Seaweed Bikini

Role:

Independent Researcher

Industry:

Sustainable Fashion

Dates:

Sept 2023 - May 2024

Dates:

Sept 2023 - May 2024

Focus:

Bio Materials Research

Focus:

Bio Materials Research

This project explores how sargassum seaweed overabundance in Miami could be transformed from an environmental burden into a viable bio-based textile for use in fashion.

Motivated by repeated coastal blooms and their impact on local ecosystems and communities, I investigated whether seaweed could function as a low-impact material alternative within apparel systems.

The work combines environmental research, material experimentation, and physical prototyping to examine the feasibility of seaweed leather as a wearable textile.

This project explores how sargassum seaweed overabundance in Miami could be transformed from an environmental burden into a viable bio-based textile for use in fashion.

Motivated by repeated coastal blooms and their impact on local ecosystems and communities, I investigated whether seaweed could function as a low-impact material alternative within apparel systems.

The work combines environmental research, material experimentation, and physical prototyping to examine the feasibility of seaweed leather as a wearable textile.

Problem

Recurring sargassum blooms along Miami’s coastline have disrupted ecosystems, tourism, and community access to beaches. At the same time, the fashion industry continues to rely on materials that contribute to deforestation, pollution, and high carbon emissions.

Despite seaweed’s known ecological and bioactive properties, it remains largely underexplored as a material resource within fashion and apparel systems.

Approach

  • Conducted literature reviews on sargassum ecology, bioactive compounds, and material properties

  • Analyzed the environmental impact of traditional leather and synthetic textile alternatives

  • Studied precedents in bio-based and algae-derived materials

  • Developed a repeatable fabrication process linking environmental waste to material innovation

  • Framed findings through a circular economy and sustainable design lens

Execution

  • Developed a step-by-step fabrication process using sargassum, glycerol, and tapioca starch

  • Experimented with drying methods, thickness control, and flexibility to produce usable material sheets

  • Sewed a functional seaweed leather bikini prototype to test wearability and structural limits

  • Documented fabrication challenges, including material uniformity, durability, and scalability constraints

  • Consolidated findings into a comprehensive research document outlining limitations and future pathways

Impact

  • Demonstrated the feasibility of seaweed leather as a low-impact textile alternative

  • Reframed an environmental waste problem as an opportunity for material innovation

  • Produced a wearable prototype validating real-world application potential

  • Established a foundation for future research into scalability, supply chains, and policy support

  • Positioned seaweed leather within a broader circular economy framework for fashion

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