Bio Iridescent Sequin

Student Designer Winner 2019

Designer/maker: Elissa Brunato
University/college: Central Saint Martins, Material Futures
Bio-engineering wood/cellulose: Research Institutes of Sweden (RISE), Hjalmar Granberg and Tiffany Abitbol
Wood species: Canadian softwood Kraft pulp

Bio Iridescent Sequin is a response to the unsustainable shimmering beads and sequins currently used in fashion and textiles. Brunato’s sequin uses bio-technologies to create colourful shimmering sequins from naturally abundant wood. Through extracting the crystalline form of cellulose, the wood imitates the alluring visual aesthetics of shiny plastic while remaining lightweight, strong and compostable. Brunato is working alongside material scientists Hjalmar Granberg and Tiffany Abitbol from RISE Research Institutes in Sweden.

Within the Student Designer category there are two cash prizes; £1,000 for Winner and £500 for People’s Choice.