A BREAKDOWN ON BIO MATERIALS

From materials made with labgrown fungi to paper made from seaweed, material innovation within the realm of biomaterials has ten folded to keep up with the growing concerns for our planet. Biomaterial is a word that is often heard in the discussion between produce and sustainability, but it can still be confusing to understand the true meaning of the word and why biomaterials are, in general, kinder to both people and planet.

Bio, short for biology is a broader term referring to something which has been made fully or with the help of biology. A biomaterial, therefore, can be best defined as substance which is designed to work side by side with components of a living system, resolving back into biology. Within this there a variety of different types of biomaterials in which we have outlined on the following pages.

Bio Based

Bio Assembled

Bio-based materials are made from biomass, meaning they are made of living organisms such as plants and animals. More commonly we could identify materials such as wood and leather as bio-based materials, however with recent innovation modern materials such as those made from cellulose fibres can also be identified as biobased.

Bio Fabricated

Bio-Assembled materials are materials that have been grown directly by a living thing. For example, a bacteria or fungi self assembles, meaning that the material grows itself.

Bio Synthetic

Bio-fabricated materials are materials that make use of living organisms such as bacteria, algae, and mycelium as aids in their fabrication. We can see example of this within new bio dyes that utilise the DNA of organism to grow pigments.

Bio-synthetic materials are materials which are both partly made by humans and partly made by biology. Although some parts of the material belong to nature, bio-synthetic materials would not naturally occur in nature and therefore need intervention and processing to develop.

Biodegradeable Compostable

Compostable materials are made from organic matter and are designed to break down into nontoxic components such as water and biomass, enhancing soil and given the right conditions, not harming the environment. Unfortunately, a lot of packaging labelled compostable requires commercial composting facilities, of which there are still only a few within the UK.

Biodegradable materials, if made by organic matter, are capable of being broken down by bacteria or fungi, without the use of harsh chemicals. Decaying naturally, there is little to no lasting damage caused by the product of these materials. There is no time limit when it comes to something being classified as being biodegradable, with some materials taking between days, weeks, or centuries to decompose. A material that breaks down quicker is preferred, so it’s important to try to understand the time frames surrounding the breakdown of biodegradable materials.

This was created in collaboration with Olivia Aspinall of Do Not Go Gentle, a sustainability consultancy for creative studios, designers, architects, and brands.