that mimics skin around the skull. I think as biomimicry becomes more evolved the public will soon be more inclined to try new and exciting products.
ReplyDeleteURLS:
http://www.treehugger.com/cars/new-helmet-design-uses-biomimicry-to-reduce-rotational-injuries.html?campaign=daily_nl
http://www.sffashionandtech.com/2012/06/05/from-biorythms-to-biomimicry-the-future-of-textiles-is-here/
Upon during further research on the topic of biomimicry, I learned that it is the mimicking of life using the imitation of biological systems. It comes from the Greek words bios and mimesis. Essentially in biometrics, nature is examined in all its systems and processes in order to take inspiration in attemps to solve human problems.
ReplyDeleteUntil researching the concept, I did not realize how widely used it is in fashion today. One example of this is with the GreenShield fabric finish. It provides an oil, stain, or water resistant finish for fabric. This product was inspired by the self cleaning process of the Lotus leaf found in nature. This product is convenient because it uses less fluorochemicals than typical stain resistant materials. So not only is it innovative, it's better for the environment.
http://www.asknature.org/product/28dac96ae850e0972f1a61db94844994
Everything that I have recently read and discovered about biomimicry is fascinating to me. It is amazing how students and artists are able to take their inspiration from nature and mimic it in textiles form. The article that I found especially interesting is about helmets that can reduce rotational injuries. These helmets contain a "membrane" that will slide over the main shell upon impact to prevent the rotational forces that can cause traumatic injuries. I can really appreciate this because a good friend of mine was in a very serious motorcycle accident five years ago and suffered injuries to his head. Dr. Ken Phillips came up with this genius helmet idea based on the inspiration of the human head, and the skin that covers our sculls. With things like this happening in the textiles world already, I look forward to seeing what happens in the future. http://www.treehugger.com/cars/new-helmet-design-uses-biomimicry-to-reduce-rotational-injuries.html?campaign=daily_nl
ReplyDeleteI was introduced to the concept of biomimicry last week, and now I'm totally fascinated with the ideas and thoughts that stem from biomimicry. According to the Biomimicry Institute, biomimicry is defined as "an innovation method that seeks sustainable solutions by immolating nature's time-tested patterns and strategies…The goal is to create products, processes, and policies-new ways of living- that are well adapted to life on earth over the long haul". Using nature for inspiration seems so innovative, but at the same time is a no-brainer. Nature has it's own balance and flow that I think we as humans search for in our everyday lives. When searching through some different sites that focus on biomimicry, I found some incredible new ideas and products that are being worked on. One really unique example I found is the Micro"be" dress. It's actually made from wine! It's made from the living microbes that grow as a side-product during the naturally occurring fermenting process. There's a picture of it on the link below, and the color is actually really beautiful! It's also redefining how clothes are made, since there is no weaving or sewing involved. After doing a little more research on this product, it's stated on bioalloy.org that "the goal is t produce a bacterial,fermented, seamless garment that forms without a single stitch."
ReplyDeleteI'm really excited that the concept of biomimicry was introduced to me, because this is a whole new area that really interests me and that I'll look further into!
http://www.sffashionandtech.com/2012/06/05/from-biorythms-to-biomimicry-the-future-of-textiles-is-here/
Carson Love
I am surprised I never realized how much we use nature’s designs to create innovations in order to solve human challenges. When I think about it, it makes perfect sense that we would get our designs and ideas from the natural inspirations that surround us. There are so many inventions that I never would have thought were derived from studying nature. For example, when I was reading about biomimicry I read about George de Mestral and how he came up with the idea for Velcro. Apparently, Mestral got the idea from burrs getting stuck on his pants. Who would have thought that something as annoying as burrs getting stuck to your clothing would turn into this great invention that can be seen everywhere. What intrigues me the most however, is the wearable technology that is being created based on biomimicry. I especially love the Luminex Fabric. On a Luminites website I found a wedding dress made out of this fabric that omits its own light. The dress was stunning when the lights were low; it resembled a beautiful starry night sky. What I have discovered from researching biomimicry is that nature is the perfect inspiration for innovation because it is everywhere; you cannot escape it and tends to make the most striking creations.
ReplyDeleteAccording to the Biomimicry Institute definition, “biomimicry (from bios, meaning life, and mimesis, meaning to imitate) is a new discipline that studies nature's best ideas and then imitates these designs and processes to solve human problems.”Biomimicry has three requirements there has to be a human need for it to be produced, the inspiration from nature, and how they can take both of these ideas and make them into a functioning product.
ReplyDeleteOne cool example I found of biomimicry was the Fastskin swimsuit, designed by Speedo, is a high performance full-body suit based on the science of shark skin. Shark skin is made up of dermal denticles, which are tiny structures with microscopic properties that allow sharks to be one of the fastest streamlined fish in the sea.When you wear a shark skin swimsuit you drastically reduce drag and turbulence, increase your speed and agility, and swim with the stealth of a shark. Speedo’s Fastskin shark skin suit made such a difference in the waters for swimmers that after their monumental debut on Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps during the 2008 games that the IOC banned them from the Olympics and they have later been banned in all major swimming competitions.
Da Vinci Index states that “Biomimicry is one of the most promising scientific fields that could transform the ways goods and services are designed, produced, transported, and distributed. It could represent a major “game changer” in the 21st Century by forging a bridge between environmental and business interests.”
http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/wilderness-resources/photos/7-amazing-examples-of-biomimicry/sharkskin-swimsuit
Alexandra Weishaar
14126905
Biomimicry is a discipline that studies nature and organisms to create new ideas and solve problems that we encounter. I found it fascinating that it literally imitates certain ideas and creates a new outlook on them. Biomimicry has become huge in the textiles industry. They have developed new technologies in clothing, for example, the skin of sharks inspired fast skin suits which the Olympic swimmers wear. The idea seems simple yet at the same time so intelligent. Most of the time when we think of clothing we do not necessarily think of Mother Nature but it makes complete sense. Another example displaying Biomimicry is a pair of pumps that are inspired by a skull of a bird. The front of the shoe is the cranium, and the spike heel is the beak, the bones of birds are extremely light making it simple and easy to wear. After gaining more knowledge of the concept Biomimicry, I have become interested on the inspiration of nature that developed certain things. This is defiantly something I will always keep in mind while shopping!
ReplyDeleteWhen learning about biomimicry the first thing I thought was how interesting the topic is. Usually fabrics are hand made, but when it comes to biomimicry nature has a strong hand in helping these fibers develop. I learned about many different things that come from nature like functional surfaces, structural colors, thermal instillations and much more. The fact that biomimcry has been around for so many years was news to me. Man made objects have been inspired by animals and nature for over thousands of years. By reviewing this information I have learned that nature plays a crucial role in creating important fibers. I hope to keep up the research on biomimicry and learn more in the future.
ReplyDelete“Clothing already communicates. It communicates who we are, who we want to be perceived as being, our group affiliations. But down the line there’s a strong possibility that our clothing (or some people’s clothing, at least) will communicate with its surrounding environment.” This idea is so far past what I’ve ever thought about clothing. Biomimicry, honestly is hard for me to understand and I think it’s because why do we need this? Which I was glad was answered within the military design leading the way, I think the innovation in that is astounding but I don’t know if I agree that clothing with be a device itself. I see the idea that we are taking something that has survived much longer than us, but animals use these tactics to survive we wear clothing as a means of expression not style. I enjoy that nobody in any field has stopped with just what is already out there and people are always discovering more interesting and challenging the world of design. I do hope to see more designs and I think seeing them in real life would them a lot more understandable and cool because right now it is still very much just a far off idea to me, I would love to see how these move and if they are actually practical in anyway or just made for high-fashion and runway ideals.
ReplyDeleteBefore discussing biomimicry in class, I had never heard the term, but knew that the word "mimicry" usually means something is being imitated. Once it was explained, the concept of biomimicry seemed extremely logical since from the beginning of time, humans have always used the natural world to explain different sciences and build technologies. The textile industry relies heavily on innovation and it is very interesting to see what has been done and could be done in the future with clothing and textiles imitating nature.
ReplyDeleteThe example of materials which give off color only due to their reflective structure was a cool example of textiles imitating a property found in nature. An example of textiles imitating a natural process was found in tents developed for the US military that use solar power and can power electronic devices in them. The use of biomimicry will continue to help people develop textile technologies that aid people in all areas of life.
URLs:
http://blog.ponoko.com/2009/07/21/textiles-and-biomimicry/
http://inhabitat.com/u-s-military-developing-solar-powered-tents/
Biomimicry is a innovative method that seeks sustainable solutions by looking at nature. People have taken over the Earth and we have gotten to a point where the Earth might not be able to handle us anymore. What is really great about biomimicry is that we can now work with all of nature around us to live on this planet without destroying it. By creating products based on nature, we are creating a new way of living. While it can be difficult to develop, biomimicry has numerous benefits. It forces us to study the strategies of other surviving life on this planet. It will save energy and materials when producing, which will in return reduce and eliminate waste. It may also drive revenue. Not only do items like these attract eco-friendly people, but they also bring interest to other groups. I did not know anything about biomimicry before researching it and some of the products that I have found seem really awesome. The fact that we can now get silk from spiders that is stronger than steel is amazing. Imagine the advancements in life we can make just by looking and getting inspired by nature. To think that we hadn't research the simple things around us like this before the 21st century seems pretty silly. Currently, a lot of the items are used in the army however it would be interesting to see how they could be adapted into high-fashion. I really look forward to seeing what other items will be made in the future from studying nature.
ReplyDeleteI usually hate everything about science because it is challenging for me to understand, but when I read more into biomimicry, I was fascinated. It is so cool how much how our technology is evolving/ has evolved from how it used to be. Who knew that we could develop clothing with wearable electronics that allow us to check our heart beats and show our emotions by a series of brightening lights. With these new inventions, we will probably be able to live longer because we can radar our health and lead us to live more creatively. We will also stay on top and be able to protect our country better, since our military is one of the main leaders of biomimicry textile invention and production. My favorite thing about biomimicry, is the fact that we use nature to create these new developments in textiles which is very economically savvy. In doing this, we make clothing more pure and copy nature by using innovative cleaning strategies. This is important because of the terrible ways that we have been damaging our earth. Biomimicry has answered our call for help and will help us make treat the environment in a healthier way.
ReplyDeleteI never realized how much nature was used in our clothing today until I started doing research on biomimicry for one of my classes. We not only create products that perform like nature, but also ones that look like it, and use that technology to create something completely new. I found this interesting project on a blog, and a researcher is working on creating a fabric that can emulate your mood. This product takes inspiration from a chameleon, although a chameleon is not a living mood ring it does change its skin to fit its surroundings. If you are feeling self-conscious then the garment will blend in to its surroundings, and if you are feeling excited or seeking attention then it will begin to light up. This is just one interesting piece of information that I found, but there is so much more out there and I look forward to seeing what comes out on the market soon.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading all the articles and watching videos about biomimicry, I can say I am truly fascinated and intrigued by all the concepts and ideas that people have come up with. It is extremely interesting to see how technology, science and fashion can all combine and inspire such different, innovative topics, while saving the environment at the same time. One of the coolest products I ran across was the textile sensors that can communicate with doctors. Since I plan to work in the health care system, I thought this could be a great form or communication utilized by patients and their physicians. Also, I thought the mimicking of squid muscles was a great idea. I think it would be so cool to be able to change the color of your shirt if you have a stain that you could not get out without having to change or going to buy a whole new shirt. http://www.sffashionandtech.com/2012/06/05/from-biorythms-to-biomimicry-the-future-of-textiles-is-here/ http://rsif.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/8/59/761.full
ReplyDeleteBefore taking my Textile Apparel Merchandising class, I knew nothing about the concept of biomimicry. To me it sounded like another dry term that would be used on the next exam. Surprisingly, after much research, I found that it was quite fascinating. Biomimicry is the use of nature to inspire new developments in the textile world. We observe natures problems and ways of adapting and apply those to the textiles we wear every single day to find solutions to our every day problems. In fact, many don't even realize that their closet could be filled with garments inspired by biomimicry. An example of this would be the material that stain resistant pants is made of, called Greenshield. Greenshield is a sustainable nanotechnology textile finish that naturally repels oil and water. It is stain repellant and very easy to clean. The lotus leaf inspired this idea, for it's smooth texture allows liquid to roll off the surface, never allowing penetration. Applying natures secrets to our textile development is an extremely innovative and interesting way to change up the way we've done things in the past and solve problems in a way we've never been able to before.
ReplyDeleteAfter researching through these multiple websites about biomimicry, I never realized how big of an impact it played in fashion. It completely baffles my mind of how innovative and creative the modern world has become. Who would've thought thirty years ago that we would be making clothes from recycled plastics? I know I never would have thought that would be possible. I find one of the coolest things is that they have started making wearable technology. I didn't even know it was possible to make 3D printed clothing. Also, they have even started to create jackets with iphone jacks and chargers built into the pockets. It is absolutely amazing to me how two separate areas in our society, fashion and science, have started to intermingle and adapt elements from the other. I feel like biomimicry really has begun to show us how advance and conservative our world has become.
ReplyDeleteI think the idea of biomimicry and creating textiles inspired by an animal’s natural ability is genius. I was reading online about a new helmet that, when hit, reacted like human skin when rubbed. Meaning the outer layer of the helmet would move slightly when pressed against, for example, concrete, to create more cushion for the person’s head that was wearing it. This new idea is supposed to cut down the number of brain injuries. I think biomimicry can actually help progress humans. Like the swimsuits inspired by sharks skin that US Olympians tested. These suits helped these world-renowned swimmers break records. If these were allowed to be used during the Olympic games, just imagine the new level of competition. In just a few years, swimming could reach goals that right now are impossible.
ReplyDeleteAfter searching through many different articles and learning so much about nature and textiles, I have realized that biomimicry is a brilliant inspiration for designers. I first wanted to learn what exactly biomimicry meant. Thus, I discovered it means "life" and "imitation". Using the imitation of life such as nature, can create many different inspirations for textile designs. Some of the examples I read about were using natures colors and insects to create a unique, colorful pattern. However, one of my favorite examples I read about is the use of lights from nature. The use of lights is now being provided on clothing, which I think is very fascinating. I am not sure I would wear lights on my clothing yet that are 3D, but time will have to tell.
ReplyDeleteAs much as I love the incredible advancements that the government is making with biomimicry, I can not help but doubt the regular usage of their products, at least for another decade. Some examples are the spider silk armor and the Luminex fiber-optic fabrics, which would allow for a soldier's uniform to appear as a specific color for camouflage purposes. The funding necessary to cloth an entire military would most likely exceed the current budgets. Not to say that it will never happen, but unfortunately it might take some time. As far a as the medical direction of biomimicry, I think that it is much more likely for devices like the Adidas performance sports bra to be wildly popular. The idea of sending a patient's cardiac signs to their doctors via their clothing, or an athlete's biorhythms to their trainer on the sidelines are totally innovative and efficient ways to combine clothing and healthcare. Again, these devices will be expensive and mainly exclusive to those who can directly afford these advanced health monitoring systems. But, overall I think that biomimicry is beginning to spark enough of a flame that more major companies will soon be willing to invest heavily in to the progression of this amazing science.
ReplyDeleteInitially, I had absolutely no idea about the concept of biomimicry, nor what it meant either. It only took one article for me to be simply amazed with the concept. It is an abundance of resources, information, and most importantly inspiration, provided to the textile industry. The most interesting biomimicry example I found is the performance apparel and accessories such as the laser helmet and sports bra that measures performance. I hear all about it being about the simple things that matter. For so long, designers have overlooked the abstract and ability of nature. Nature is all around us, I mean literally everywhere, and to know that it has so much capability will never cease to amaze me. I believe that will the extensive, yet natural, skills nature provides will have a positive impact on the environmental worries that arise with some textiles, manufactured and natural fibers.
ReplyDeleteI will continue to research and hopefully find expounded explanations and resource about biomimicry. As a future designer, I hope that this concept will allow me to be more innovative, in a safe, environmental-friendly way.
In this day and age, we are constantly immersed into a world of infinite technologies. It seems like there’s something out there to help you do almost anything these days. While scientists constantly brainstorm more ideas each day, it is interesting to see that we are finally taking the blinders off and observing more than just the future and what’s ahead of us. After doing a little research on biomimicry, it seems like scientists are finally getting it right by looking towards nature, a place where they have already gotten it right the first time.
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite new designs, even though it seems like its main purpose is just for beauty, are the bio-luminescent textiles. They are fascinating to look at, and it’s amazing that scientists are able to observe something as simple as the underwater creatures that lurk at the bottom of the ocean and make it a work of art for humans. Other new innovations, such as the Superskin protective motorcycle helmet, prove that the real answers are sometimes right in front of our eyes. By just simply observing the skin over the skull, Dr. Ken Phillips helped create something that might just save the lives of motorcycle drivers everywhere.
