Amber Grain Embroidery explores the intersection of bio-design, folklore, growing textiles from roots, waste wool, and digital fabrication to create sustainable, tradition-inspired garments that challenge conventional materiality and celebrate nature’s invisible craftsmanship.
Define the problem/need you are solving or addressing with your project. How does it address the Open Call criteria, such as environmental impact, social engagement, circularity, user experience, resource efficiency, and community-driven solutions?
The Amber Grain Embroidery project addresses the urgent need for sustainable textile alternatives by exploring root-based materials and bio-fabrication methodologies. The fashion industry is heavily reliant on resource-intensive production, which generates excessive waste and pollution. This project introduces a circular approach by growing textiles from seeds, waste wool, and natural binders, eliminating the dependency on synthetic fibers and chemical processing. By integrating biodesign with Czech and Slovak folklore traditions, it fosters social engagement and reconnects communities with local craft heritage. The use of organic materials that are regenerative and naturally decomposable supports resource efficiency. Furthermore, it enhances user experience by offering garments that evolve over time, embodying nature’s dynamic transformations. Aligned with environmental impact and community-driven solutions, Amber Grain envisions a new paradigm in materials that not only nurtures sustainability but also celebrates cultural identity, challenging the linear model of fast fashion.
Please describe your project, reflecting on the concept, inspiration, materials, technical aspects, methods and process(es).
Amber Grain is a visionary bio-design project focused on redefining textile creation by cultivating materials from roots and using waste wool. Inspired by Slovak and Czech folklore, it merges traditional craftsmanship with biological fabrication, unearthing the hidden world below the surface: roots as living, evolving materials. The process begins with germinating seeds in molds, allowing root systems to intertwine and form organic structures. Utilizing alternative binding agents and post-processing techniques, these materials acquire necessary flexibility and durability for fashion applications. The project integrates agriculture, textile design, and material research to minimize waste and energy usage. Key methods include establishing controlled growth environments, applying biomaterial treatments, and utilizing natural dyeing processes. The output is a sustainable, biodegradable collection that takes inspiration from Czech and Slovak folklore while challenging conventional fabric production methods, embracing circularity, and leveraging local resources. Amber Grain narrates a story of nature’s unseen craftsmanship through its living garments.
What do you think makes your project innovative compared to the existing efforts and ideas in the field it addresses?
Amber Grain distinguishes itself by merging biodesign, folklore, and textile innovation, leading to the creation of root-grown materials inspired by traditional craftsmanship. The project harnesses the structures of roots to form fabrics, seamlessly integrating natural fibers like raw wool to enhance texture and strength. It pioneers a fully regenerative textile system, where materials grow, evolve, and can decompose naturally, heavily contrasting the linear fast fashion model. The focus on localized and circular production redefines material sourcing, positioning the designer as a cultivator and collaborator with nature. By reconnecting biological processes with cultural heritage, Amber Grain engages communities in rediscovering sustainable textile traditions. This project not only represents a shift in material innovation but also introduces a new biomaterial language—adaptive, biodegradable, and closely linked to the environment, ultimately setting a new standard in sustainable fashion design.
Does it impact or reflect young people need(s) and how?
Amber Grain resonates deeply with young consumers who prioritize sustainable, ethical, and innovative alternatives in fashion. In an age marked by climate concerns and rampant overconsumption, younger generations are increasingly seeking out products that embody circularity and biodegradability, aligning with their values of environmental stewardship and conscious consumption. This project offers a tangible solution by introducing root-grown textiles that eliminate reliance on synthetic materials while promoting the ideals of slow fashion. Additionally, Amber Grain fosters creative engagement, inspiring new designers, artists, and makers to delve into bio-fabrication as an exciting frontier in fashion and material creation. By reinvigorating cultural heritage through modern biodesign principles, the project connects young individuals to traditional craftsmanship in relevant and meaningful ways. By challenging conventional production, Amber Grain empowers youth to cultivate a more profound relationship with nature and redefines the future of material innovation and sustainable fashion practices. It also emphasizes the importance of soil fertility while showcasing wool as a valuable resource.
