The Anti-Semitism of Fast Fashion: What About Clothes That Grow From Seeds?

British underwater photographer Zena Holloway had a fashionable idea when she found the root of a willow tree in a local river a few years ago. What if you grow the roots into an organic, compostable dressing?

Fast forward to the 2022 London Design Festival, where Holloway unveiled intricate sculptures made from grass roots grown to resemble grass textiles. The clothes have a distinctly high fashion and futuristic feel that would make them right at home with Bella Hadid’s creative spray dress from Paris Fashion Week last week.

Holloway shapes grass roots into desirable shapes using molds she carefully creates from beeswax. The bushes take about 12 days to grow to 8 inches (about 20 centimeters) tall, with the roots below creating a naturally woven structure that can retain its original color or be dyed for textile sculptures that resemble bright pieces of coral.

“I want to imagine a future that still has coral reefs,” Holloway said, citing the loss of structures due to natural disasters, overfishing and climate change.

Holloway considers herself part of the biodesign movement that explores the intersection of design and nature to find new biologically inspired objects.

“The materials strive to reflect the dream of organic design, increase awareness of materials, and inspire a more thoughtful and sustainable world,” says the designer, whose work I first saw on Designboom.

With sustainability at the heart of Holloway’s Rootfull initiative, wastewater is recycled and animals enjoy locally sourced grass sprouts.

But while Many eco-friendly brands sell sustainable clothingHolloway’s grass-covered clothes are not yet ready for the baskets.

“It takes a little more R&D to make the dresses fully wearable, but I’m getting there,” Holloway told me, adding that many brides-to-be have asked about her haute couture wedding gowns made from natural materials.

Alongside Holloway, international designers exhibiting at the Material Matters show at the London Design Festival last month showcased innovations including a collection of furniture made from recycled newspaper pulp. Light strips made from sewn orange peel; and shoes made from plant-based materials, including agricultural waste.