BioMaterials (Pleurotus ostreatus)
Challenging the 'perception of white', through mycelium based hygiene products.
Through the dissection and analysation of the materialities within each layer of a common menstrual pad, we shockingly noticed the amount of plastics, bleaching chemicals and other toxins women, let into contact with our skin at one of the most sensitive parts of their body.
'What comes into contact with the vagina impacts the body up to 80 times more than what is ingested through the mouth.' Source: El País
Throughout the history of menstruation products we noted how humans moved from natural absorbent products to plastics and chemicals, and how the industry is now leading back towards the natural. However, still engrained in our brains is the (mis-) perception of 'whiteness' to be synonymous for 'cleanliness' and 'hygienic'.
Our speculative and futuristic design project 'ALBA' (meaning 'White' in Latin) aims to question this perception by introducing a line of novel hygiene articles from one single, naturally white material: Oyster-mushroom Mycelium (Pleurotus ostreatus). The final products are fully degradable, leaving zero waste behind them.
For our prototypes we developed 3D sketches (Blender and Rhino7), 3D printed the models and created moulds, using a Vacuum-former Machine. After cleansing and sterilising the forms, we introduced the substrate (a combination of sterile beechwood, used coffee grounds and mycelium), sealed them (to avoid the formation of fruiting bodies - mushrooms), whilst leaving breathing holes (oxidation to survive and grew the mycelium net), and stored them at stable room temperature for about 2 - 4 Weeks. The longer the samples were left in their moulds, the tighter and stronger the mycelium structure became.
Main softwares used for our drawings included Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator and Figma.
Developed during my studies at IE University; Course by Rodrigo Rubio.
In collaboration with Barbara Hernandez Gaitan, Mira Gulvady and Mariane Meshaka.
Our Idea:
Final Result:
