Concrete grown from bacteria? Fabrics from marine algae? Bags & apparel made of pineapple skin? Another Biofabricate Summit will happen December, 13. For the 5th time, the event is bringing together innovators, designers, entrepreneurs and researchers focused on the technology of grown materials. Find out what’s it all about!
WHAT: Biofabricate Grown Materials Summit 2018
GDZIE: New Lab, Brooklyn, NYC
KIEDY: Dec 13, 2018
BILETY: yup, 449-749$ [click]
“The biggest innovation of 21st century will be at the intersection of biology and technology”
With tis statement, Biofabricate organisers quote Bill Gates, who is famous for investing in innovative startups, often with a social or environmental mission in core. Being a co-founder of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, he has already contributed to the development of, among others, Impossible Foods, Hampton Creek (now Just), or Change.org. As you can see from these examples of his investment decisions, you can clearly see what he meant by saying:
I think the biggest innovations of the 21st century will be at the intersection of biology and technology. A new era is beginning.
Biofabricate 2018 is the fifth edition of the grown materials summit gathering people involved in the creation and experimentation on more sustainable materials of the future. Materials that will not contribute to negative environmental changes (or even have a positive impact on the environment), will not cause diseases and allergies in humans and can be grown in a laboratory.
How biofabrication is defined by Summit organisers? “Biofabrication is designing and building products with biology. Harnessing organisms such as bacteria, yeast, algae, mycelium, mammalian cells, to cultivate consumer goods as varied as footwear and furniture to fashion and food.” Source: www.biofabricate.co
Why designers should be interested in Biofabricate Summit?
Designers are nobody without the materials that help them to realize their bold visions. Currently, however, the problem with materials used in the mass production of goods lies in the fact that used on a large scale, (e.g. in the fashion and FMCG industry) plastic or polyester (nothing else but PET also used in the production of plastic bottles) are not biodegradable and are derived from crude oil, that is, a non-renewable resource.
Today, all mass produced goods leaves a huge carbon footprint: it all starts from oil extraction, through its processing into materials, production of goods, finishing with transportation and daily use by a consumer. Various data indicates that only 30% of the whole plastic produced is being currently recycled. The remaining 70% ends up on landfills (both legal and illegal), is being incinerated, or floats in seas and oceans.
The product life cycle of a plastic bottle you can find below is still barely happening scenario. How can business respond to the global challenge of ending resources with the ever-growing demand for consumer goods?
Image source: “Plastics. The Facts 2014/2015. An analysis of European Plastics production, demand and waste data“, Plastics Europe.
Material innovators at Biofabricate 2018. Who will you meet there?
Last year, at Biofabricate 2017, event participants had a chance to experience some works by creators of innovative materials and sustainable brands such as Mango Materials, Modern Meadow (authors of cultured bio-leather ZOA), or Future Fabrics, who set their business goals as a transition to the “circular bioeconomy”.
Video source: Biofabricate | Vimeo
I strongly encourage you to have a look on this year Biofabricate Speakers list. It’s a blast! The event will take place in New Lab, NYC, Dec 13. As an attendee you will have a chance to meet, among others, Adital Ela, CEO of Criaterra (a circular alternative to concrete and ceramic sthat can return to ecosystem as nutrients), Ginger Krieg-Dosier from bioMASON (biocement, which grows with the help of microorganisms), or Eben Bayer from Ecovative Design. Eben has been promoting the technology behind his mycelium-based biofabricated products for consumer and industrial applications since 2010. You can find his TED talk, here.
Go and check all the Speakers, here.
