Vollebak’s Latest Embraces DNA Dyeing

The varied list of materials fashion-tech startup Vollebak has worked with—copper, algae, volcanic soil and space parachutes, to name a few—grew a little longer this summer.

Late last month, the London-based brand unveiled its first products—a pair of Better Cotton T-shirts—dyed with DNA. With only a few last pieces remaining from this initial launch, Vollebak plans to drop a broader range later this month consisting of a hoodie, sweatpants, sweatshorts and sweatshirt, with an eye towards developing DNA within Vollebak collections in the future, the company said.

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Developed by the biotech start-up Colorifix, the DNA dyeing process begins by implanting the DNA sequence of a pigment-producing enzyme into a microorganism. In Vollebak’s case, it injected an indigoid-producing enzyme into a single bacterial cell that self-replicates every 20 minutes. As it replicates, it produces more indigo pigment.

To produce the large amounts of dye required for a full apparel collection, Vollebak said, it sent the genetically engineered microorganisms to RDD, a dyehouse in Portugal. There, the cells are added to a fermentation machine with water, sugar, yeast and plant waste where they can continue to double every 20 minutes.

Once enough dye is produced, the dyehouse submerges the T-shirt in the bacterial soup, allowing the bacteria to latch onto the fabric surface and release their color into the cotton fiber, the company said. Since the indigoid-producing enzyme will generate two different shades of color depending on the types of sugar it consumes, Vollebak was able to produce the two different color T-shirts it unveiled a couple weeks ago.

Colorifix’s lab-grown pigments first became available for purchase two years ago in a capsule collection released by Pangaia. The collection utilized pink and baby blue hues, one produced from silk and the other from ancient bacteria around geysers, with items including a fleece hoodie and track pant.

Danish brand Ganni and materials company Polybion, meanwhile, are using microorganisms to develop a bacterial cellulose leather alternative. Fed on agro-industrial waste, bacteria convert sugar into a cellulose structure as a metabolic by-product. Once that structure is formed, the material’s cell-based membrane undergoes a stabilization process that helps it achieve strength and breathability. The collaborators are working to bring consumer-ready garments to market next year, Polybion said.

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