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MycoTEX top shown during the NEFFA fashion show at Avantex, Paris
credits: Aniela Hoitink | NEFFA

MYCO TEX

MycoTEX - textile made of mushroom mycelium
The world is dynamic. However our textiles are not. They have been with us all our lifetime, but they do not seem to have changed much. In fact, we actually require them to remain exactly the same for as long as possible. Nowadays our consumption rate is ever increasing and, as part of such disposable culture, we hardly repair anything. Aniela aims to change the way we use textiles. By altering or adding properties to textile, she is investigating how we can and will use textiles in the future and what the related implications will be.

Posted 6 April 2018

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The initial purpose of MycoTEX was to create a textile out of living material and to learn how to develop a real garment out of it. So far mycelium (the root of a mushroom) has been predominantly used in a solid state in combination with a substrate. Therefore Aniela started by combining mycelium (and its peculiar properties) with textiles, in order to create flexible composite products. Learning whilst researching, her goal turned into developing textiles consisting exclusively of pure mycelium. Along the research process, Aniela developed a method for retaining flexibility without using traditional textile materials.
 
Aniela’s inspiration comes from the observation of “soft bodies” species. Such organisms grow by replicating themselves over and over again, following some sort of modular pattern. This observation inspired Aniela to build the textile out of modules, a solution which consequently provided a number of important benefits. In fact, in such way repair and replacement of the garment are easy to perform and do not interfere with the look of the fabric. Furthermore, the garment can be built three-dimensionally
and shaped whilst being made, fitting the wearer’s wishes. Thus, it is possible to create mycelium patterns, to adjust the length of the garment or for example to add elements (e.g. sleeves). This allows growth of just the right amount of needed material, eliminating every potential leftover/waste during the making process.
 
Her explorations resulted in a dress, which can be adjusted to adapt to fashion, and can also be repaired when needed. Once the garment is not in use anymore, it can easily be composted. In this way, it is possible to completely re-think future possibilities for fashion items.
With thanks to Universiteit Utrecht, Officina Corpuscoli & Mediamatic
 
Biography Aniela Hoitink | NEFFA
After she completed Fashion Design at the Utrecht School of Arts (1999), Aniela Hoitink worked for various fashion companies (i.a. Tommy Hilfiger, Gaastra) gaining a wealth of experience in developing artworks and all-over patterns as well as in designing entire collections. She launched NEFFA in 2004, as a way to better express her creativeness and to give her the opportunity to turn her original ideas into surprising products and concepts. The name NEFFA means “net effe anders” in Dutch, wanting to do things just that bit differently.
 
Aniela Hoitink believes that distinctiveness and individuality in people and materials are the elements that make the world an interesting place.
Aniela Hoitink is looking into changing material and production techniques, instead of changing human behaviour. She believes this is easier than changing our consumption behaviour, as this behaviour is older than our production techniques. Her solutions are on the crossover with technology and microbiology industries. She is re-thinking the Future of Fashion and develops personalised fashion and textile products based on newly developed material and production techniques. She also researches old materials, dyeing and production techniques to combine those with current technologies. Her aim is to develop future concepts for the ultimate sustainable wearable fashion based on personalisation. And with MycoTEX she creates the Fashion Company of the Future.
 
Aniela Hoitink helps companies, research institutes and universities with the integration of (bio) technology into textile prototypes and designs to make them more appealing for a specific target group or a wider audience. Her extensive background in the commercial fashion industry helps in translating (bio) technology onto the market. She is available for research, (material) development and prototyping, consultation and mentoring.
She also initiates projects and gives inspiring presentations to a very diverse range of
audiences from fashion to creative industries and science. Her work is featured in TV
programs like Groen Licht, Een vandaag and NOS dag van de duurzaamheid, various
magazines and websites such as Discovery, Dezeen, Huffington Post and Daily mail and printed publications like National Geographic, New scientist and Surface Design Journal.
 
www.neffa.nl
 
HONOURS & AWARDS
2018 Global Change Awards “MycoTEX”
2017 the Smart List: 25 Forward thinkers defining the Future of Fashion (FashNerd)
2017 Green Concept Award: Selection “MycoTEX”
2017 Look Forward FashionTech Award: Nominee “Dynamic skin”
2015 LAUNCH Nordic Materials Challenge: Shortlist “MycoTEX”
2013 LAUNCH Systems Challenge: Shortlist “Solar fiber”
2012 Accenture Innovation Awards 2012: Finalist "Solar fiber"
2012 TEDx Amsterdam Award 2012: Long list "Solar fiber"
2012 Ideas Waiting to Happen: 1st price "Solar fiber"
2011 Blooom Award: Honourable mention "Sleeping beauty"
 
GRANTS
2017 WEARsustain / H2020 “MycoTEX”
2017 Plug and Play - Fashion For Good accelerator program “MycoTEX”
2015/16 Stimuleringsfonds Creatieve Industrie “Dynamic skin”
2015 WORTH Pilot Project / CIP “Peplum jacket”
2014/15 NWO project “Mycelium design” Universiteit Utrecht, Officina Corpuscoli, Stichting

MycoTEX-dried-samples
caption: MycoTEX textile samples grown with mycelium
credits: Aniela Hoitink | NEFFA

MycoTEX-textile
caption: MycoTEX first tests to develop textile out of pure mycelium
credits: Aniela Hoitink | NEFFA

MycoTEX-3-sides
caption: MycoTEX dress as seen from all sides
credits: Aniela Hoitink | NEFFA

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