With the millions of new possibilities out there, it seems that we could one day make textiles out of just about anything, even wine. The great thing about textiles is that they can range from a statement of beauty to a life-saving device. Like I said before, sometimes all of the answers can be right in front of our eyes. With biomimicry, I think that we can finally fit all of the pieces of the puzzle together and join technology with nature in a productive way.
Being able to combine technology and textiles like this is so incredible! The cardiac monitors are such a great invention since many people who have had heart attacks don't want to use Life Alert or a similar system. This technology would give a sense of security to the families of the people wearing these monitors while allowing the wearer to feel independent. I've seen how people don't want to be one of the people on the Life Alert commercials, even though Life Alert would be beneficial to their safety.
ReplyDeleteAs someone who grew up watching Star Wars, I always admired the technology in these movies. Everything was so portable, especially the communication systems, because they were incorporated into the characters' clothing. Knowing that I might be able to use this kind of technology someday is very exciting; the rates at which the military is developing textile technologies is incredible. When I was younger, I also desperately wanted one of Harry Potter's invisibility cloaks, and hearing that this may be available soon is mind-blowing.
Right now, people are also working on creating dresses made out of wine, or more specifically, the microbes that help wines ferment. Seeing scientists draw inspiration from foods as well as animals shows just how far science has come. Watching all of these new textile technologies develop is incredible for me; who knows what kind of technology we'll have in 50 years?
Until a week ago, I had no idea what biomimicry was all about. I came to find out it is the examination of nature, its models, systems, processes, and elements to take inspiration from in order to solve human problems. This whole idea fascinated me. After doing some research on this topic, I came to find out that many things that I use in my everyday life were created based off of something found in nature. For example, Velcro was inspired by the way burred seed pouches cling to animal fur. Having used Velcro my entire life, I would have never realized this was the idea behind making it. Another example I found was that Nike used the qualities of goat hoof traction in their running shoe designs. I wear my Nike running shoes all the time, but I never realized goat hoofs were the inspiration behind the traction. Biomimicry allows a person to take an idea from nature and apply it clothing which will better our health and lifestyles. Having researched a little on this topic and seeing all the incredible things, I can’t wait to see what else nature has inspired people to create in the future.
ReplyDeleteAfter researching Biomimicry, I have become intrigued by how many things are inspired by nature. Inventions are just discoveries that have already happened, which means so many things have naturally been created by nature that when we apply them to our everyday lives, these products can become very beneficial. Stella McCartney has created one of my favorite ideas; they have made a performance sports bra specifically for runners to keep tract of their biorhythms, or heart rate. By using “conductive sensing fibers”, some one could keep track of their fitness level fairly easily. It would be interesting to see how expensive this bra would be considering it is one of the first promoted smart textiles in the industry. Another interesting idea created by Mercedes Benz, was to redesign a car that was more aerodynamic and had less of a drag. They found that the ‘boxfish’ had a square shape to it but was able to swim fast because of its rigid exoskeleton. After incorporating the fish’s body structure into a car design, Mercedes has made one of the lowest drag cars ever tested. During my research I found a site where current college students had to look to nature to come up with completely new ideas of their own. One that sparked my interest was an idea created by students from the University of Latvia who wanted to make a sunlight-induced shading system. Their idea spurred from the opening and closing of plants stomata. If there was a way to make a cover over a patio, for instance, that opened and closed by sensing light, I believe they would have a pretty successful product. I know that I could never see nature the way that others do, but if we continue to utilize what nature has already provided, we can continue to make efficient consumer products through Biomimicry.
ReplyDeleteBiomimicry is an idea that has been around for such a long time, but it is so cool to see it incorporate into fashion like this. Fashion has always taken ideas from nature. A floral pattern shirt or shoes made of hemp and bamboo are things directly inspired by nature, but using biomimicry takes it a step farther. Seeing all the things I did while researching biomimcry, I have come to understand that nature has already solved alot of problems.
ReplyDeleteOne interesting biomimcry idea I came across was by designer Camille Cortet called, "snake and molting legwear". It is a type of fabric that mimics that of a snake's skin. It shows wear and tear by the amount the user wears it to "shed" off parts of the clothing.
Biomimicry is the idea of imitating nature’s patterns into fashion. It is an interesting way to broaden the ideas of designers, while incorporating the newest technologies and our environment. It is fascinating to learn about the new inventions people have come up with, and how it is used by numbers of people. For example, it has been said that the garments worn by the Olympians in the swimming competitions used Speedo’s Fastskin FSII skintight swimsuit, which mimics the texture of sharkskin to improve the speed and reduce dragging of the wearer. This technology is changing the world and what we wear. Soon, there will be textiles that turn clothing into power sources. Also, in the military there are many innovated fabrics including the ability to go invisible or to have a keyboard. Other parts of the world, such as squids, have impacted the fashion world into the idea of the clothing being able to change colors. This particular invention would greatly affect lives while they are able to fix any problems with their garments within seconds. Even “living microbes that grow as a side-product of the wine-making process” are being used in designs to make a dress out of wine (sffashionandtech). In addition, they have come up with the idea of sheddable garments, like a snake would shed off its layers. Not only was this idea taken from the environment, yet it gives back because it is a good way to refrain from using energy and water when having to wash the clothing. Biomimicry is constantly changing and being taken to high levels. It is interesting to see how this will take fashion in a few years from now.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.ecouterre.com/10-eco-fashion-garments-inspired-by-nature-and-biomimicry/
http://www.sffashionandtech.com/2012/06/05/from-biorythms-to-biomimicry-the-future-of-textiles-is-here/
Although I did not refer to the subject as “Biomimicry,” I have known about nature inspired textiles for some time. While I was familiar with the emergence of Spider Silk as a major advancement in the military textile industry, I was not aware of the vast industry Biomimicry is becoming. The most fascinating element of this industry, to me, is the development of “wearable electronics.” It seems physically impossible for there to be a jacket that charges your phone, or a t-shirt that emits a lighted, moving image, yet through Biomimicry, these impossibilities are becoming possible.
ReplyDeleteWhile there are many attributes of these new textiles that provide consumers with fun, quirky items, Biomimicry is enhancing consumer safety as well. The new lazer helmet dramatically reduces cranial rotation in a motorcycle or bike accident. They have added a membrane to the outside of the helmet that allows for sliding upon impact, as opposed to rotating. The membrane on our scalp inspired this new technology. Skin inspired this new technology. The idea seems so simple, yet it reduces the risk of brain injury and death in countless lives, and proves that nature has already answered many of our seemingly unsolvable problems.
Because natural resources are depleting at an advancing rate and because the way the world lives is becoming inconvenient and more expensive day after day, society must look to nature in order to create better methods to live more sustainably and to better preserve evaporating resources. After researching biomimicry, I have realized many construction and innovation processes of today’s modern technology can be implemented to become more aligned with how nature functions. For example, a building in Zimbabwe modeled its air conditioning system after a specific species of termites’ self-cooling mounds. Scientists and engineers have also created and constructed the safety feature in cars after the construction of the tree and even humans (specifically bones). In the textile industry, scientists are learning from lotus plants how to clean without cleaners and have developed, GreenShield, which is a fabric finish made by G3i based on the “lotus effect.” It makes perfect sense to model our inventions and technologies after animals and plants that must survive on their own instincts and processes. Nature was never told how to do something and that is why it is so remarkable. Nature and its processes exist on its own, without any help from anyone else. If we observe these remarkable processes and implement them into our daily lives, extraordinary things will result.
ReplyDeleteBiomimicry examples found at www.biomimicry.net
Biomimicry is a disciple that literally means, “to imitate life.” The practice of biomimicry combines the innovations of modern technology with the special wonders of nature for both functional and aesthetic purposes. Until researching and learning more about biomimicry, I never realized how many ideas were taken from nature. Now it seems as though most ideas have come from nature or other organisms. People have been turning to nature for inspiration to help them solve problems for millions of years. From buildings and bridges to materials and medicine – examining the design of nature has aided in the development of almost every aspect of our lives, and most of us – often without realizing – benefit from these inspired revelations several times a day. One of the most famous examples of biomimicry in use would be Velcro. George de Mestral got this idea when he observed burrs stuck in his dog’s fur. Another example would be by mimicking the characteristics of whale fins, tails, and flippers, engineers have been able to design more efficient wind turbines. There are hundreds of designs that have used nature as an inspiration. Everyday scientists and engineers are working on new products to help create a better planet.
ReplyDeleteBefore this class, I had no idea what the word biomimicry was or that it even existed. But after a good amount of research I have realized how much biomimicry I have used throughout my life. I would have never thought of the use of nature to inspire technology and clothing. Now that I have looked at the many instances in which it is already used, I realized how smart and how common this practice is. And why not? Nature finds the best ways to blend in and to stay safe in so many different instances, so we should be inspired by such things.
ReplyDeleteNot only did I find the information in the blogs fascinating but I also found the information we were given in class really cool. The one that stuck out to me the most was the soldiers’ uniforms that could camouflage into the scenery around them. I also read about another product that did a similar thing mimicking squids and how they change colors. Another was the fastskin that we talked about in class and that I found in many blogs. One that I found in a blog that interested me was inspired from the molting of a snake. They were “sheddable” garments that reduced laundering. I thought this one was good because it also helps our environment and “going green” to reduce water usage.
Although this discipline is really new to me, I believe that we should continue to help it grow. Biomimicry can be useful to us in many ways. And the study of it is important to the growing of our technology and textiles.
After researching biomimicry on the Internet, I have become extremely fascinated with the idea. What inspirations do we as humans have to use that is better than the world around us? “Biomimicry focuses on using nature as an inspiration to solve problems faced by humans.” I find the topic itself as interesting. There are several examples that I have found that caught my attention the most.
ReplyDeleteOne amazing example I found is jets inspired by birds. Scientists have researched the V-formation that birds fly in. When one bird flutters its wings in the V-formation, it generates an updraft that lifts the bird behind it. The formation adds energy to the birds to help them uphold flight. Scientists believe that passenger airlines could save on fuel by using the V-shape used by birds. If airplanes travel in a V-shape, jets could use up to 15% less fuel.
Another example that caught my eye was a robotic arm shaped like an elephant trunk. By having the same form as an elephant trunk, the arm is capable of a wider range of movements and can carry heavy loads.
There are so many more examples of biomimicry out there and I am looking forward to see what else scientists can come up with based on nature.
Links:
http://webecoist.momtastic.com/2011/01/14/brilliant-bio-design-14-animal-inspired-inventions/
http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/wilderness-resources/photos/7-amazing-examples-of-biomimicry/birds-jets
After researching the term "biomimicry," I am now well informed on how involved it is in our everyday life and the new products that are being innovated because of it. One of the things I find interesting is down the road, with the help of new technology, clothing choices will communicate with its surrounding environment. For example, integrating sensors and computational devices will be integrated into the fabric to enhance a richer set of capabilities called "e-textiles." E-textiles will sense our presence, monitor our health, and adapt to our individual needs. The idea of biomimicry is very advanced and I think it will really benefit many people. But, I do think some of the ideas are far-fetched. I read about an idea of a dress made out of wine. The design is made up living microbes that grow as a side-product of the wine-making process and create them into designs. I really do not understand the concept of this dress and how it will be useful.
ReplyDeleteResearch website: http://www.sffashionandtech.com/2012/06/05/from-biorythms-to-biomimicry-the-future-of-textiles-is-here/
Biomimicry has become truly appreciated and inspiring after reading these articles and blogs. Nature has shown it's power in several ways, especially, my favorite, fashion. Colors, textures, and themes are forming from nature. Colors from the sea, sunsets or even animal prints like a peacock are emerging in designs. I believe the future will highly focus on "going green" and saving the environment. If we learn from nature's energy, growth and survival skills, we as humans can create a healthier and appreciative life cycle. After reading the blog "How Biomimicry Applies to Innovation" I learned how the core of biomimicry comes from our "child-like minds" and you have to look at the little things to solve big problems. Nature is a beautiful part of our society, and we need to learn more from it because it can be the solution to everything.
ReplyDeleteNature seems to know how to create, repair, and sustain life since it has successfully been doing so since the beginning of time. With this in mind, it only seems logical to use the lessons we can learn from nature to improve our every day lives and products. Biomimicry, the study of nature to help move research forward, has taken a huge leap into using the ways of nature and incorporating them into the textiles and products of the future. Honestly, I have never put much thought into what goes on with the production of the clothes I wear or products I use every day, but after researching biomimicry, I’ve learned about various ideas and products that have been influenced by the ways of nature.
ReplyDeleteOne product in particular caught my eye during my research. Wilhelm Barthlott, a German botanist has created a product that greatly reflects the ideals of biomimicry. Barthlott incorporated the unique self-cleaning feature of lotus plants into a lotus-effect aerosol spray. This spray mimics the actions the lotus plant takes when water droplets fall off their leaves. The water droplets ball up on the surface of the leaves and roll off, carrying away dirt and particles in its path. The lotus-effect aerosol spray essentially is used to clean leather, textiles, and masonry. When the lotus-effect spray is sprayed on the desired object, the spray creates a nanostructure coating that allows water to ball up and run off the surface and keep the object clean.
Barthlott’s lotus-effect aerosol spray really captures the goal of biomimicry, and how we have so much to learn and use from nature around us. This small invention can lead to more efficient ways of cleaning our clothing and furniture, and in turn, simplify our lives. Biomimicry is also a great reason to explore the world that we live in. There are so many secrets that can lead to interesting, helpful inventions, like the lotus-effect aerosol spray, that are waiting to be revealed to advance our ways of life. I’m excited for the future of biomimicry and the ideas that will soon surface from the beautiful natural environment that we too often take for granted.
The term biomimicry comes from the Greek words bios, meaning life, and mimesis, meaning to imitate. In recent classes, Ive researched biomimicry and am always fascinated because I am always learning about new was that not only scientists and engineers use this biologically influenced concept to create more innovative products, but also textile makers. Biomimicry hopes to improve our world through designs that take advantage of nature’s ingenuity.
ReplyDeleteThe whole concept behind biomimicry is pretty simple. Life (nature) has been around forever and has been sustainably for millions of years. “Imitating nature” when it comes to textiles has made it so that we can create more sustainably textiles. For example, snake and molten legwear mimics snake skin and shreds due to the amount of times someone wears them. Also, there’s fabrics that repel water and oil that are mimicked after the lotus plant’s leaves.
Applying biomimicry in design can be done in two ways, progressing from design to nature or going from nature to design. The design to nature approach works by identifying a design problem and turning to nature for a similar problem and solution. However, designers can also work in reverse, applying biomimicry by studying nature and imagining human applications for nature’s designs. This I found to be the most interesting thing I learned about biomimicry because it has so many opportunities to be used, whether its for inspiration or problem solving.
Biomimicry, which means "to imitate life", is an interesting topic which we don't realize how significant it is to our everyday life. Many things in nature are often used to relate to society and how things work. It is very interesting and freaky at how many ideas are derived from natural occurrences. Reading the articles online further advanced my understanding on this topic. Throughout the readings, it is most interresting to me how much clothing is advancing. Instead of just something to wear, it is becoming a collection of symbols which demonstrate how people are perceived by others. It amazed me that because of further advances in technology, clothing has incorporated electronics. People years ago would probably never believe that it would be possible to charge an i phone through your pocket. Also, it is fascinating that it is possible to make clothing camouflage, in order to blend into any environment. These advances make life much easier for modern day life on a day to day basis. Nature relates to everything and is something that should be further studied because it is natural and relates to many things which are useful.
ReplyDeleteBefore taking this class I had little knowledge about biomimicry or how it related to textiles. After learning more about it in class and by reading online articles, I realized how many different articles of clothing were inspired by nature and how neat and useful these futuristic items are. According to the Biomimicry Institute, biomimicry is defined as "an innovation method that seeks sustainable solutions by immolating nature's time-tested patterns and strategies. The goal is to create products, processes, and policies-new ways of living-that are well adapted to life on earth over the long haul.” My favorite example of biomimicry in textiles is the British Military's invention of the camouflage slash invisibility cloak for the soldiers. This fabric reflects things that are standing by it which means that the soldiers are blending in with their surroundings. It is amazing that the textile industry can serve such an important part in our country. Learning about these biomimicry items makes me excited to see what the future holds for the textile industry.
ReplyDeleteReading about biomimicry is very interesting. I never realized how nature could have an affect on many things in the world. biomimcry is a discipline that means, “to imitate life”. It is amazing how nature inspires new technology in the real world and how most ideas have come from nature. The first thing that came to my mind when reading about biomimcry was making clothing out of animals, but then I realized that there are many different organism that help create many things we see everyday. When reading the articles, I notice how squids helped researchers come up with the idea of camouflage. Squid muscles allowed the squid to switch colors and that gave researchers the ideas of camouflage. This relates exactly with the definition of biomimcry, “to imitate life”, because researches literally got an idea from a living creature. This was one of the most interesting facts I found in the reading that made me really interested biomimicry!
