SCI-TECH: Berlin designers develop natural dyes based on algae

BERLIN, Germany — While lead, phthalates and other chemicals are used in the manufacture of clothing, especially low-cost ones, two designers have developed natural dyes made from algae that can replace chemical dyes when printing on clothing.

They source the algae from wholesalers and reduce their raw material to a powder before mixing it with water.

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Essie Glomb and Rasa Weber met during their studies in Berlin and formed the Blond&Bieber studio to combine fashion, design and science. In cooperation with institutes, they are exploring new avenues in textile development.

This Sunday, they are at the Berlin Open Lab at the University of the Arts in Berlin, testing the printing of their dyes on clothes by the articulated arm of a robot.

“There are many different kinds of algae and every species has a different colour, red, blue, yellow algae and many more to experiment with and that’s where we wanted to start printing fashion with,” Weber said.

ALGAE, BERLIN, DYE, GERMANY