Living textile ecosystems: exploring three future scenarios of livingness at the intersection of biodesign and fashion

The fashion industry’s impact has reached a critical point, with the increasing textile waste and fast fashion at the core of unsustainable production-consumption cycles. Addressing the urgent need for circular and regenerative solutions in design materials and processes, this chapter delves into the transformative potential of integrating biological organisms into fashion, envisioning textiles as dynamic ecosystems. Drawing from six pioneering case studies, the authors propose and reflect on three future scenarios leveraging livingness in design to create a low-impact system. Bio-loop garments emphasise biodegradability and regeneration, symbiotic fashion concepts foster cooperative connections, and living skins integrate responsive and adaptive textiles to enhance health and functionality. These speculative approaches reimagine the future of fashion as restorative, emotional, and interactive, promoting a co-evolving relationship among wearers and garments.