ReplyDeleteBiomimicry is the copying or imitation of a natural phenomenon’s efficiency and survival mechanisms in manufacturing processes or applied case-base reasoning. It is when we take something that is working so well in nature and try to replicate it for our everyday use. From my research one of the most interesting inventions from biomimicry was the idea of Self- Healing Plastics. It is an idea based off how our skin heals cuts and scrapes by itself. It is made out of hollow fibers that contain epoxy resin, which is released when the fibers are under serious strain that might cause cracks. Like our skin it forms somewhat of a ‘scab’ to keep the plastic from breaking and is almost as strong as the original material. This type of material would be very beneficial for things like planes, cars, and maybe even spacecrafts. Biomimicry is all about innovation, its goals are to be more sustainable, perform well, save energy, cut material costs, redefine and eliminate waste, and use products in a different light.
ReplyDeleteBefore taking Tam 2500 I had no incite of Biomimicry. Throughout the last couple of weeks, however, I have become much more familiar with the concept. It translates to “to imitate life”. After reading about Biomimicry, I have begun to really appreciate nature and the things that make it up. I also find it fascinating that clothing is transforming from just something to cover you up, into a symbol helping people express themself and relaying how one is perceived. I find it so amazing that advances in modern technology can combine with the aspects of nature to create such diverse things. Nature relates to everything and is something that should be looked into further and appreciated much more. The example of biomimicry in textiles that really caught my eye was the invention for the British Military. The camouflage/invisibility cloak for the soldiers is such a smart idea. It is amazing that the textile industry can do something so helpful and beneficial for the military. The fabric reflects surrounding objects, which in return causes the soldiers to blend in with their surroundings. They got this idea for camouflage through the squid. It is so weird to me that something so simple as a sea creature could be the start of such an amazing invention. The squids muscles allow it to switch colors so it can blend into its surroundings. The researchers were able to get an idea from a living creature, thus proving that nature has a huge impact on our day-to-day lives. Biomimcry is such a fascinating concept and I cannot wait to learn more about it.
ReplyDeleteTechnological advances are taking textiles to a whole new level. Artists, developers, and designers have often used nature as a source of inspiration to create designs and garments. Now with the help of advancing technology, nature inspired design is taken to a whole new level. Biomimicry is using technology and innovation to create and wear garments and textiles that "mimic" nature. A few examples that I have learned about through reading articles and blogs on biomimicry are garments that have the ability to make you blend into any environment like an iguana, which could be beneficial to our military, or garments that allow you to shed layers like a sake, which creates a sustainable garment. Innovations like these could change life as we know it. I think it is brilliant to look at biology to mimic new ways to help our everyday life through garments. What works for so many other species should work for us too, and if we have the technology to mimic their attributes we should, and also put more resources towards it to become more efficient as a human race. I am really excited to see what there is in store for this new way of thought!
ReplyDeleteAs I explore the world of biomimicry, I become more amazed with everything that I see. It is fascinating how clothing has become more than just fabric that an individual uses to cover themselves but, it has transformed into a highly advanced field with different technologies and developments. I think the concept of biomimicry is so intriguing because I love nature and its beauty. I feel as though sometimes, as humans, we get caught up in all of the amazing technologies that consume our lives. Biomimicry is a way to connect us back to our roots of nature. In contrast, biomimicry also keeps clothing up-to-date and stylish. Since technology is becoming increasingly involved in biomimicry new advances and techniques are being developed constantly. Biomimicry can be helpful to so many people and in so many different ways. New suits and helmets are being developed to those fighting for our country while health monitors are being installed in shirts to help those with certain conditions. Before this class, I had never heard of biomimicry and I am so glad that I have had the opportunity to learn about the developing field of biomimicry.
ReplyDeleteBiomimicry is a design discipline that looks at nature as a model, mentor and measure in regards to the future of the textiles industry. As the word itself means “to imitate,” biomimicry studies nature’s best ideas, and then imitates these designs and processes to solve human problems. Since the players of nature—animals, plants and microbes—have already solved many of the issues that occur in life by finding what works and lasts on Earth, we must imitate nature in order to survive and function like the natural world. Through much research on biomimicry, I have realized how crucial it is for the survival of the human race to understand nature and how it works.
ReplyDeleteApparel is a particular area of the textiles industry that I was interested in finding out how biomimicry has affected it. A quote I found particularly interesting about biomimicry states: “Clothing will one day not be a path to a device, but a device itself.” In other words, scientists and researchers within the biomimicry field of research hope to potentially create clothing that naturally performs different forms of nature. A particular example I found extremely interesting was the “Micro‘be’” dress. Micro‘be’ fermented fashion explores the cultural biosynthesis of clothing in order to discover the possible cultural forms of futuristic dressmaking and textile technologies. This particular type of dress actually creates itself—because it is made out of wine! Living microbes actually ferment the garment into the particular design desired, and the dress is therefore seamless. After doing a great deal of research on biomimicry, I found this dress to be one of the most interesting advancements yet, and I look forward to discovering what else the brilliant minds of mankind come up with.
Biomimicry is the process of using nature to inspire innovations that improve human life. The word Biomimicry in itself means to imitate, therefore suggesting that biomimicry is the study of copying something in nature and trying to recreate it using human labor and unnatural objects. After researching all different kinds of biomimicy in our society today I found the use of biomimicry in architecture to be the most intriguing. For example I found a structure that was created in Australia that mimics a flower stamen. Not only can biomimicry be used in architecure, but it can be used for numerous things such as clothing and many different kinds of technology. Biomimicy is a very interesting topic and somewhat complex topic that a majority of the population doesn't even realize exists.
ReplyDeleteLearning more about Bio mimicry has really changed my views of nature. I find it so much more interesting now and it gave me a whole new way of looking at nature. I would never have thought that items from nature could be used to make smart textiles. In the video, it is amazing to see the colors and movement of the suit and how it can easily be compared to sea creatures. The bright colors and changing shapes are really appealing and quickly captured my attention. It is impressive that it was inspired from nature and built into smart textiles. I have had the opportunity to wear a smart textile fabric while I was a competitive swimmer. The Speedo LZR was designed from the idea of a shark’s skin. The suits made you feel more buoyant in the water and your body was compressed making it seem as if you were smaller and lighter in the water. The suits were eventually banned after the 2008 Olympics because people felt that they gave the swimmers too much of a competitive advantage. It was a great experience to get to wear a smart textile. Seeing other textiles that are inspired from bio mimicry is so interesting! Another example of a bio mimicry project is a dress made from wine! I love that something as artistic as fashion can be combined with science. After seeing this video of the suit, it makes me want to do more research on bio mimicry. Maybe I’ll try to do a project of my own!
ReplyDeleteFrom researching biomimicry I have learned it is all about taking materials from nature and applying them to textiles. Believe it or not, there is a way to reflect color due to the way something is structured, and also a way to digitally compute a pattern from using solely energy from the sun. It is not too far down the road that clothing will become a source for power also known as e-textiles. Besides the military, sports brands are what have created a pathway for smart textiles. Stella McCartney has designed a sports bra that has the capability of monitoring the biorhythms of the wearer. One of the most unique examples of biomimicry is Micro’be’. This is the name for a dress that is made out of wine. Another movement in the biomimicry world that is being talked about is clothes that can change colors instantly. And last but not least, the Superskin Helmet. This has been researched for fifteen years and is proven to protect the head much more effectively than a normal helmet. The textile industry is becoming really advanced in the sense of technology and from what nature has provided. The issue that is facing the industry currently is how to implement it.
ReplyDeleteWhen I heard about biomimicry previously, I thought it only applied to new textiles that were not available to the public. I thought only the military used them and that they sounded almost science-fiction; for example, the material designed by Intelligent Textiles that powers a soldier's own gear, wow! I was never aware that biomimicry applied to the textiles that I came into contact with everyday. Velcro, one of the most famous examples of biomimicry, was inspired by something as simple as a bur. Velcro sticks to itself with the help of little tiny hooks, which were mimicked from the hooks on a bur. My nike shoes are designed after the hooves of goats. Biomimicry is also responsible for a number of amazing things in the textile industry that will one day be incorporated into our everyday lives, such as Luminex, the textile that actually lights up! Or even a helmet that imitates the skin on the human head to better protect the brain. It is surprising to me that biomimicry is a relatively new science since humans have been living in nature since their existence. It is inspiring to see that people are now observing what has been around them all along to move forward with their designs and ideas.
ReplyDeleteAfter researching biomimicry, I am even more fascinated with the fashion. Biomimicry is simply taking different materials and aspects from nature and applying them to fashion and other textiles. I think that the idea of biomimicry is pure genius. Before researching this topic, the only "nature" that I saw in fashion was leaves that would be printed on shirts. I never knew that a deeper artistic idea could be applied to it. I also never looked at nature and being something that could impact fashion. Researching this topic has caused me to look at other objects to see how they are incorporated into everyday fashion. An example of this is ropes that are tied in knots. This became a major fashion statement. It was seen on scarves and blouses, and paired with the colors of navy and gold. One of the major designer labels that carried this trend was Ralph Lauren. This shows that biomimicry opened many doors for fashion designers and it also gave them a new source of inspiration for their pieces.
ReplyDeleteI knew that Velcro was inspired by briars getting caught to the inventor’s clothes, but I didn’t realize how many other textiles and design elements were inspired by materials created by nature. For example, I learned that Morphotex was inspired and named after the Morpho butterfly. The Morpho’s wings have a color shifting property when exposed to different angles and degrees of light. Morphotex does the same thing. The Japanese company Tejin Fibers Limited manufactures this fabric by using nanotechnology to create 61 layers. The layers are made up of two different polymers that each have different refractive indices. Morphotex was not only inspired by nature, it thanks its muse by using less energy, making it better for the environment than other textiles with dyes or pigments used to create color. (http://www.buzzle.com/articles/biomimicry-the-science-of-copying-natural-designs.html)
ReplyDeleteUpon researching biomimicry, I was pretty uninformed on the topic. I've heard about it a few times in some of my classes learning about the new technologies that have came out in the fashion industry throughout the years. Whether biomimicry is used for making people's lives easier, or a perfect work of art, I find this topic extremely intriguing and have enjoyed the research. This video in particular, caught my attention because it reminded me of my childhood with the kaleidoscope effect with a twist from the future demonstrating how crazy technology can be and how anything is possible. I think this is why I find this subject so interesting, because it proves that anything is possible and technology is ever changing. Fortunately, not only is technology ever changing, but so is fashion. These two paired together can change a lot of people's lives, the fashion industry, and pretty much anything else with the power of technology. My favorite invention that I've seen during this research was the bike helmet that was designed to protect the head and skull. The makers of this helmet successfully designed an extremely sleek and functional helmet with the help of technology. This research has allowed me to continue my exploration of biomimicry and continue to be inspired.
ReplyDeleteI had never heard of biomimicry before learning about it in this class, and that surprises me because the notion seems so obvious. The concept of imitating life forms that have been around for ages in order to increase efficiency or sustainability of a product seems like a limitless field. Textiles and fashion are not only being created by designers but now also by engineers as well. There are always new aspects to serve as models for our future needs in textiles. Some things that impressed me when researching biomimicry were the capability the change colors in order to hide stains (mimicking a squid) and modeling clothes after waterproof plant leaves. Our thermal and moisture-wicking athletic wear were designed with biomimicry in mind, and prior to learning about this topic, I never even knew so much thought and ingenuity went into the clothes I wear.
ReplyDeleteIt is just plain crazy to me that such amazing things are happening in the textile world and I had no idea until just a couple of weeks ago. I’m not sure what’s more exciting to me, though – the fact that we will soon be wearing technology or the fact that this is all being done in an environmentally friendly way. To everyone out there who underestimates the power of textiles, I urge you to reconsider. It just might save your life. In the future we will see products such as helmets with air bags inside them, to protect you if you wreck your bicycle, and clothing that allows us to blend in with our surroundings when we are in uncomfortable situations. Whether it’s by saving a life here and there or simply enhancing our lives every single day, textiles are going to rock our world and I could not be more excited for the future.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading all of my searches of Biomimicry and blogs about it, I have become so fascinated by the recent technology, specifically in textiles. Biomimicry is a new term for me because I did not even know it existed. It is cool that as humans we have come up with this idea to relate nature to new technology in order to solve problems we face everyday. I obviously knew what Velcro was before my research, but I did not know it was considered Biomimicry. It makes sense, though, that Velcro solved solutions for textiles pertaining to the function of fastening a shoe. I was not even aware the idea of Velcro was mimicked from burrs in nature. Velcro solved the problems that humans faced in not being able to fasten their shoes satisfactorily. Without Velcro, the sport of Velcro jumping would not even exist.
ReplyDeleteAnother cool example of Biomimicry in textiles that caught my eye was the invention of the sharkskin. To improve humans’ swimming abilities, scientists tried to mimic the dermal denticles that are found on sharks. These dermal denticles are grooves that help water move over a surface at a quicker pace. I found it interesting that this idea can be used on swimsuits. Another textile that piqued my interest was the “natural computing” designs. The pattern is completely generated by solar energy. I thought it was not only functional, but also very pretty. Lastly, one type of Biomimicry that stood out to me was the lotus effect. Even though this is not a textile example of Biomimicry, I thought it was very functional in normal life. Basically the leaves of the lotus flower repel dirt and water droplets. Scientists have been able to replicate this idea into exterior paint. Now most buildings are painted with this type of paint. I believe this helps with the problem of old buildings beginning to look dirty or run-down. This usage would help buildings stay intact longer and look more attractive. These inventors who came up with these ideas astound me. I’m sure it is a lot of work to make our daily functions easier in textiles and in other objects in our world. I believe this trade-off will be worth it in the end.
http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/wilderness-resources/photos/7-amazing-examples-of-biomimicry/sharkskin-swimsuit
http://blog.ponoko.com/2009/07/21/textiles-and-biomimicry/
http://articles.cnn.com/2010-06-18/tech/biomimicry.plants.design_1_nature-inspired-solar-power-mother-nature?_s=PM:TECH
http://www.designboom.com/contemporary/biomimicry.html
It's amazing to me all the new designs and products that can be created or should I say recreated by looking into nature. I've never looked to much into the idea of using nature to create new and amazingly useful products, but I've always been intrigued by it. For example the way that we have taken t-shirts and made it so that when sunlight shines onto it, it shows an image but the image fades as the light leaves. Even the beauty of a butterflies wing, I'm guessing very intelligent scientists came up with the idea to create such a reflective product that doesn't even need color, it just borrows the color of whats around to create such splendor. We have also made huge strides in safety using this naturalized technology, like the lazer helmets. A motorcyclists dream helmet, it has a covering around the surface like that of skin. It gives and slides so that if and when a biker hits the ground the rider does not torque his next as much as he would in a regular old helmet. It's amazing how far we've come, now I won't be able to just look past nature, I'm going to be searching for new ideas for products right outside my front door!
ReplyDeleteBiomimicry is the science of taking ideas from nature and using them in apparel items. Biomimacry literally means “imitation of life” we take these things that organisms give us and use them for our benefit. We have taken ideas from Spiders, Sharks, Burrs, even the Lotus.
ReplyDeleteThe one biomimicry example that I found to be the most interesting is the use of Sharkskin in the creation of Fast Skin swim suit. If you were to look at Sharkskin under a microscope, it is made up of countless overlapping scales called dermal denticles or "little skin teeth". This technology helps the shark to move faster and smoother in the water. The swim suits that they made were called Fast Skin. They were recently outlawed at the High School level and up. They were outlawed because they were giving swimmers an unfair advantage by making the swimmers more buoyant and helping them to move through the water faster than swimmers of the same skill level without the advantage of wearing the suit. In the 2008 Olympics a lot of the swimmers were wearing these suits were breaking records left and right.
Turning to Mother Nature for inspiration is not a new concept. However, turning to Mother Nature for inspiration in textiles, with such functional, daring, and artistic advances is a new concept. Our advances in technology have granted us the ability to copy the successes of millions of years of evolution in ways unimaginable to our ancestors. It's hard not become excited about biomimicry in textiles when you learn of scientists using wine to mimic the way a squid responds to its visual surroundings, or the texture of a swimsuit that mimics the dermal denticles found on cartilaginous fish. In addition to fabric, a helmet that mimics the very function of the human skull, transmitting force from the “superskin” of the helmet to the lubricated inner membrane, as opposed to transmitting force from the helmet to the brain. Preserving people’s brains by mimicking the function of their brain!
ReplyDeleteThrough biomimcry there appear to be a number of inspiring innovations on the horizon and ones that have yet to be dreamed up. However, one thing is for certain, the textile industry wasn’t going to stop at copying Burr to make Velcro before, and they certainly aren’t stopping at Shark Skin.
Biomimicry is an interesting concept. The idea of developing designs inspired by nature is something that has been done from the beginning of time. I enjoy the experience of being able to look at a design and being able to see how someone interpreted something in nature that I would never have thought to create. While looking at photographs of biomimicry it is sometimes difficult to find where the inspiration derives. The garments then become pieces of art for both the designer as well as the buyer.
