BIO YARN RESEARCH | Caro Etchart

BIOMATERIAL: ALGAE YARN _____

Also known as Algi yarn, Bio yarn, Seaweed yarn, Alginate Yarn, and my personal favourite: Mermaid yarn

What is it?

Algae yarn is a sustainable, biodegradable fiber made with Alginate Sodium, a compound derived from brown seaweed.

Like any material artists use to create, fibers carry their own form of expression. Considering this wide universe of possibilities, I have been working on a Research and Experimentation project on alginate yarn. The goal of this project is to develop a variety of sensitive yarn that holds meaning in itself, and to use it in the production of new pieces that are sustainable and environmentally conscious, contributing to a more sustainable future for textile art.

This project is made possible thanks to financial support from the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec (CALQ).

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How is it made?

By creating a liquid mixture and extruding it into a mineral bath where it transforms into a solid, flexible, gel-like fiber.

The base 'Formula' for this mixture contains Sodium Alginate, Glycerin and Water. The pigment, filler or texture modifier that we add to this mixture is what creates the variations and what brings the magic and singularity to each of them.

Here, a short video that shows the process:

Updates on the research and findings on my Youtube channel : Caro Etchart

For day-to-day follow-ups view my stories and highlights: Caro Etchart IG

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