The clothes of the future are biodegradable Emerging designer Scarlett Yang has created a biodegradable material that changes over time and doesn't pollute

Sustainability is one of the most debated issues in today's fashion industry. While big luxury brands and conglomerates are still sticking to old production cycles, and the overproduction of fast fashion labels has not stopped, a young designer graduate of Central Saint Martens, Scarlett Yang, has come up with an innovative solution. Yang designed a dress composed entirely of a biodegradable material of her own invention, created from silk protein, water, tincture and an algae extract. The project currently remains at a conceptual stage: the designer has in fact created hypnotic 3D renders that simulate the texture of the material and that could be used in the future in augmented reality and CGI projects. But the new material, which the designer has called Serpentine Lace, has endless possible applications, from interior design to packaging. 

The mix of silk protein and algae extract invented by Yang is able to make her creations partially waterproof - partially because it is precisely in the water that the material dissolves, avoiding all the problems of waste and recycling. The speed with which the tissue dissolves in water depends on its structure and thickness, as well as the stiffness of the material is determined by the proportions of proteins and algae. Regardless of the details of the invoice, the creative process remains the same: the two materials are mixed and then poured into a 3D mould where they solidify. Once this phase is completed, the various parts are assembled to create ethereal and surreal silhouettes – reminiscent (and probably inspired) by Iris van Herpen's creations.