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Discoveries of biomaterials
An important breakthrough was the discovery that it was possible to make materials from the fast-reproducing organism that is algae.
Working with an algae polymer with similar properties to environmentally-friendly petroleum-derived plastics, Quinn worked to develop a fabric that was non-toxic, water-resistant and biodegradable, incorporating natural dyes before spun yarn to reduce water use and production. -associated toxicity. “Every time I look at a new material, there’s no waste in my eyes, I’m just thinking, what are all the different waste streams that are produced and how can they be re-incorporated back into the process?”
Another unlikely material rediscovery and re-examination is linen – the plant stem fiber that has been used to make hypoallergenic, moisture-resistant and breathable linen for over 30,000 years. Linen has been a massive industry in Ireland [Quinn grew up in Belfast], but is actually only used to produce linen. And linen’s particular qualities – its tendency to wrinkle and slip – limit its use in the fashion industry.’ Quinn sees only the positive – that linen is biodegradable and breaks down in just a few weeks when buried in the ground. At CQ Studio, using a combination of traditional craft techniques and modern, innovative processes, a length of linen can be used to make eco-friendly faux leather and fur.
“Biomaterials (like flax fibers) are very important because they are not invasive to our planet and environment,” says Quinn. “I think we sometimes forget that a polyester T-shirt is basically suffocating our Earth. And when we’re working with materials that are biodegradable, it means we don’t have [such] a negative influence on the planet.’
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