AI can find sustainable materials for the textile industry.
A startup in England, meanwhile, is focusing on the circular economy and the power of nature to create non-toxic colouration technology.
Plants owe their dazzling colour to crystals present in their cell walls, which reflect light differently depending on how they are arranged.
The team extracts these crystals from the cellulose of trees, food- or agricultural waste and mixes them in high concentration with water. A patented process then arranges them into a colour-specific layered structure while drying.
The resulting film can be ground into pigments for liquid colour or cut into glitter and sequins. The non-fading colours are free from metals and microplastics.
Others are looking at biotechnology and bacteria.
