Day 3
Wednesday 15
Summary
- 09:00-09:30 Coffee & Cookies
- 09:30-11:00 Silkworms
- 11:00-12:00 Hands On: Silk Processing
- 12:00-13:00 Lunch Break
- 13:00-14:00 Biochromes and Biomaterials
- 14:00-18:00 Hands On: Biochromes and Biomaterials
- 18:00-19:00 Dinner
- 19:00-20:00 Project session
Location: Technical College Reykjavik
Activities
On Wednesday, the activities will take place at Technical College Reykjavik, and will focus on Biomaterials and Biochromes fabrication.
- Silkworms and Silk Processing Hands-On
Together with the our special guest Signý Gunnarsdóttir, participants will spend the morning discovering the process behind silk production, from silkworms breeding to yarn extraction.
They will have the opportunity to have a closer look at the silkworms, eggs and pupae, and learn more about the sericulture rearing process, the biotechnological side of silk and the many uses of silk fibroin and sericin protein in biotechnology, drug delivery and skincare.
The Hands-On will be focused on the silk reeling and the participants will experiment with the process, producing a thread reeling the pupae.
Signý Gunnarsdóttir is a fashion designer with a keen interest in sustainability, biology and innovation. She has been working on a silk project since 2017 where she rears her own silkworms and harvests the silk from the pupae. Her goal is to set up a sustainable sericulture business in Iceland and find innovative ways to use the silk in biotechnology, skincare and textiles.
- Biochromes and Biomaterials
The textile industry is one of the most polluting in the world, in which one the most environmentally disastrous processes is the dyeing of fibers and textiles of the clothes we wear. Chemicals are released daily in rivers and nature destroying the environment around us to satisfy the colour demands that we create as designers, industry and consumers. Very few options are being explored in this fast changing fashion, clothing and textile industry, and the list of chemical treatments is only expanding. This class will focus on exploring material and colouring alternatives to the current ones. Ranging from natural dyes, using pigments and bacteria, to material biofabrication. Local recipes of DIY materials.
- Biochromes Hands-on
During the activity, participants will learn how to dye fibers and fabrics using natural dyes and pigments and modify them with mordants and scouring agents, as well as explore dyeing with bacteria of different fibers and bacteria.
- Biomaterials Hands-on
In this workshop, participants are introduced to biomaterial fabrication. They will explore different recipies, ingredients and processes while growing and crafting their personalised material.
Materials
Silk Processing:
- silkworms
Biochromes:
- Madder root
- Alkanet roots
- Hibiscus flowers
- Onion peels
- mordants/scouring agents
- Ph modifiers
- animal fibers/textiles (wool, silk, camel hair, angora)
- vegetable fibers/textiles (cotton, linen, hemp, ramie)
- bacteria
- janthinobacterium lividum
- micrococcus luteus
Biomaterials:
- Gelatine
- Starch
- Glycerine
- Water
- Vinegar
- Pigments
Recommendations
Suggested to bring with you:
- Notebook and personal computer