ReplyDeleteAfter doing research on biomimicry, I have found that studying nature can lead to so many different innovative textiles. I never had any idea how many products designed with biomimicry existed. One interesting and useful product I found was made after studying butterflies. Researchers found that the wings of a butterfly repelled water and dirt in such a way that allowed the wings to never get dirty. Using this technology, they came up with NanoSphere fabric finish. When applied to clothing, the finish will repel water and dirt, allowing the textile to be self cleaning. (http://www.asknature.org/product/600e2a50746fa6339870554b2a7a36fd)
ReplyDeleteBiomimicry is just one way to show how advanced our world now is. We are constantly gaining new technology and creating textiles that I never dreamed possible. Biomimicry has helped so many people around the world perform tasks that 100 years ago, would not have even been thought of. I always thought that by the time I was twenty years old there would be flying cars, but I guess clothing that can change colors, regulate temperature, and self clean is close enough.
After reading various articles and and learning about the concept of biomimicry, I am fascinated and intrigued by the concept. Incorporating what people have observed and discovered in nature has been used in many aspects of life, and I think it makes perfect sense to use nature as an inspiration for textiles and modern dress.
ReplyDeleteI found the lazer helmets to be an awesome discovery with biomimicry. Using a humans natural brain protector, the skull, the inventor developed a helmet that reacted in the way that our own skin an skull would on impact after a crash. The helmet includes a lubricant and an outer membrane for ultimate protection. This invention and many others that have been created using biomimicry have proved very beneficial and artistically enhancing to modern dress.
When talking about Biomimicry it means "to imitate life". It focuses on sustainability, efficiency, and rethinking the way we do things.It amazes me how more and more popular this is becoming and especially to designers. One designer, Atefeh Abdosalami, was inspired by the scales of butterfly wings. They used monochromatic materials to reflect color. With these mirror like materials, the structure reflected color instead of having actual color in it. This is using nature and nature's color instead of producing unnatural color. Also, it fascinates me how people studying biomimicry focus on garbage. In nature, there is no true garbage because things can always be reused and recycled and can be made over and over until it is useful.
ReplyDeleteBiomimicry is a fascinating concept. It takes the idea that nature does something he right way, and that we should just mimic their genius. When I first started thinking about what it was I was going to focus on as a item of biomimicry I thought it would be difficult, but as the ideas started to flow I realized that nature is full f brilliant ideas just waiting for humans to copy them.
ReplyDeleteHave you ever noticed how the mamma kangaroo carries her baby in a pouch on her stomach leaving her hands free, and supplying to baby with a comfortable and safe mode of transportation? My idea was to make a human pouch so that a mother can carry her baby around with her everywhere she goes leaving the baby feeling comfortable with their mother, but not holding the mom back from doing too much. This is just one example of the things we can tale from nature and turn into something productive and useful for ourselves.
When talking about Biomimicry it means "to imitate life". It focuses on sustainability, efficiency, and rethinking the way we do things. It amazes me how more and more popular this is becoming and especially to designers. One designer, Atefeh Abdosalami, was inspired by the scales of butterfly wings. They used monochromatic materials to reflect color. With these mirror-like materials, the structure reflected color instead of having actual color in it. This is using nature and nature's color instead of producing unnatural color. Also, it fascinates me how people who studying biomimicry focus on garbage. In nature, there is no true garbage because things can always be reused and recycled. Then eventually, they will be made over and over again until it is useful.
ReplyDeleteI didn't realize until I began researching biomimicry just how many of our textiles today have been inspired by nature. Everything from the colors of nature to the way fibers are woven and plants are evolving inspire the textiles we create. Textiles are built using fibers, and nature makes extensive use of fibers. We can mimic these fibers to create strongly woven, durable textiles. The colors of animals and plants are inspirational to the bright, attractive colors incorporated into many textiles. Even the insulation we use in our textiles is inspired by nature. I never would have realized that velcro was inspired by burrs, or fishing nets may have been inspired by spider webs. I've observed that there are certain fibers we've taken from nature such as silk and wool. It's fascinating how much the world around us can inspire us to become more efficient and evolved.
ReplyDeleteI have never heard of the term biomimicry until learning about it in class and searching about it in the past week. With its literal meaning of “imitation of life,” textile scientists use the focus of nature by biomimicry to inspire new inventions. It amazes me how often it actually occurs when these inventions are being introduced to society and I never realized how much of our clothing & textiles, technology and other materials we use are in fact developed by the basis of nature. The particular example of biomimicry that I found interesting was the experimental textiles coming from squids. Although it has been one of the most on-going results, researchers at the University of Bristol created a material that imitates the muscles of squids that allow them to change color right away in order to create camouflaging materials. What’s more interesting about this is how the author of the article mentions that this can lead a real practical disruption in mainstream apparel by the advancement this experimental textile could provide. The author illustrates a scenario where if someone spilled coffee on their white shirt while at work or school and doesn’t have a change of clothes, the experimental textile would just turn the white shirt black. This would definitely make situations like this more convenient for people because they wouldn’t have to worry about their appearance with a stain on their clothes all day or worry about the fact that they ruined their clothes, which results in new purchases to replace it.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.sffashionandtech.com/2012/06/05/from-biorythms-to-biomimicry-the-future-of-textiles-is-here/
Looking to nature for the next evolution of textile design is called Biomimicry. I personally found the 19 collections made by the students at Central Saints Martins to be the most interesting. The peek into the new concepts that are being developed and created by the graduate students are very innovative. My favorite was created by Lucy Hall was called 'Polymorphic Print' which has a dynamic surface designed to react to a wearer's emotions. The fact that it can show when someone is self conscious or wishes to be left alone with colors that reflect these emotions was crazy to me. People who seek attention would love this! However I don't know how much attention someone might want when their colors are reflecting they want to be left alone. None the less- a very interesting concept.
ReplyDeleteI believe that Biomimicry is an amazing trend. Using nature to influence the future of our clothes can cause a huge new trend of eco friendly clothing. The one example of this that I found the most interesting was the influence of squids on clothing. Squids ink can mold its self by changing its color to mimic its background and become a camouflage. Scientist have been researching the way squids ink changes its self to use the same aspects on dyes for clothing to create better camouflage clothing. I believe that this new research can create better and also more eco-friendly versions of camouflage for our military.
ReplyDeleteBiomimicry is a fairly new concept that is incredibly inspiring and equally amazing. Spider silk and the lotus effect are two of the most well known biomimetics. I found the TED video on spider silk interesting for various reasons. The silk has a special code that needs to be detected. The silk is so strong that it can even be used for body armor. That shows how far we are moving in the biomimicry world. The self-cleaning lotus uses what is called a “gravity shower.” The waters attraction to itself and its adhesive forces allow it to act as a self-cleaner. Biomimicry is the future of textles. The innovations that are already out there are only the beginning. I am excited to see what is in store for the future.
ReplyDeleteHearing the term "biomimicry" in class, I didn't recognize it, let alone know what it meant. After the class discussion, Dr. Hawley told us that biomimicry is defined as the study of nature to move us forward. Biomimicry allows innovators to create more intelligent and sustainable design through the imitation of nature. One interesting design I read about was "gecko tape." It is a new material that takes inspiration from the gecko lizard. Geckos have the ability to climb vertical surfaces, even upside down. The gecko tape has a type of adhesive that mimics the hair like structures on a gecko's feet. The adhesive can be super sticky one moment and not at the next.
ReplyDeleteAnother interesting layout the engineers at Mercedez-Benz came up with was a new type of aerodynamic car. They modeled it after what is known as the boxfish. The boxfish has a rather large body, but is still able to swim at a relatively fast speed. The engineers identified similarities between the boxfish and car, they modeled a new vehicle. After testing, the car proved to be one of the lowest co-efficent of drag ever tested.
Biomimicry is a very interesting idea to me. I never knew that scientists and engineers could create new textiles after nature. I think this could be very beneficial for the future textile and apparel industry.
Biomimicry is most nearly defined as: the examination of nature, its models, systems, processes and elements to emulate or take inspiration from in order to solve human problems(google web definitions). In other words, a simpler definition of Biomimicry is using nature to help solve problems created by humans. Nowadays, examples of biomimicry are displayed everywhere. Using nature to influence the way we dress (biomimicry), in my opinion is becoming a rather large trend in our society. After researching and reading multiple articles regarding the concept of biomimicry, not only did I want to keep researching and reading, but I quickly became fascinated with all the different ways to incorporate nature in the way we dress. One example I became most fascinated with was the section titled, Learning About Squids. To me, this was so incredibly fascinating because I had never even thought something like this was possible! The coolest example of this, was the Micro'be', because the featured product was a dress made out of wine! The design of the dress contains microbes that grow as a result of the wine making process, and "ferment" them into designs! This was mind-blowing to me because further along in my research I learned that a group of researchers at the University of Bristol created a material the mimics how a squid changes color, and used that material in order to create articles of clothing containing camouflaging materials. It is safe to say that after reading this article and looking at all the different possibilities of biomimicry, I am certainly a fan! I am now aware of multiple ways in which I can use nature to influence not only the way I dress, but to also influence those around me.
ReplyDeleteAfter researching Biomimicry and learning about what other people thought about it, I became very interested and impressed in this new era of fashion. I never thought about looking to nature for a solution to help solve human problems, let alone contributing to the textiles world. There are so many amazing examples of Biomimicry that we discussed in class and that I researched on my own as well. I thought that the most interesting development came from the researchers at the University of Bristol. They actually learned how to create a material that mimics a squid’s muscles into changing different colors. Biomimicry allowed these researchers to create camouflage materials to apply to clothing. This really shows how great technology can be when we could live in a world that allows our clothing to change into the colors surrounding it! I also thought the Superskin Helmet was an awesome example of Biomimicry not just because it is such a huge step in technology, but because it could make the world a safer place by saving lives. These examples of Biomimicry really amazed me and convinced me that Biomimicry could do wonders for our world!
ReplyDelete• http://www.sffashionandtech.com/2012/06/05/from-biorythms-to-biomimicry-the-future-of-textiles-is-here/
Biomimicry is defined as the imitation of nature. It uses the lowest environmental impact for designing and can help solve environmental problems. You can see biomimicry just about anywhere. One place we see it the most is in clothing. More and more people are using nature as a way to guide their wardrobe. When reading about biomimicry in, From Biorythmsto Biomimicry, The Future of Textiles is Here, I found the section titled learning from squids very interesting. The use of micro’be’ is really cool because it’s a dress made out of wine. It “ferments” the microbes that grow as a side-product of the wine-making process to make the final desgins.
ReplyDeleteIn my research about biomimicry I found that in simple terms biomimicry can be defined as "an imitation of nature". This new phenomena has become popularized by the invention of smart textiles. Smart textiles are garments or even furniture that are technologically advanced and are able to sense presence or react in situations. Biomimicry plays a huge role in smart textiles for example; researchers from the University of Bristol invented a textile that can imitate a squids color changing ability. Biomimicry is not only specific to textiles, but also to thousands and thousands of other inventions. For example: the Japanese bullet train being modeled after the king fisher bird’s beak. In class we learned about fast skin which was modeled after a sharks external body layer to help swimmers compete faster. I find biomimicry extremely fascinating in that the best and smartest ideas and inventions are simply surrounding us in nature. It makes me wonder how much more we as human beings will be capable of in the future with all of these technological advances.
ReplyDeleteBefore class, I had never head of the term "biomimicry". I knew the invention of velcro was inspired by cockleburs, but I had no idea about the eclectic variety of each technological advancement designed by biomimicry. After the lecture and researching the new developments, I was amazed at the different ideas through biomimicry. One invention includes Lazer Helmets, which are used to "reduce rotational injuries" with Super Skin for motorcyclists and potentially for other cyclists and skateboarders. The skin-like structure on the helmet absorbs the impact of a crash and moves with whatever it comes in contact with, rather than the helmet itself.
ReplyDeleteAnother new development that I find intriguing is Stella McCartney's Performance Sports Bra. While exercising, this garment can monitor biorhythms and transmit information to hospitals and doctors. Being a runner myself and having heart problems, this device would be very useful for collecting cardiac signs such as heart rates and even blood pressure. Although developments have only just begun, I cannot wait to see what advances will come out next and how it will affect and improve technology for the better.
After researching biomimicry, I have found that this is a very interesting topic to do research on. I think that it is amazing how we can look at nature to find out new solutions to problems relating to us today. What really grabbed my attention was learning about the strength of spider webs and how they are made. It really made me start thinking of the possibilities of harvesting spider webs, and using them for a type of bullet proof vests. When I was doing research, I found that there is a spider that has a web that is more than ten times the strength of Kevlar. The Darwin’s bark spider is a one cm in diameter spider, and it lives in Madagascar. It produces some of the largest webs, getting as large as thirty square feet. I think it would be interesting to see how much web you could harvest, and find a way to turn the web into a single layer. I started with the idea of copying the weaving method used for silkworms in Persia, which it would take plenty of time and precision. You could possibly weave using old English methods into ropes or thread, and then spin it into cloth. Another idea would be to chemically liquefy the web, then use heat to make sheets of the web, and layer them accordingly. I would think that you would have to do multiple layers of material to have the best results. There would have to be a layer of Kevlar first, then spider web, and then back to Kevlar. This would give the web a sense of structure and it would help keep the integrity and quality of the spider web. Obviously it would take quite a bit of time, effort, and resources, but I believe that if the government took an interest and started some form of production, the answer would become clearer at which process would work the best. I think that it is fascinating to have something in nature produce something so strong and I have enjoyed looking up this information. It gives people the opportunity to think outside the box, and to be creative.
ReplyDeletehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darwin's_bark_spider
Researching Biomimicry really fascinated me. The amount of time and research that goes into creating these textile is truly amazing. The idea that the way nature works can help us to create textiles in a more efficient manner that will solve problems that we have daily. For example, I was very intrigued by the Superskin Lazer Helmet. The amount of deaths and brain damage that occur from motorcycle accidents is unreal. With this helmet developed with the idea of the human skin in mind could very much so help prevent brain damage and save several lives. These biomimicry textiles seem so advanced to me it's almost as if they are futuristic. I was also very intrigued by a self-cleaning coating for textiles that BASF The Chemical Company created based off the lotus plant. The self-cleaning coating reduces the need for chemical cleaners. The idea came from the lotus plant which cleans itself because the water droplets that land on the plant roll off collecting the dirt on the plant with it. It is fascinating that awnings, sunshades, sails, and tents can now have this same ability all because of the idea from a plant. Nature is helping us to create products that are advancing textiles like never before. Maybe this is a reason we should treasure nature more than we do because of all the great ideas it's capable of giving us! I'm very interested in seeing what else biomimicry textiles can achieve through out the years.
ReplyDelete(http://www.asknature.org/product/b0b23316d7587d93d3e5891df168d19e)
The most intriguing movement in smart textiles is biomimicry, also known as adopting nature into solving human’s problems. Using nature is yet the best innovation so far scientists nowadays are focusing on, perhaps the most interesting thing I have learned is the squid-inspired technology. Squid, one of the famous color-changing animals, has sparked ideas in scientists at University of Bristol. Imagine how it could change your life! What if you spill coffee on your white shirt in the morning, or stain your dress on a special date night? Well with such smart clothing that can change color like squid, you easily can switch that white shirt into black, and that dress into any colors you desire. Further in my research, I also found micro-be invention very interesting as well. It is the study in the practical and cultural biosynthesis of clothing. Instead of lifeless weaving machines producing the textile, living microbes will ferment the garment. The ultimate goal is to create a seamless garment that forms without a single stich! Such a life-changing innovation that humans can come up with! Yet, those two typical examples are just one of the very few amazing inventions I read about biomimicry. Things that I used to think were impossible and make-believed now gradually becoming realistic. I cannot wait to keep up with more news related to biomimicry since there are more and more studies are conducted everyday!
ReplyDeleteAs a textile and apparel management major, I have taken my fair share of textile classes. However, I had never heard of biomimicry until very recently. After hearing about it I was a little confused and not quite sure that i understood the idea. However, after doing some research, I am completely amazed by this concept! Why is this not one of the first things we learn about as a TAM major?? Technology, and futuristic ideas and products greatly interest me, and a lot of the new products that are being produced seem like something from the future. However, the thing that I find most interesting, is that everything that is being created and produced, is for some important, potentially life changing reason.
ReplyDeleteOne product that really interested me was the bra that measures performance. As an avid runner,and some one who works out all the time, I think this seems like one of the coolest inventions ever.
The other product that I thought was really cool is the new helmet design that is being introduced by the International Design Consultancy. My boyfriend rides a motorcycle and I am always worried about him falling off and cracking his skull open. However, with a helmet like that I would be much more comfortable. The new design which would reduce rotational impact could be life changing.
I think biomimicry is the new future of textile, and with good reason. Nature really has been doing the right things for so long that it only makes sense to try and learn from it.
