for my uni art project, I wanted to try some bio textiles processes using sustainable materials given the large amounts of waste and energy used in textiles and materials production. A classmate recommended I try alginate, a seaweed extract often used by dentists for their moulds. I found some recipes for bio-string / bio-plastic / bio-fabricating processes, and also discovered a collection of makers called FabLabs. my project is not strictly a textiles project, but is based on / inspired by string figures, so I was happy to find that this method can be used to create bio-string too. The main ingredients (sodium alginate and calcium chloride) were found at The Red Spon Company, a baking and food supply store in Rosebery, Sydney. They didn't have glicerine, and I check a couple of other stores and couldn't find it also, so didn't include that - one recipe included it and another didn't so I thought it might be optional.
so far the texture is like a soft, rubbery pasta. during the week it started changing from a white colour to more yellowish tinge, and was becoming harder. I think the glycerine (which I didn't include) might have made it a bit stretchier, but we shall see (will update once it's cured).
it will be interesting to see how long it lasts, and how strong or brittle it will be / become, and if it can be used to make string figures
#stringFigures #blockFigures #blocFigures #blokFigures
Recipe reference ::: see Links below for general research / other links
Bogers, Loes. 2020. "Alginate String." Textile Academy. https://class.textile-academy.org/2020/loes.bogers/files/recipes/alginat....
preparing workspace
after mixing ingredients into glass jars and 60cm syringe to let it settle - I should have done the calcium chloride solution after this
making string - it's quite squiggly straight out of the syringe, so I wrapped it around the jars to let it cure for the week
links:
Alginate
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alginic_acid
https://www.barnes.com.au/search?controller=search&orderby=position&orde...
BioFabricating Materials
https://class.textile-academy.org/2021/isabella.schuh/assignments/week06/
https://codedbodies.com/Recipes
https://www.eventbrite.de/e/coded-biophilia-tickets-167603168589
Earth-Centered Communication Technology: Lichen as a Model Interface
https://direct.mit.edu/leon/article-abstract/54/5/483/98081/Earth-Center...
Coded Biophilia
https://www.eventbrite.de/e/coded-biophilia-tickets-167603168589
Fabric Academy classes - fablab / fabTextiles lab
https://vimeo.com/fabricademy
Bio Fabricating Materials
https://class.textile-academy.org/2021/isabella.schuh/assignments/week06/
Alginate String
https://class.textile-academy.org/2020/loes.bogers/files/recipes/alginat...
Bio Yarn
https://www.instructables.com/Create-Bio-yarn
classes / student page
https://class.textile-academy.org/2021/isabella.schuh
http://bioplastic-cookbook.schloss-post.com/gelatin.html
Bioplastic - Tools and Recipes
https://issuu.com/johanviladrich/docs/bioplastic
Research Book Bioplastic
https://issuu.com/juliettepepin/docs/bookletbioplastic
Bioplastic Cook Book
https://issuu.com/nat_arc/docs/bioplastic_cook_book_3
https://issuu.com/nat_arc/docs/bioplastic_cook_book_3/s/159731
fabLab tutorials
https://class.textile-academy.org/tutorials
Creating bio yarn
https://www.instructables.com/Create-Bio-yarn