OXMAN grows color directly on textiles using bacterial pigmentation

Neri Oxman's studio, OXMAN, has unveiled Vigils, a research initiative that utilizes bacterial pigmentation to produce color on textiles instead of relying on synthetic dyes. This innovative method involves growing pigmented bacteria directly on the fabric, enabling natural color development rather than applying it as a surface treatment. Vigils aligns with OXMAN's Nature-Centric Design philosophy, which stems from Oxman's previous Material Ecology concept at the MIT Media Lab. Notable past projects include the Silk Pavilion, created with 6,500 silkworms, and Aguahoja, which features biodegradable materials made from cellulose and chitosan. Vigils builds on previous efforts like Vespers III, where genetically modified bacteria were used for pigment generation in 3D-printed forms. The textile sector is responsible for approximately 93 billion cubic meters of water usage each year and contributes about 20 percent of global industrial wastewater, largely due to synthetic dyes from petrochemicals. OXMAN's experimental platform, O°, integrates robotic fabrication, computational design, microbial pigmentation, and biodegradable polymers such as polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) to produce mono-material items intended to decompose at the end of their lifecycle. The studio views color, material production, fabrication, and decomposition as integral components of a unified ecological system.