Reading on biomimicry in textiles has almost been mind blowing. I never thought there could be so many pieces of clothing made from more than just typical fabrics and production. Biomimicry seems to be very futuristic, but I can see it being very worthwhile once everyone catches on. At first, I thought biomimicry was simply studying nature and how we as humans can use it. However, I've learned that it is much more! I would have never thought you could incorporate biomimicry in textiles. The fact that sports bras can monitor you cardiac signs and send the results to your doctor, or that clothes can turn colors to "camouflage" with your surroundings is simply amazing. The ‘Polymorphic Print' from Central Saint Martins reacts to the wearers emothions when they want to be seen or left alone. It reminded me of a mood ring! Biomimicry has made me realize how much nature is so natural and sort of functions on its own. It is amazing how researchers can mimic this phenomenon and integrate it within our everyday clothing and wear. When I really think about it, it is almost scary how much humans can come up with. It makes me wonder how much we can really come up with just by studying nature itself!
ReplyDeleteAfter researching biomimicry, I now have a much clearer understanding of the concept, and I find it very interesting to learn about. I think it is amazing how we can use nature to help us solve problems. Many people take nature for grant it and I think biomimicry could definitely be an effective way to make people realize how important it is. A lot can be learned from nature. I found the article about squids to be extremely fascinating. In the article they discuss how the University of Bristol created a material that mimics a squids muscles, allowing it to change colors. It is very impressive that they were able to create artificial muscles. I wasn’t even aware that we had technology that advanced. The artificial muscles can change colors instantaneously, allowing them to create camouflaging materials. At first I didn’t really think this could be that practical, but this technology could actually be extremely useful. I know I would definitely buy a shirt that was made out of that type of material. You would never have to worry about stains ever again. A product with this technology would be well worth the additional price because it would last much longer than your standard clothes. Additionally, the shirt could be used by the military or serve other functions. Biomimicry is a very interesting topic to learn about. I have definitely gained appreciation for squid, as well as the scientist that are able to use biomimicry to create the material with artificial muscles. Finding out about things like the camouflage fabric makes me want to do more research about biomimicry and find out what future inventions might behold. It’s amazing what scientists are capable of and how they are able to turn ideas from Mother Nature into practical inventions.
ReplyDeleteWhen talking about biomimicry in textiles there are many different items and apparel that have the capability to evolve into something better. We use all different types of things to improve our clothing and style. Two bigs things that have evolved clothing are technology and nature. The ability to create clothes and develop ideas for clothing with the use of computers and devices has revolutionized the industry. There are a few different clothing items that I feel are a perfect example of biomimicry in textiles. First is velcro. This is an item that came from nature. It is made of cotton and was used as a new device to hold things together. In some ways it replaced the zipper and ties. The use of velcro is seen in many places now that without technology we wouldn't have been able to put this idea into use. The second item is hats/helmets. It seems that every year or so you see a completely different design for a helmet. The main goal in the designs for helmets is to create one that provides the most safety. When I first heard about Biomimicry I had no idea what is was. But when I researched it a little more it makes sense. The development of fashion and clothing is only going to advance. The world will continue to find things in our world to improve an object and the technology can allow that to be possible.
ReplyDeleteI learned some very interesting facts while researching biomimicry. I learned that we can use nature to clean walls. In particular we can use the lotus leaf to clean things with. By looking at the surface of a lotus leaf you will be able to tell that it is covered with bumps that cause water to ball up and roll off and collecting dirt in its path. The surface is said to be hydrophobic because it doesn't like water. You might find these on buildings using it as a self-cleaning paint on hard to reach surfaces. I find it very interesting how we can use nature in our everyday lives & not even realize it. I believe biomimicry is the future in textiles & it will continue to grow & create new things.
ReplyDeleteBiomimicry is easily the most fascinating movement in textiles. Application of nature to solve our own problems is something highly undervalued today. The amount of research put into every application of biomimicry is interesting - after conducting just a little research, I stumbled into quite a few ideas that were unique and intriguing.
ReplyDeleteOne of the pages that really stuck out to me was the use of the gecko's gripping hairs on their toes. Scientists have done thorough research on the adhesive power of the hairs. In fact, researchers are on the brink of creating a dry-adhesive for items that are frequently wet, preventing them from falling off (for example, a bandaid). This is truly fascinating. This technology could replace the current synthetic adhesives and be more effective.
Another great example of biomimicry is spider silk. Research discovered that this flexible material is three times as strong as steel. I couldn't believe this was true. What's truly interesting is the application of spider silk in ballistics. Would you believe that spider silk could stop a bullet? It's simply astounding, but true.
Biomimicry is still a very young concept. While so many applications of nature are already in use, research is still conducted day to day. The future of biomimicry is something to look forward to. What will be developed by next year? What about 5 years from now? The potential is limitless.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/08/120809162706.htm
The use of biomimicry in textiles is very interesting to me. Some of the cool, "space age" technology that can be created is fascinating. In my research, I wanted to focus on a particular item that I had heard rumors about in the past, the invisibility garments that the military has been making. In my research I was able to find out more than i originally expected. I found the obvious answers I expected, such as the fact that invisibility technology is a few years out, and it wouldn't be practical on a mass scale due to cost. What I didn't expect to learn is that scientists want to use the same technology to spot formerly invisible things like germs. In general, I decided that products made through biomimicry are largely for show, and don't serve vital purposes. The emotion jacket? I really think I will be okay without my clothes telling me how I should feel in any certain instance. So, while I believe that nature-inspired products are a great example of the advancement and merging of the textile and scientific fields, I also believe that none of them are necessary.
ReplyDeleteI think that biomimicry is the most fascinating thing happening in the textile industry currently. The act of viewing nature as a model and a means of advancing apparel products is one very worth exploring. It seems as though there is really no limit for what can be accomplished with biomimicry. Something I'm very interested in is the development of 3-D clothing. With the popularity of 3-D movies and now 3-D TVs, it is the perfect time to try to develop 3-D apparel. I know it is very difficult to do and the developers are still trying to make breakthroughs. However, 3-D style apparel, if possible, would be a huge item in the textile and apparel industry.
ReplyDeleteJamaal Camper
ReplyDeleteBiomimicry Design
I am very fascinated in the Biomimicry design because it is the new upcoming trend in the textile field. It is innovation that is inspired by nature. A lot of people take the ideas that they find in nature and use them to inspire their designs. For example, ‘The Coral Form’, by Na-Eun Hye Kyoung Cho, is a series of coral inspired corsages made of recycled plastics. I think that this idea is amazing because you can use plastics to create a fashionable corsage. I believe that we can look at Bimimicry as a new way of viewing nature. We are not just looking at something in nature but we are opening our minds to pull out an hidden art of fashion. My favorite example of biomimicry is the interface carpeting. I think that is very cool that you can use many different shaped pieces and random designs. A lot of times the plain carpet that we use can become old and even dirty but with the interface carpeting you can just put another shape and piece over it. People are very creative with the new designs and I am sure that it will become more popular in the near future.
Biomimicry is an interesting subject that is going in the world of fashion today. The world of nature is so complex and perfect that there is so much that we can learn from its designs. There were multiple articles that we were assigned to read that showed how fascinating biomimicry is. The one that I fount most interesting was this thing called Structural Pattern in which Atefah Abdosalami used monochromatic materials that reflect color instead making colors on the actual cloth. This was cool to me because it appeared that the materials changed colors. Overall Biomimicry is a great idea that I hope continues to make progress in the future because there is so much we can learn from nature.
ReplyDeleteI have never heard of the word biomimicry before doing research on it. Biomimicry is the study of nature’s designs and how humans are trying to copy them to solve different challenges humans have. This is something that I found very interesting while doing research. I did not realize that we would be able to use things found in nature to help us in our world. There are many people that observe things in nature to try to find out how they could make it into a product. One example that I found that came from something from nature is Velcro. Velcro came from looking at how burrs stuck onto different things. They were then able to use how the burrs stick on clothes to make Velcro. They made the Velcro have things similar to the burrs little hooks. I would have never known that Velcro came from observing something in nature if I have not learned about biomimicry. Another example that I found was that Mercedes-benz made a bionic concept vehicle. They made this car look like a boxfish because it has a large body but it can still swim really fast. This car has one of the lowest co-efficient of drag that anyone has ever tested. There are so many different things that come from biomimicry and it is something that I am very glad I was able to learn about.
ReplyDeleteBiomimicry is a fascinating and innovative part of the textile industry. Looking to nature for inspiration for the creation of textiles is one of the most intelligent things being done today. Not only is biomimicry in textiles beautiful, but it can also help to improve the safety of the wearer in some instances. One of my favorite examples that I have found of biomimicry would have to be the Superskin helmet. The purpose of this helmet is to better protect the wearer if they should happen to get in an accident that could potentially cause them brain trauma. The difference between this helmet and most regular helmets is that it has a membrane on the outside of it that slides and absorbs the rotational forces that are being applied to the head. Because most head trauma accidents that occur with motorcycles are caused by the brain being rattled around and tearing away blood vessels and nerve fibers, the creation and use of this helmet could potentially greatly decrease the head trauma caused by motorcycle accidents. Right now, this helmet is being geared towards motorcyclists, but I think that it has the potential to be used for bicyclists, skateboarders and maybe even horseback riders or kayakers, which could greatly decrease head trauma accidents in many different areas of life.
ReplyDeleteBy researching on Biomimicry for textiles I learn that many designers are using biomimicry in the fashion industry, before this class I had no idea what biomimicry was, and all that it did. I think it’s really amazing and fascinating what biomimicry has to offer, and how designers are being inspire by nature and then use what they learn and develop into their creation into the textile industry. Upon reading up on biomimicry I found a really amazing creation of the squids and how they change their color, “researchers at the University of Bristol created a material that imitates how a squid changes their colors. The researchers created a material that mimics the muscles that allow squids to change color instantly, allowing them to create camouflaging materials.” I thought that this was genius, because this can work in the real world. By such a creation this can not only help men and women in the army during combat to blend in with their surrounding/environment; but also people during their everyday lives. I know this I could definitely use, think of never having back up clothes in case of an accident during lunch or at work etc. This creation was really inspiring to me, biomimicry can help change people live, and make it easier for the present and future. Another invention I found amazing was the helmet that could protect your brain/skull from an accident. This can help a lot of people who rides bike or motor cycles in case of an accident to protect their brain/skull. I think all these invention with the help of biomimcry to make technology become advance for the future in going to make everything in life a lot better. Nature is amazing; it’s helping science, technologies for the good.
ReplyDeleteBioMOMicry
ReplyDeleteWe don't call nature our mother for nothing! Just like our own mothers; mother nature is never wrong. Biomimicry is the study of nature to help humans move our research forward. Examining nature gives scientists and those working in the textile industry inspiration to better the uses of clothing.
To better the use of a swimsuit, Speedo invested more than 4 years and 55,000 hours of research, development, and testing to Fastskin swimwear. The motive for this came from nature's own: the shark. The shark skin's sandpaper-like texture reduces drag in the water. Another idea biomimicry has helped create is 'The Coral Form' by Na-Eun-Hye Kyoung Cho. It is a series of coral inspired corsages made of recycled plastics. The curled tendrils catch on one another forming a fashionable reef on the wearer.
Biomimicry is also studied to further our knowledge of a person's health and well-being. Lazer has developed an anti-rotational membrane of the skin. The Superskin Helmet was designed to help prevent the 80% of fatal motorcycle accidents that are caused by head trama.
Nature is flawless: without even trying. Biomimicry is a way for the human race to study this perfection in hopes of imitating it.
Works Cited:
http://blog.ponoko.com/2009/07/21/textiles-and-biomimicry/
www.speedo.com
http://www.treehugger.com/cars/new-helmet-design-uses-biomimicry-to-reduce-rotational-injuries.html?campaign=daily_nl
Through lecture and research, I have found biomimicry to be a fascinating aspect of the fashion industry. Biomimicry is the act of using nature to create new looks, and ideas for fashion. At first, I thought this would mean something as simple as wearing a fur coat, or a feather in your hair. However, my researching led me to find a more in depth idea of this process. One example I found was the dress made from wine residue. I thought this was so cool that something I would never think of in nature could be recycled into such an interesting fashion. While this dress was cool, it probably wouldn’t be too practical for a night on the town as it is probably fragile. Biomimicry can also be used as an innovation to animal inspired technology. One website showed me a new sports bra being developed at the University of Arkansas that will track a runner’s cardiac information and notify a doctor/hospital if need be. Ultimately I found that nature and biomimicry are developing more and more each day for the fashion industry, creating new and amusing items.
ReplyDeleteBiomimicry is a very interesting and fascinating to me ever since I have started doing research on it. The term biomimicry refers to the "imitation of nature" and has been defined as the "copying or adaptation derived from biology". The idea of using nature to come up with new clothing. Finding textiles from nature can become extremely useful. It is crazy to think that in some ways we don't even have to do anything and nature comes up with its own way for us to create textiles. As I was researching one thing that caught my eye was group of students in MA Textile Futures year 1 at CSM were working in a team of 9 people producing inspiring imagery linked to Biomimicry (taking inspiration from nature's principles to inject into design solutions and surfaces). They were doing Anemone Hands which was a visual definition of biomimicry.
ReplyDeleteBiomimicry as a definition refers to "imitation of nature", well as I was looking through some websites I came across the name Stefanie Nieuwenhuys. Most may not know her name or have even heard of it, like me before this article, but most people in fashion and the world of recycling do in fact know her name. Stefanie's inspiration came from when she was in college at Kingston University in London, seeing tiny diamond shape wood chips on the floor left over from some architect's project. She was inspired. what most people saw as just scraps she saw as art. Stefanie then went on to designing these amazing couture tops and dresses out of these mere would chips. Now what could be a better way to show "imitation of nature" than actually using nature in your work.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.ecouterre.com/stefanie-nieuwenhuys-recycles-wood-chips-into-snakeskin-like-couture/stefanie-nieuwenhuyse-biomimicry-2/?extend=1
From doing research on current biomimicry projects I began to notice that biomimicry is not just an innovative technology but also a naturalizing initiative. Humans have long had the notion that they are above nature, no longer considering our selves animals even. But with this new technology the one thing that we had separate from other animals (that is, we dress) is now taking on properties of those very animals we sought to distance ourselves from. This movement shows that we are no longer wanting to rage war on mother nature, fighting and contradicting her at every turn; but rather that we have respect for her evolutionary design and could stand to gain from greater integration of her ideas. In other words, we are learning to respect our mother. To me this is very inspiring.
ReplyDeleteCleaning is not an activity most humans enjoy; however, through biomimicry, the amount of cleaning humans do may be reduced.
ReplyDeleteThe natural world cleans itself, but not in the typical ways we would think of. Living organisms like plants, insects, and birds use the properties of surfaces of materials to their advantage.
Water, for instance, has adhesive forces that interact well with smooth surfaces (like those found on leaves) due to the contact area of liquid and solids being rather sizeable. Concurrently, dirt on leaves will stick to the water because of the natural adhesion that exists between water and solids. The water and dirt then roll off the leaf. This process is called the “Lotus Effect”.
This relates to biomimicry because constantly cleaning is an inconvenience for humans, so imitating the way nature cleans is wonderful. Through my research, the best example of biomimicry that relates to cleaning dirt is a product named GreenShield. GreenShield is a finish applied to fabrics that utilizes the “Lotus Effect” to deter stains on fabrics. In addition to this, it decreases the amounts of fluorocarbons used in fabrics, which is an eco-friendly advantage.
Biomimicry does amazing things by adapting natural process for humans to use. With this, we may not even have to clean any more.
Biomimicry is “a new science that studies nature's models and then uses these designs and processes to solve human problems.” (Biomimcry.net) One biomimcry I find interesting is the “self-cleaning louts.” Even in the muddiest environments lotus leaves stay clean. The plant has a roughened cuticle that traps air and prevents water from sticking to its leaves. (greenlivingonline.com) The water forms spheres, that dirt droplets stick to, and roll off the leaves. (Greenlivingonline.com) Surface finishes for glass, textiles, paints, and more have made inspired by this technology, reducing the need for chemicals. (greenlivingonline.org) An example of a “self-cleaning lotus” inspired surface finish is Green Shield. It is a stain repellent fabric finish. (greenlivingonline.org)
ReplyDeleteAfter researching biomimicry, I realize now that it has a lot more depth than I thought before. Biomimicry is not only related to just textiles, but concepts as well. There are textiles made from the earth's resources, and then there are concepts like velcro. I think that a huge trend within the last 10 years that is continuing to grow is the whole idea of going green. It almost seems like biomimicry has somewhat of a relevance to going green. We see ways that we can use the earth's resources in our lives and expand on all of the potential that our natural resources have. Something that fascinated me was FaskSkin. It's a material that is supposed to mimic the skin of a shark and make you swim faster, which is now being used for olympic swimmers. People are now making textiles to imitate the natural world. They're starting to make fabrics can have electronics plugged into them and also 3D printed clothing. It's really fascinating to see what people can develop and produce, especially when it's inspired from our own natural world.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, I try not to consider myself a label person, but its hard to deny. As I sat here researching biomimicry and smart textiles I began to really appreciate the work and research that goes into smart textiles and biomimicry. I really came to admire the designers I read about on http://blog.ponoko.com/2009/07/21/textiles-and-biomimicry/.
