Living Colour is a biodesign research project exploring the possibilities and aesthetics of natural and sustainable textile dyeing with pigment-producing bacteria.
Bacterial dyes can be an alternative to toxic textile dyes. The pigments some bacteria produce are biodegradable and friendly to humans, animals, and the environment.
Our bacterial dyeing process uses no toxic chemicals, little water, low temperatures and could add beneficial characteristics like an anti-bacterial function to fabrics.
One of the methods we apply is “live dyeing”, where we cultivate bacteria on fabric, resulting in visual growth patterns, unique to each dye batch.
Living Colour is both artisanal and highly innovative. It is currently still a labour- and time-intensive lab process, suitable for experimental designs, like our collaboration with PUMA and The Exploded View.
Growing bacteria as a dye factory can lead to a more sustainable way to colour the world.
Living Colour started in 2016 with cymatics research. We explored the possibilities of growing bacteria in patterns by exposing them to sound frequencies. The resonance of sound frequencies is known to create geometric patterns in matter. This principle is called cymatics.
Laura gives many inspirational talks about Living Colour, including at Neonyt Berlin and Avantex Paris. Watch our joint TEDxRotterdam talk below.
Design and Concept
Laura Luchtman, Kukka
Ilfa Siebenhaar, Studio Ilfa Siebenhaar
Lab partners
Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences
BlueCity Lab Rotterdam
Partnerships
Vienna Textile Lab (BInc.ink)
Collaborating partners
ArtEZ Future Makers
Waag Society Amsterdam
Wageningen University & Research
MoPop Seattle (US)
TextielMuseum (NL)
London Design Festival (UK)
State of Fashion Biennale (NL)
Dutch Design Week (NL)
Viewpoint Colour
Domus
American Scientist
Vogue Business
Nomad Magazine
The Colour Bible, Laura Perryman
Unfolding Fashion Tech, Marina Toeters
ELIIT by European Commission
Creative Industries Fund NL
BankGiro Loterij Fund
Greenpact Impact Award · won by our ACT-students team from Wageningen University & Research for “Living Colour” research