ReplyDeleteThey clearly consider outside elements and the environment, as well as biomimicry itself. Biomimicry focuses on using nature as an inspiration to solve problems faced by humans. With new advances like these customers can concentrate on natural occurrences like human emotion, using natural color from reflectors on clothes and using solar energy to compute designs.
These new advances are special in the way they focus on nature, and natural ways to make textiles. Its innovative and the future of textiles.
After doing some research I found that there are a lot of new interesting textiles that are being made that enhance many things. One of them that I came across was called Symatic Symbiosis, a crochet project by Sara Vaughn, generates kinetic energy and electricity when it is manipulated. Another interesting textile that I came across was one that comes from squids. This textile will be imitating how a squid can change colors according to its environment, giving it camouflage. This material is being created by researchers from the University of Bristol. There are many more new textiles that are using biomimicry, but these are the two that stood out to me.
ReplyDeleteBiomimicry is a relatively new aspect of the textile industry, but it has already made huge advancements that will forever change the landscape of the industry. Biomimicry is the practice of using nature to inspire new textiles that are both functional and yet serves some other specific purpose such as monitoring the wearer’s heart rate or sensing his/her mood. The idea of clothing in general is technically a practice of biomimicry; most animals in the wild have a fur or hair of some sort to protect them, clothing is our artificial “fur” that keeps us warm and safe.
ReplyDeleteOne specific example of biomimcry that I have discovered through my research of this practice is FastSkin or sharkskin. This is a specific type of fabric made for use in swimsuits. Obviously the objection of competitive swimming is to be the fastest in the water; therefore scientists making the fabric used for the swim suits thought of the brilliant idea of basing the artificial fabric off of a sharks skin. They were practicing biomimicry. They noticed facts about real sharkskin such as the fact that they are self-cleaning in the water and that they reduce friction drag. They have recreated this artificially to create this futuristic swimsuit that makes it possible for competitive swimmers to swim at a speed that humans aren’t naturally capable of swimming at.
This new technology inspired by one of the longest-surviving animals on earth today, sharks, is just the start of all the future textiles and products that will be manufactured on the basis of biomimicry.
Biomimicry, a branch of study that has focused on using nature as an inspiration to solve problems, has been practiced for centuries. Biomimicry helps us move towards a more sustainable design, especially in textiles. Through emulating various organisms around us, we can take advantage of the already millions of times those organisms have gone through trial and error. The solutions to these problems are very amazing. One of the most well known examples of biomimicry in textiles is when Geroge de Mestral invented velcro by imitating the hooks found on burrs. However, a more recent example of biomimicry in textiles was the invention of new interface carpeting. Basically, this is carpeting that is laid down as individual square pieces instead of a large piece across the entire room. It was inspired by the many colors of the forest floor. Designers are able to lay the carpet in a pattern that looks good, but are also able to provide a carpet that is practical at the same time. I have seen this carpet in many classrooms and large buildings that are high traffic places. What makes this carpet practical is that if it is stained, you can pull up the few squares that were ruined, and replace them for a fraction of the cost of replacing the carpet in the entire area. Plus, because the squares are usually various colors mixed throughout the area, it is impossible to notice that any sort of problem ever existed.
ReplyDeleteIn a TAM course I am taking at Mizzou, we looked at the definition of Biomimicry by Janine M. Benyus. She defines Biomimicry in this way: "It’s about looking to nature for inspiration for new inventions. It’s learning to live gracefully on this planet by consciously emulating life’s genius…it’s the technology of biology. Biomimicry is learning from and then emulating natural forms, processes, and ecosystems to create more sustainable designs. The core idea is that nature has already solved many of the problems we are grappling with: energy, food production, climate control, benign chemistry, transportation, collaboration, and more.”
ReplyDeleteWhat I liked most in learning about Biomimicry is that it is considered downcycling. Which means something can be taken back to its original form to make something new. I like the idea of nothing being wasted. I think the possibilities would be endless if we could revert everything back to its original form for reuse into something different. An example in my class we looked at was fast skin inspired by sharks. The fast skin was used for USA Olympic swimmers in the 2008 Beijing games, and proved to have such an advantage that it was not fair for the other nations who could not afford it. Other examples I saw on other people's blog comments were: interface carpeting and camouflage. An example in textiles I found to be very interesting was: Greenshield. Greenshield is a stain resistant fabric with less flourochemical usage. It is antimicrobial and antibacterial. It is coated with an oil, water, and stain repellent finish. It was inspired by the Morpho Butterfly who has self cleaning wings and the hydrophobic surface of a plant, the Sacred Lotus. In both of these organisms dirt is attracted to water droplets that land on them and simply fall off with the droplet. Human technology has taken these inspirations, thanks to Biomimicry, and turned them into a stain resistant fabric. If we applied Biomimicry to more things in our society, I think we would be better civilization altogether.
Biomimicry is a concept in which I have just started to learn about. So far from just reading and going over different Internet articles I have found that the art and thinking behind biomimicry is fascinating. One site that I found that consumed my interest was one that taught me about a new type of motorcycle helmet. The helmet is like no other, it uses an outer membrane that stretches and slides over the whole helmet. With this stretching outer covering it prevents dangerous rotational forces that would be being transmitted to the brain in any sort of normal motorcycle crash. On this same site I read further into comments that were left on the site. One blogger commented how he was using the same sort of logic behind his creation of cycling shorts. Where instead of just using one layer of lycra that will easily rip or tear when in an accident, he uses two or three layers. This way when in contact with the ground the shorts will move or wrinkly instead of ripping and exposing skin to the grounds surface. These are just two of the many examples that I learned about that are examples of biomimicry. This is such an inspiring and fascinating subject to learn about.
ReplyDeleteAs textiles emerge into the biomimicry realm we can simply define the collaboration as letting creations from nature influence design. Janine Benyus a contributor to the novel Sustainable Fashion and Textiles breaks the approach of biomimicry down into three steps: the first using nature to inspire approaches that solve human problems; second using nature as a judge or measure of the ‘rightness’ of our innovations; and the third, nature as mentor, looking metaphorically at us designing with values and perspectives present in the natural world.
ReplyDeleteVelcro created in the 1950s by the Swiss inventor George de Mestral was perhaps the most popular commercial invention dealing with biomimicry. Mestral randomly noticed how burrs stuck to his woolen trousers and his dogs fur while out walking one day. He discovered that each burr consisted of hundreds of tiny hooks that grabbed into loops of thread or fur, and subsequently set about developing a hook and loop tape as a strong, reusable fastening system (Velcro).
Overall, the relationship between fashion and textiles with biomimicry brings along a set of new ideas and languages that helps interaction and development of new innovative sustainable ideas and fibers.
When I first see the word 'biomimicry', it remindes me of the stories that the concept of airplane was inspired by bird and so on. After I read the blogs and comments about that, I get so excited to know the new technique. First, 'biomimicry' gives the material a chance to show their 'true appearance'. As one apparel indicates, the clothes will show the crystal structure rather than the one we give them. That makes us look back to the 'origin'. Second, clothes do not need to be the clothes we defined before, they main really a lot. They can express our motion, the beats of our hearts. In other words, we become much closer to our clothes than ever before because it knows us better and we get a way communicating with them.Besides those meanings, the apparel can even become a tool for curing disease and analyzing it. So the 'biomimicry' really means a lot for us. It makes more resource usable to be used for textile and we thus gain a better way for discovering the fun of life.
ReplyDeleteTo be truthful, I never really knew what biomimicry entailed until now when I was researching it. Biomimicry is used for all sorts of things including clothing, technical equipment as well as protective equipment like helmets. Researchers and textile producers use the nature to gain inspiration for all different types of textile design. The simplest things can be turned into something more efficient with the use of materials found in the environment. Na-Eun Hye Kyoung Cho made corsages that were inspired by coral. Instead of using coral or fake flowers, she used recycled plastics. This shows that not only is Na-eun Hye Kyoung Cho creative, she is also very resourceful, showing her use of biomimicry. I find the textile sensors, developed by researchers at the University of Arkansas, very interesting. They monitor the wearer of the sensors' cardiac signs and will "share" the signs with doctors in hospitals. Performance bras are being designed with these sensors that will monitor biorhythms of the wearers. The military is also implementing biomimicry to help better invisibility and communication. Helmet innovations are reducing injuries to the head and neck. Most traumatic injuries that take place because of motorcycle or other cycling activity are rotational injuries. Designers are creating Superskin helmets that have a membrane on the outside that will help reduce forced caused by rotations, by absorbing the extreme forces. Overall, biomimicry is used for multiple things. With the increase in inventions, biomimicry will continue to be part of the world of textiles.
ReplyDeleteBiomimicry is the future. Through my research I have learned spider silk is an example of biomimicry. It is the strongest natural fiber and it is more durable than steel or even a bulletproof vest. Since it takes many spiders to produce just a small amount of silk, scientists are trying to produce synthetic spider silk. One approach is making spider milk by having a goat carry the spider silk gene. It is quite amazing that technology is capable of testing this. Other interesting research I came across was Atefeh Abdosalami was inspired by scales of butterfly wings and used monochromatic materials that reflect color instead of having to fill in the color herself. I found this intriguing because I never thought of incorporating butterfly scales into a project like that. Biomimicry is going to be used more and more throughout the years and I think it’s a great idea. Overall, biomimicy looks at nature and natural systems for inspiration. In nature, there is no such thing as waste, which for humans, is something we need to work on! This is technology I definitely see becoming bigger in the coming years.
ReplyDeleteBefore researching biomimicry in textiles, I just thought it was a bunch of high tech, over-priced stuff that aren't really used in everyday life. As I furthered my research, I found out that a lot of stuff we use in everyday life is a product of biomimicry. Who knew Velcro was inspired by pesky burrs...Other interesting biomimicry products I learned about included a polyester textile inspired by the technology of polar bear hairs and their remarkable insulation. Though biomimicry is not only found in textiles, it is a huge advancement in our world today and allows for a more sustainable design within the textile industry. In addition to textiles, biomimicry is also used in architecture, art, medicine and many other industries today. In the textile industry, it is not only used in the technological and performance aspect of textiles, but the design and look as well. I read about garments being created to replicate the scales of reptiles as a pattern and texture made out of discarded plywood. So it is also used in fashion as an art form. Whether it is being used in architecture, art or fashion and textiles, biomimicry has so many dimensions to it and can be used in our everyday life without even realizing it. Biomimicry in textiles is quickly advancing and allowing for more sustainable designs within the industry.
ReplyDeleteWhen I first see the word 'biomimicry', it remindes me of the stories that the concept of airplane was inspired by bird, radar was inspired by bat and so on. After I read the blogs and comments about that, I get so excited to know the new technique. First, 'biomimicry' gives the material a chance to show their 'true appearance'. As one apparel indicates, the clothes will show the crystal structure rather than the one we give them. That makes us look back to the 'origin'. Second, clothes do not need to be the clothes we defined before, they main really a lot. They can express our motion, the beats of our hearts. In other words, we become much closer to our clothes than ever before because it knows us better and we get a way communicating with them.Besides those meanings, the apparel can even become a tool for curing disease and analyzing it. So the 'biomimicry' really means a lot for us. It makes more resource usable to be used for textile and we thus gain a better way for discovering the fun of life.
ReplyDeleteOn the one hand, science provides the creativity and possibility to apparel, and on the other hand, the apparel proves the fun of science. I really look forward the future of biomimicry, and I am sure it has lot of space for development and will benefit people more.
Biomimicry is easily the most fascinating concept I've studied in my college class. My interest was first sparked upon the discovery of spider silk. While most people spend their lives in fear of the eight-legged pests, seldom does anyone appreciate the amazing quality that spiders posses--spinning web. Recently, scientists have targeted a certain type of spider in order to collect their web and spin it into silk. The idea of wearing spider silk completely intrigued me, until I read the article over micro'be' fermented fashion--AKA clothes made out of WINE. This textile is not made from looms or needles, but rather it is produced from living microbes that work to ferment a garment. The translucent material is supposed to fit like a second skin and made without a single stitch or seam. This invention especially excited me because it is a renewable and eco-friendly resource. While the material is only in its beginning stages now, I have no doubt that this concept will evolve into a practical and trendy source of clothing. The idea of wearing a skirt spun by spiders, or a dress fermented from wine greatly enthuses me for the potential of this world's future.
ReplyDeleteBiomimicry is such a popular topic nowadays that it almost influences every aspect of people's life. Biomimicry is a subject that looks to nature and natural systems for inspiration. Aircraft is the best known product of biomimicry. But have you ever imagined applying biomimicry to much crazier things, like textiles? Now fashion designers come up with a variety of inspiring and refreshing ideas about designing textiles with the method of Biomimicry. The basic character of nature is changing, which means you can not find two exact same leaves or the world would become a completely new one even after one second. This is really inspiring for textile design. Like the butterfly wings design by Atefeh Abdosalami, the unique structures made by monochromatic materials reflects the color of the environment. Therefore, the outlook of the textile is changing with the wear's movement. The textile is more than just a decoration, it becomes a piece of art and creation of modern science that reflects the relationship between the wearer and environment. It senses and responds to the environment in some way. Thanks to the limitless treasury vault Nature, we could have so many astonishing textiles in our lives.
ReplyDeleteAfter doing research on biomimicry and learning more about it, did I realize how the ideas and inventions that some people have come up with can really help improve the lives of people who decide to wear the garments. For example, the Sharkskin being used in swimming suits is amazing because it allows individuals to swim better just by changing their clothing choice. I’m personally not a good swimmer but if I had the chance to wear one of the sharkskin suits I would definitely wear one just to experience how it feels. Also another example of biomimicry would be the sports bra for Adidas, which helps to monitor runner’s biorhythms. Overall the idea of having biomimicry being used with fashion is beyond an interesting and what would be a positive idea. Being able to use something is inspired by nature to help individuals with problems I feel is another way to help that person feel more at ease, because they won’t have to think about big machines, prescriptions, or even having to constantly check on themselves for certain issues in public where it may seem a little bit embarrassing. Since the biomimicry is supposed to promote sustainable solutions I believe it will definitely have people ready to try it out because majority of people want to live in a safe place and use things that are safe for their friends, family and themselves.
ReplyDeleteSo before taking my TAM class this semester at the University of Missouri-Columbia, I had no idea what biomimicry was. It's crazy how I had no idea what was inspiring new inventions and the crazier thing is that I had no idea what kinds of things are being invented. I now know that biomimicry focuses on using nature as an inspiration to solve problems faced by humans. One thing I thought was interesting was the new lazer helmets, which imitate how the head is naturally protected by the skin. They developed an anti-rotational membrane, and a lubricant that imitate the natural movement of the skin over the skull. They are designed for motorcyclists, but they can also work for bike cyclists and skateboarders. The helmet has a membrane on the outside, separated from the main body of the helmet by a lubricant, so that when it hits the ground, the skin slides, and absorbs the rotational forces. Another creative idea was Eiji Nakatsu, who noticed that the king fisher bird dives into the water from the air without making a splash, because of its highly efficient beak. So he helped modify Japans ultra-fast bullet trains, which eliminated the problem of a loud thunder clap sound whenever it exited the tunnel. This made the trains up to 20 percent more fuel efficient. These are some great ideas to me, and there are many more out there. I feel like nature has the answer to most of our problems, we just have to figure it out and become creative innovators.
ReplyDeleteBiomimicry is a very interesting subject. At first I didn’t fully understand what biomimicry was and how it fully related to textiles. After doing some precise research, I realized that biomimicry is the study of nature’s ideas and turning them into human imitations in order to solve some of human’s hardest problems. I believe that we all never really notice how creative nature is and how truly imaginative nature is all on its own. Once we just pay closer attention to what nature has already solved and the ideas that nature has given us, we can use these ideas to make more advances in the textile and apparel industry.
ReplyDeleteI honestly never realized how many designers used biomimicry until researching it. The invention of Velcro brand fasteners is a really good example of how biomimicry is used. George de Mestrel, a Swiss engineer, noticed that burrs were sticking to his dogs fur. He looked at this under a microscope and saw that the tiny hooks on the ends of the burrs were what caused them to stick to the dog’s fur. He then made strips of a hooked material that would be opposite to strips of a looped material, which is how Velcro pieces were created. Another really good example of biomimicry is the Micro’be’, which is a garment that forms itself without a stitch. These garments come from wine. Instead of a designer using a sewing machine they use the mimcrobes that ferment the garment allowing the garment to grow and form its on stitch and flow. These are just a few of the many reasons that I believe biomimicry is very interesting!
Biomimicry is basically the application of ideas inspired by nature. After looking into biomimicry, I am astounded. This concept seemed so scientific and foreign when my professor introduced it to us in lecture. However, once I read a few articles, I realized that it makes perfect sense, especially to use in textiles. Nature has always been extremely efficient. If something is not working out right, an organism will evolve somehow to make it work. There are examples everywhere! Duck feathers repel water so that they can quickly fly out of water. Seals are extremely aerodynamic so that they can glide gracefully in the water. Spiders spin webs to catch their pray. The list goes on and on.
ReplyDeleteSome of the things that the industry is producing using biomimicry is amazing. They have created a textile that imitates how a squid can change colors using select muscles at the University of Bristol. That would be crazy to just be able to change the color of your shirt on the fly. They have also developed many sporting textiles that are very helpful. Sports bras and bracelets that track your vitals as well as water repellant gear (kind of like those duck feathers!!). I think what surprised me more than the cutting edge stuff was just how much stuff we already had that was inspired by nature. I never thought of it before, but things like fishing nets and camouflage have been used for many years and the concepts come straight from nature!!
I really think that biomimicry can make some big things happen in the textile industry. There is a lot that can be learned from nature and by just taking a closer look, we can be inspired to improve our quality of living by taking notes from the pros!
Well I'm new to this whole blog thing, but since it's for class I figured I'd give it a shot. Recently, I had to do some research on Bio-mimicry. I found out a lot of interesting things, but one stood out the most. I found a motorcycle helmet that reduced the rapid rotation of your head in a crash. Besides the obvious fact that helmets save lives, this helmet stood out because the outer coating was somewhat like a membrane. On impact, instead of bouncing it slid across the surface, reducing the rotation. This is just a small step in Bio-mimicry, but it's things like these that show what an essential factor it could play in the future. There's still so much to discover and invent. The possibilities are endless.
ReplyDeleteThe Earth is calculated to be 4.5 billion years old. The first human is thought to have existed around 2 million years ago. Many of the species of animals and plants are much older than us. These species have had to adapt and evolve due to countless variables just to stay existent. Every one of them have unique characteristics that they have developed over time. Humans are not any different. We must develop ways to survive and further progress as species. Much like primates, humans use imitation as a way of learning and copying specific characteristics. It is a much more efficient and time saving way of doing things as opposed as inventing new ways. As early as 1000BC there has been a plethora of examples of humans imitating nature to design new materials and devices. Leonardo da Vinci designed ships and planes by observing birds and fish. The Wright brothers developed the first successful airplane after noticing birds do not flap their wings continously but rather glide on air currents. There are tons of different types of clothing that we use. Whether its silk dresses or Teflon-coated Kevlar airbags used to land Curiosity on mars, they have all been inspired and imitated from nature.
ReplyDeleteAfter doing a little more research about biomimicry, I became fascinated by the colors, patterns, and textures of the textiles that were produced by natural elements that surround us. However, I also became a little skeptical. I think that biomimicry is extremely useful for military defense purposes, but overall, I think biomimicry is used for aesthetic or monetary purposes. As beautiful as a dress made out of wine is, when it is manmade, the natural beauty is somewhat lost. When it comes to function and safety, biomimicry can be a very useful, life-saving tool. When it comes to arts and aesthetics, I think aspects of nature should be left alone and we should examine them as they were intended—in a natural setting. Because biomimicry is a new science, we don’t know what the effects of manipulating nature are. I think the key to biomimicry could be to practice it in moderation especially when it comes to things like cultivating bacteria from grapes. The most beautiful things in nature should be produced by the natural elements of the world, and enjoyed—not recreated—by those who live among it.
ReplyDeleteAfter conducting research on biomimicry, I thoroughly understand how it ties into our learning of apparel. Many textiles today are inspired by biomimicry and the innovation that is transpiring today is beyond anything that seems possible. I find it extraordinary how biomimcry has been a growing trend in the past few decades, and I think it will be interesting to see how it will progress in decades to come!
ReplyDeleteOne example that I found interesting was the design for a 3D printed shoe that is created to emulate a bird’s skull. Being a shoe lover, I automatically thought that the design by Dutch fashion designer, Marieka Ratsma, was extremely innovative when it comes to biomimicry. The design is made out of a durable plastic, but the idea is fascinating.
The blog that I was exploring has many other examples of how biomimicry is evolving. Although there are thousands of textiles already in existence, it seems that with the use of biomimicry, there are many more to be discovered. It is also mind blowing to think that there is so much more about nature that is undiscovered. When new discoveries surface, biomimicry can only expand.
When I first heard of the concept of Biomimicry, I thought that it was some low key, common sense subject. After doing more research, I discovered how in-depth biomimicry really is. I was shocked to find out that the military was using textiles that were extremely advanced because of Biomimicry. For example, They're developing fabrics that change color according to their background like a chameleon. This could be the first stages of making someone completely invisible. Then, there's the synthetic muscle armor that the military hopes will block rifles and higher caliber rounds compared to small sidearm rounds. In the aeronautics industry, self-healing plastics are being researched to copy our body's natural way of healing itself. If this is successful, it could dramatically reduce the need for equipment maintenance. Overall, this opened up my eyes to a subject of study that I didn't even know existed.
ReplyDeleteBefore doing this research, I never technically knew what Biomimicry was, but I had heard of some fashion being based off of nature. I read a few blog posts on this topic and found it very interesting. The most interesting thing I found was a blog post about different students using Biomimicry in their designs. Not only did they represent concepts in nature, but they also represented emotions of the people wearing the designs. One example was a student who "envisions her ‘Polymorphic Print’ as a dynamic surface design that reacts to a wearer’s emotions—blending into the background when a person feels self-concious or wants to be let alone and becoming bold and bright when a person is seeking attention." I enjoyed reading about these designs and the different variations of biomimicry in design.
ReplyDeleteBiomimicry, as it refers to the “imitation of nature,” was a term that I had never heard or ever learned about before doing research and writing this blog. This idea of using nature to create clothing is absolutely mind blowing to me. When I read about the dress made of wine and how microbes naturally formed a “skin” from the surface of the liquid, it absolutely amazed me. A lot of human resources are found in nature but not necessarily taken advantage of. However, with this new technology, humans will be adapting nature’s natural process and looking more closely into its capabilities. If we are creating new textiles with nature, we are also saving energy, cutting the costs of materials and overall eliminating waste. Research and the development of the “Lotus Effect” were also very interesting to learn about. The potential of textiles to have stain and water repellency is simply amazing and it is all because of nature’s process of cleaning. I am very excited to see what kinds of textiles are created and introduced in the future.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.biomimicryguild.com/guild_biomimicry.html
http://www.biomimicryinstitute.org/case-studies/how-nature-cleans.html
Biomimicry is defined as, “innovation inspired by nature”, by Janine Benyus. This is just what biomimicry is. The use of nature has already help find solutions to many problems we as people are trying to solve. This just proves to us that biomimicry will continue to help us with solving problems in our future, as long as we continue to use nature to inspire us. The “terminology” for this subject is fairly new, but the practice of biomimicy has been going on for some time. Biomimicry advocates look at nature in new ways to fully understand and appreciate how it can be used to help solve problems. This is done so by looking at nature as model, measure, and mentor. Biomimicry allows innovators and people solving problems to create more intelligent and sustainable design through the emulation of nature. When applying biomimicry in design, it can be done in two ways; proceeding from design to nature or going from nature to design.
ReplyDeleteVelcro is an obvious example of biomimicry but one I found even more interesting was the “Micro’be”. This is a dress that is literally made out of wine. Something else I found interesting was the idea of using squids as inspirations. Researchers have created a material that works the same way as the muscles of squids. This causes the squid to change color, which allows them to create camouflaging materials. I find it fascinating that we use nature for so much of our inspiration and design.
Biomimicry is the process of examining or using the things found in nature and applying it to real world, human problems. Animals and plants have both evolved over millennia to develop interesting and more efficient solutions. This can range from self-cleaning, self-repair, adaptive growth and so on. The list almost seems endless. When thinking of the textile industry, using the concept of biomimicry can lead to so many things. The use of biomimicry in textiles ranges from the Gecko tape that mimics the bottom of a gecko’s foot to Velcro which mimics a bur sticking to an animal’s fur. I also found it interesting that the term biomimicry also covered how a certain textile was produced or made. By studying certain plants or animals, it is possible to come up with a new method of manufacturing or synthesizing a new textile in an ecological way that was never thought of before.
ReplyDeleteThe Levi 511 skinny commuter jeans use bio mimicry to keep the jeans clean without having to wash them. The product was inspired by the self-cleaning wing surface of the Morpho butterfly. Butterflies do not bathe, they have a nano-scale surface structure on their wings that repels water and dirt particles. Schoeller Technologies AG of Switzerland created the fabric to reduce washing, abrasions, and the use of harmful chemicals found in cleaners. Other nano-structured surfaces used to influence this bio mimicry are leaves.
ReplyDeleteThroughout history, nature's miraculous evolution has allowed it to solve problems mainly for the purpose of survival. Since then, humans have been able to copy nature's methods for our own purposes. This is called biomimicry. The most well known example of biomimicry is Velcro, which was inspired by burrs that were stuck to clothing. Most of the methods humans copied were for better efficiency and to simply make life easier. Some forms of biomimicry were created for pleasure and adventure, like a wingsuit. These suits were inspired by flying squirrels who have parachute-like skin that stretches from their wrists to their ankles. Flying squirrels do not have the power of flight, but they use their "wings" to glide. Wingsuits use the same idea, in that a parachute-like suit is attached to your body and you glide the rest of the way down. The suit gives you more surface area, and therefore you can be lifted. Biomimicry has allowed humans to be more efficient and productive by copying our environment. It has also given us the opportunity for more excitement and adventure. Wingsuits are just one example of this.
ReplyDeleteThe idea of biomimicry absolutely fascinates me. I have never heard of this term before my textiles and apparel management course. Biomimcry is the idea that we can try to mimic the processes found in nature and apply them to the real world. The use of nature has helped us solve many problems we face. One instance that really grabbed my attention was the cleaning effect of the lotus plant. This acts a "self-cleaner" for clothing which will reduce the amount of chemicals and waste we use for cleaners. Nature is truly magnificent, and I believe we as humans have a lot to learn from nature's processes and well being to improve our own.
ReplyDeleteOne really interesting bio-mimicry application is the concept of seamless clothes produced entirely by bacterial by-products. A company called Bioalloy is trying to use the chemical reaction that takes place during wine fermentation and harness that technology to essentially "grow" a seamless, stichless, piece of clothing. The company is also considering the technology for uses in cyborg robotics, where the fermented material would act as a smart "skin" and grow around a robotic body - the hope is that the bacteria responsible for making the material could regenerate the skin (or repair holes and tears in a dress or shirt).
ReplyDeleteWhile researching biomimicry, I became very fascinated with how many things are inspired by nature. You would never think that everything around us could be used in some way in the textile industry. I was reading one article, and a man named George de Mestral observed how burrs attached to his dog’s fur and his own clothing. By copying the small “hooks” of the burrs, he was then able to develop the product we now know today as Velcro. Things such as that really interest me because I would never have thought that’s how Velcro got started. Nature really is connected to our daily lives in so many more ways than people think. It has helped us solve so many problems and more and more advances are still being made constantly. Biomimicry really is an inspiration to get humans thinking, I feel there are no boundaries and you can take nature to any extent.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.designboom.com/contemporary/biomimicry.html
Biomimicry is not something I have ever even considered researching before taking my TAM 2500 class at the University of Missouri this semester.Basically Biomimicy is using things from nature as an inspiration to sole different problems.When I began my research I was amazed at the different things people can do with just textiles.The first thing that I saw was a piece by Sarah Vaughn in which she has a crocheted dress that harvest kinetic energy and generates electricity when generated.On another blog I even saw a helmet that was created to prevent head trauma. The helmet has an outer membrane and then on the inside body of the helmet there is a lubricant so that when the helmet hits the ground, the skin slides absorbing the rotational force.
ReplyDeleteWhile most innovations in the field of bio-mimicry get their inspiration from unique features in plants and animals, one example that could potentially save lives takes after a seemingly unimportant part of the human body. Lazer Helmets has been studying how the skin on the human skull protects it from impacts, and has used that knowledge to create a more protective helmet. Just as skin floats around the skull, "The Superskin helmet has a membrane on the outside, separated from the main body of the helmet by a lubricant, so that when the helmet hits the ground, the skin slides, absorbing the rotational forces" (http://www.treehugger.com/cars/new-helmet-design-uses-biomimicry-to-reduce-rotational-injuries.html?campaign=daily_nl) While helmets have already come a long way in absorbing blunt force, the addition of a “skin” on a helmet could dramatically reduce concussions and intracranial shearing, which occur in a vast number of motorcycle accidents.
ReplyDeleteLazer Helmets has been a leader in helmet safety and comfort innovation, and more information on their top of the line motorcycle helmets can be found here: http://www.lazerhelmets.com
We've been discussing biomimicry in my textiles class for the past few days, and I find it very fascinating. Through research online I cam across an article discussing the inspiration of squids on the textild industry. In particular, they mentioned an incredible item called the Micro'be', a dress literally made out of win. The design uses living microbes that grow as a side-product of the wine-making process and "ferment" them into designs. These garments are literally "living clothes" requiring no need and thread or any sewing machinery. They create themselves, which is an extraordinary advancement in today's clothing industry. This type of clothing explores the practical and cultural biosynthesis of clothing. Advancements in the textile industry such as this just shows how incredible nature is. Biomimicry is advancing the textile industry of our generation, and changing those still to come.
ReplyDeleteBiomimicry refers to the imitation of nature and has been defined as copying or adaption derived from biology. Things are always evolving and adapting as time goes on. Technology is constantly improving. Biomimicry is nothing new. It has been around for thousands of years. I actually read that the Chinese tried to make artificial silk over 3,000 years ago. Silk is a very popular textile and can be used for many things other than clothing. Silk has been use for silk heart valves and sutures for surgery! Recently, the spider’s dragline silk, which is used in the main structure of a web, is trying to be copied because of its toughness, high elongation and strength. Nature has provided humans with many elements and I think its great that we have the technology to help “copy” and enhance these traits.
ReplyDeleteI was told to research biomimicry for a class, but I never thought I would see myself learning so many new things and actually becoming interested in the topic. This is a fascinating topic that I believe is not talked about enough in our world. Biomimicry, in other words, is the use of nature to better human life. We are very strict about "Go Green" and recycling, but why have I never realized what was actually being done with nature to help us? The previous blog posts that I have read said it perfectly and almost hit every topic of biomimicry. Some of the examples I found to be the most interesting was the shark skin swimming suit that was used in the Olympics. It helps the water go by quicker and the swimmer to move faster. Also, the examples I found that we encounter in everyday life and have no idea like gecko tape, which I learned about on this blog. They have taken the idea of how well geckos can hold to a wall with their feet and created it into strong adhesive tape. With ideas like this occurring in our world, we can become much more advanced and independent.
ReplyDeleteWhat I found from my research on biomimicry, is that it is incredible what we can apply from nature to better enhance our textiles, and the amazing examples that are presented in everyday life. One of the most obvious items that represent biomimicry is jewelry. You can go to a jewelry store and almost always find jewelry that looks like an insect, plant or animal, for example, feather earrings. Another example I came across was the bullet train in Japan that was inspired by the beak of a kingfisher. The shape allows these trains to move faster with less air resistance. Also, I found it interesting that cars will also try this technique. For example, a Mercedes-Benz was based off of an underwater fish known as the box fish. This fish is able to swim very fast because of the low co-efficient of drag. The car's final design looked similar to the box fish and was tested to later prove that it had one of the lowest drag. Furthermore, a very interesting example of biomimicry I found that relates especially to dress is the “wine dress”. This is a dress that uses the side-product from the process of making wine and creates them into the design of a dress. Finally, there is research being done based on squids color changing abilities, so that we can apply them to our textiles. For example, we would be able to change the color of our shirts without a change of clothes. Biomimicry is becoming more advanced and useful throughout our lifetime.
ReplyDeleteI have always related art and nature to each other. They both have endless options. Nature has forever been an inspiration for artists of all kinds. The art of fashion is no exception. Nature appears in textile colors, patterns, designs, and more. With biomimicry the inspirations of nature are in an entirely different form. From the creation of Velcro to other ideas, like a fabric that changes with your mood, that may take years to accomplish; biomimicry is a scientific art. Though still up-and-coming biomimicry is already everywhere in the fashion world of today. All of the high-end active wear companies are on the biomimicry fast train. They create new fabrics and designs constantly that can wick away sweat like water, ventilate or insulate the body, and even keep track of miles ran or your heartbeat. These brilliant innovations all go back to the observation of nature. It is then that inspiration is found and innovative ideas developed.
ReplyDeleteBiomimicry is a biologic discipline that literally means, “to imitate life.” In other words, biomimicry looks to nature for inspiration to solve human problems. This inspiration has allowed designers to innovate new types of artifacts that could posses many benefits. While researching the topic, I found several fascinating examples. One discovery that stood out was sharkskin-inspired swimsuits and boats. Sharkskin is made up of thousands of dermal denticles, or little skin teeth. These denticles have grooves that align with the flow of water. These grooves interrupt the turbulent waves of slower water, allowing the water to pass by faster. The rough shape of dermal denticles also hinders parasitic growth, such as algae and barnacles. Sharkskin is now valuable for humans because scientists have been able to replicate dermal denticles in swimsuits. The swimsuits received a lot of media attention because Michael Phelps, USA Olympic Swimmer, wore one during the 2008 Summer Olympics. Unfortunately, the swimsuits are now banned in major competitions since the denticles allow swimmers to swim faster because the water flows by them more rapidly. Scientists have also placed these dermal denticles on the bottom of boats. By allowing boats to move along the water more effectively, they now burn less bunker oil and don't require the use of cleaning chemicals for the exteriors. The creation of innovative products gives designers an entirely new target market. We have so much to learn from nature, and biomimicry could allow a dramatic breakthrough in society.
ReplyDeleteAfter looking into biomimicry, I have realized just how apparent it is in everyday life. We have taken things that are right in front of our faces, and applied it to textiles in a whole new way. One example is Gecko Tape. Gecko Tape is becoming more popular in vehicles, particularly on dashboards, to hold devices such as a cell phone or GPS systems in place while driving. To go along with the cars, tires are also beginning to display some biomimicry. A new design for ‘airless’ tires features a honeycomb shape, creating less noise and heat while driving. Wind turbines, which are becoming more and more common, are also taking design from one of the biggest mammals, the humpback whale. The arms of the turbines are now beginning to feature spikes, or bumps, that resemble those on the fin of a humpback. The new design has improved the turbines’ efficiency and doubled their performances with speeds of seventeen miles per hour. After looking more in depth at biomimicry, I am realizing just how common it is becoming in our everyday lives.
ReplyDeleteBefore doing this research on biomimicry, I had no prior knowledge of it. After learning about what it is, I was actually shocked that I did not know of something that had such a big impact on our everyday lives. One of the most interesting things that caught my eye during this Internet research was the involvement of textiles in clothing, and their ability to sense and respond to their environment, or situation. For example, Adidas has a performance sports bra that “uses “conductive sensing fibers” to monitor runners’ biorhythms.” I think it’s pretty interesting that clothing can “sense” us. But now, scientists are also working on electronic textiles, or e-textiles, that can be installed in clothing. Researchers from the University of Arkansas developed textile sensors that monitor the wearers’ cardiac signs and communicates them to doctors even when they aren’t around. Even though it may be some time before the future of electronic textiles, biomimicry just shows how far technology has come but, also, how far it can still go.
ReplyDeleteOnly recently did I come to understand biomimicry, and I am quite fascinated with the whole idea, yet not surprised that nature could offer such valuable information and techniques for humans to imitate. After doing research into the different elements that could be incorporated into clothing, I came across a phenomenal article that discussed taking the squid’s natural ability to change color and apply that to clothing. Researchers from the University of Bristol have successfully created synthetic muscles and cells that mimic how squids are able to manipulate the pigment of their skin. This camouflage mechanism translated to clothing would be revolutionary. The article goes on to put forth this scenario: say you are at work and spill coffee on your white shirt. With no time to go home and change, and no change of clothes at work, you would be able to change the color of your shirt to black. To find out more, you can go to this link and read on! http://www.gizmag.com/squid-inspired-color-changing-clothes/22383/
ReplyDeleteWhile I was reading about Biomimicry I did not know that such a thing existed. I think it is the best thing that we as humans could do. By trying to incorporated our nature into the way we wear our outfits or the creation of our clothes. The best definition of Biomimicry that I found online is that Biomimicry (from bios, meaning life, and mimesis, meaning to imitate) is a new discipline that studies nature's best ideas and then imitates these designs and processes to solve human problems. By using our nature as a source of clothing the one idea that impressed me the most was learning from the squids. Reasearches from the University of Bristol created a material that imitates the way a squid changes colors. Such that you are going on your lunch break. You spill wine all over your white blouse. You don't have another blouse at the office that would match your pants so you just change the color of your top to black. It is the most genius idea of our kind. Another idea that I read about that I think is useful for not only divers but for Olympic swimmers is the "Sharkskin" Bathing suits and diving suits. My best friend from school is a professional diver she had tried both the regular suit compared to the "skarkskin" suit and she describes it as no comparison to anything she has ever felt before. Just gliding through the water with breeze. Lastly, but I think as the most important to a busy everyday family is "Carpet Squares". This idea developed through the look of spread out leaves. By not particualr pattern or shape. They have now made carpet squares that are set up the same way. Lets say the kids are out to play and they bring in the muddest of boots. You clean and clean but the stains do not go away. You can simply pick up the square or the squares that are stained and put another down in its place! It is an easy way to keep your warm carpet but also without the look of stains that wont go away. The carpets look will always match no matter how different one square is to the other one. These are just a few of the many ideas that textile industry is thinking of today. The best way for us to appreciate our nature as a whole and take care of it is by using it to our advantage and respecting its uses.
ReplyDeleteHaley Henderson
University of Missouri
I think biomimicry is a brilliant start to an amazing revolution in textiles. Nature and technology are two completely opposite things, and the idea of blending them together in the fashion world fascinates me. After glancing at several websites and doing a little research of my own, I found that biomimicry is not only interesting, but also very smart. There is nothing that functions as flawlessly as nature, so why not mimic it? I love the idea of taking something so pure and transforming it into art. Of all of the projects and ideas that I saw online, the superskin helmet was by far my favorite. Although this helmet might not be making a couture fashion statement, the innovation that went into the design just makes sense. By mimicking the way the skin on the skull works, they have created a helmet that gives ultimate protection to the head. I like that these scientists, researchers, and designers are not focusing on building things from the ground up, but rather knowing that something already works and using that knowledge to create better designs. I think and suspect that biomimicry will continue to grow and to inspire many designers. As a generation that is already obsessed with technology and innovation, how could we not incorporate this obsession into the clothes we wear?
ReplyDeleteBiomimicry is used in many different ways and most commonly known as being used in fashion. Different pieces from nature are used for inspiration in textiles for new and upcoming ideas. One reoccurring concept of biomimicry in textiles is a stealth coating based on squid skin that could make soldiers invisible to night vision. The main reason that soldiers can be seen at night with proper equipment is because leaves and plants reflect the light on certain fabrics. Scientists at the University of California created a coating that won’t let the light be reflected off of the fabrics, called a new “stealth” coating. The hairs, which are 100,000 thinner than human hair, will be able to mask an orange textile into the green leaves when the coating on the clothing is activated. This shows how biomimicry is taken from nature and applied into use in our lives. This stealth coating is something never done before and can be put into use for our military to help our soldiers.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading about how these textiles have and continue to revolutionize both the practical and aesthetic world; I think the future for biominicry textiles will flourish within this decade. I am fascinated with what I perceive as a biominicry concept of working with nature rather than going against. In a technology driven world of electronics and Wi-Fi we often look past the natural world and rely on a new innovative ideas. Some of the most innovative and advanced ideas are coming from biominicry textiles derived from nature; like the Skin Head helmets. By looking at the purpose of skin to a skull they were able to create a helmet that mimicked skin on a skull. This mimicry of skin created a helmet that doesn’t only project a person from impact but also rotation of the skull and neck; a major cause in most head related injuries. With this concept I think scientist and designers will be able to look back into nature and transform products to better the earth and product function.
ReplyDeleteI’ve always been fascinated with the way nature influences textiles and the clothes we consume. While researching biomimicry for one of my Textile and Apparel Management courses, I was intrigued with the Micro’be’, a garment made from fermented red wine. Along with being a product of wine, the Micro’be’ dresses are made without stitching from the cellulose of Acetobacter bacteria. It is amazing to me that scientists are able to find new and exciting ways to make textiles from natural processes. According to my research, scientists are beginning to try to ferment beer into textiles as well. It is incredible how far science and the textile industry have come in making these new discoveries. I can only imagine how else biomimicry will influence the textile industry in the future and am excited to be apart of the processes while working in the industry.
DeleteIn movies and comics, Spiderman is able to fly and stick to buildings to save the world with the aid of his silky web-like material. What if a real human could experience the same phenomenon in real life? Based on the article found on New Scientist.com, this practice is becoming closer and closer to reality. The article discusses a new Biomimicry of technology inspired by gecko feet. Gecko feet are unique in the fact they are able to hang from virtually any surface, dry or slippery, using a single toe. Geckos are able to do this because of the millions of tiny hairs called setae on their feet. These tiny hairs together exert an intermolecular force called van der Waals that generates a powerful glue to allow them to hang on any surface. An application for this type of “gecko tape” could be used in special effects for various action movies, robots to clean the ceilings of homes, as well as tires to maximize performance in extreme weather conditions. More research must be completed in order to implement this new Biomimicry technology into the marketplace.
ReplyDeleteMary Otto
ReplyDeleteBiomimicry is a fascinating design discipline that uses sustainable solutions by emulating natures’ patterns for things such as textiles. Animals, plants, and microbes have found what works and lasts on earth. This is a new realm of textiles that can solve many of our innovative problems and opens consumers’ eyes to the importance of conserving biodiversity on earth.
I read an article that textiles are using a design concept that comes from squids. Researchers at the University of Bristol created a material that imitates how a squid changes colors. The textile mimics the muscles that allow squids to change instantaneously, which they use for camouflage. This idea will be great for people who spill drinks or food on their clothing and did not bring something to change into. Instead of having to go to a store and spend money on a new item of clothing, the consumer will be able to simply change the color so the stain cannot be seen. This innovative technology could change the entire market and be beneficial to consumers worldwide.
Jessica Greene
ReplyDeleteI have found Biomimicry to be a very captivating topic that manages to find a way into everyday life when it comes to textiles, architecture, and many other facets. One of the many reasons why this topic is so intriguing is the fact that nature’s living organisms have found ways to incorporate these patterns and conditions into their ways of life mainly as means of survival.
In textiles biomimicry may be used for functionality or simply for physical presentation. Velcro would be a fine example of a way biomimicry has made fastening more practical in some ways for textiles, but an interesting example of biomimicry used for physical presentation is the use of scrap fabric to layer in order to almost mimic the scales of snakes, lizards, and other reptiles. I found a fascinating excerpt on this topic, and what is interesting about it is that many people enjoy wearing snakeskin shoes, belts, bags, and other articles, but it is interesting now is people are finding ways to recreate the pattern of scales by using fabric in layers. This creates a more dynamic and three dimensional effect in articles of clothing, adding creativity and edge to an outfit. Though this may seem to be a small addition to the world of fashion, no trend statement seems to go unnoticed by society at large in the long run. This feature on textiles may just provide insight into our use of nature’s interesting beauty in our everyday clothing choices.
I was doing some research on Biomimicry and I found a lot of the information I found to be very interesting. I never really thought about the concept of textiles mimicking nature, but the idea of it is almost genius. For example while researching I found an examples of a designer that had made a material that was inspired by the scales on butterfly wings. This material actually reflect the light of the surrounding area and this reflection of light actually determines the color of the material. Another example I found was an example of researchers looking into making a material that would imitate a squid in that the material would be able to change color to blend in with the environment. Like I said the thought of biomimicry never really crossed my mind, but the thought of fabrics being able to do things like change color is mind-blowing. It just proves how textiles evolve with society and how integrated we are with how we dress.
ReplyDeleteIn today's world where it seems technology is the driving force behind most new innovations, Biomimicry shows us how this may not be entirely true. Since Biomimicry generates from the concept of 'copying or imitating nature' and the 'derivation from biology', we start to see how many, if not most, of the products we use today have been developed from natural processes in the world around us. When one can understand the broad context of the meaning, it becomes easy to see how Biomimicry has affected our everyday lives in a positive way. This may be especially evident in a medical sense where textiles have been developed and used everyday that absorb, protect, and repel fluids and such from the skin much like different animal skins do. Without textiles and products such as these, infections and such would be hard to prevent and control. Biomimicry.net also states that "One-quarter of all modern medicines are derived directly from plants, and there are hundreds of thousands of other plant species yet to examine". Although we have come so far in different medical field aspects, this yields a hopeful future thanks to Biomimicry.
ReplyDeleteAnother especially interesting concept to me within Biomimicry's impact on textiles is the 'Lotus Effect'. The lotus plant, as one of the most water repellent plants in the world, has a microscopic rough surface that allows water and liquids to float on the surface without being absorbed. This discovery could yield a great impact on the textile industry in terms of sustainability. If textiles do not stain or absorb dirt, it would help to eliminate the water waste, chemicals, and cost that is associated with the frequent cleaning of garments. Also, by creating textiles with this 'rough surface' ideal in mind it could eliminate vast amounts of chemical usage that is needed in the manufacturing process of fabrics with such capabilities as water resistance.
Within a short period of being introduced to Biomimicry, it is evident that there is much that has been and will be learned from the natural processes that occur around us everyday. If there was no observance of even the smallest of organisms, an innovation in use today might not be here. For example, at the University of Utah they are conceptualizing a synthetic version of glue to repair bones that derived from how sandcastle worms build their homes. This goes to show us that there is no process too small to learn from. According to National Geographic we have yet to discover nearly 86% of the organisms in the world, yielding millions of species for us to learn from in the future. In terms of Biomimicry, this can allow us to have seemingly endless boundaries of the opportunity to learn from our environment in the future, as long as we can continue to preserve it.
Biomimicry is defined as an imitation of nature, copying or adaptation or derivation from biology. It takes nature and uses it in different ways, a main example being textiles. Biomimicry is beyond interesting. It’s fascinating! It gives you a whole new outlook on textiles and nature all together. The first example that came to mind was super hero’s suits. They adapt to all elements of nature and physical trauma. In a sense, it is a repellent. The types of textiles that they are made from allow them to fly, fight, climb walls, are waterproof and fire proof, etc. Another example would be the new athletic items that have been produced by Nike and many other brands. They have produced the DriFit line, which is a material that basically catches the sweat while you’re exercising. There are other products such as the heart and calorie monitors. They are “smart textiles”. As time goes on, Biomimicry will continue to grow and advance and soon takeover and be a new way of life.
ReplyDeleteI had never heard the term biomimicry before starting this assignment. I love being outdoors and in nature so seeing these designs amazed me. The fact that people have the ability to create art inspired from life and continue to innovate it blows me away. Another point to think about is how biomimicry has endless opportunities to inspire art. Since there are so many undiscovered parts or aspects of the world, these continue to contribute to the art of textiles when discovered.
ReplyDeleteOne form of biomimicry that really caught my attention was the squid changing colors. The fact that people have the ability to mimic a part of nature such as the way a squid can change its color is mind-boggling. I would love it if there would soon be a way I could change my shirt color on the go. This would be perfect incase I spilled a red sauce on my white shirt and then it could just change into a fancy red shirt. This idea could revolutionize the way people go about wearing clothes and find a solution to a problem many of us have of spilling on ourselves. Biomimicry is the future of art and fashion and will hopefully soon be a term known by everyone!
Biomimicry is a fascinating topic. Just by reading others post and researching what it is, it really amazes me. When first reading on this subject, I thought to myself, “What is this suppose to mean?” Biomimicry comes from the words bio which means life and mimesis meaning to imitate. I really love this concept and it makes things more sustainable. For example Velcro is an invention through biomimicry by George de Mestrals. He came up with the idea from a trip he went on and say how burrs covered his dog. Another invention with the use of biomimicry is an adhesives made with the idea of the feet on an animal called a Gecko. I also saw a picture of a dress made from wine (which is really cool isn’t it!). This concept is amazing and I think that all textile industries should try. It really puts reasoning behind design and how it is so artistic. You hear a lot about where people get their ideas from, but doing it through biomimicry I think makes it more special. This was a very good concept that was created!
ReplyDeleteHave you ever thought about what inspires the designs for your fashions? From everything from the design of a Vera Bradley bag to velcro on a pair of soccer cleats, some form of biomimicry is utilized. I recently learned of biomimicry in my Textile and Apparel class. Biomimicry is when nature inspires designs for fashion and technology. This concept makes things a lot more sustainable and earth-friendly.
ReplyDeleteOne concept of biomimicry I came across was "shedding" garments. Through the "Shed Me" project by Katie Ledger at the London College of Arts. She came up with the concept of clothes shedding layers. This idea was inspired by how snakes and other reptiles shed their skin during changing seasons and growth. Katie hopes that this use of technology will decrease the need for layering clothing. During her research Ledger also hopes that this concept will cut in laundry costs. Saving money is always great in my book!
I also found other garments that have taken on this concept, such as outerwear with different layers for different seasons, and tear-away pants--that convert into shorts or pants with buttons and/or zippers.
The use and inspiration of biomimicry is very fascinating. It really shows how our everyday life is more than just as we see it but also greatly inspired by things in nature. I plan to do more research on this topic in the future and advise you to do so as well!