For some people, wigs are a fun and colorful fashion accessory, but for those with hair loss from alopecia or other conditions, they can provide a real sense of normalcy and boost self-confidence. Whether made from human or synthetic strands, however, most hairpieces lose their luster after being worn day after day. Now, researchers in ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces report a new way to make wigs more durable and long lasting.

Wigs come in all colors of the rainbow and in every style imaginable. Some cover the whole head, while others are “extensions,” sections of hair that clip onto existing locks to make them look fuller or longer. Hairpieces can be made of real human strands or synthetic materials, but either way, washing, UV exposure from the sun and repeated styling can cause these products to become dry and brittle.

To extend the wearable life of wigs, some researchers have spray-coated a layer of graphene oxide on them, whereas other teams have immersed wig hairs in a keratin/halloysite nanocomposite. Because it’s difficult to cover an entire hairpiece with these methods, Guang Yang, Huali Nie and colleagues wanted to see if a nanocomposite applied with a tried-and-true approach for coating surfaces with ultrathin films — known as the Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) technique — could improve coverage and increase durability.

The researchers first developed a keratin and graphene oxide nanocomposite as the coating material. To coat hairs with the LB method, they dipped a few human or synthetic hairs into water in a special apparatus with moveable side barriers. After the nanocomposite was spread on the water’s surface with an atomizer, the barriers were moved inward to compress the film— like the trash compactor that almost crushed the heroes in the movie Star Wars. After 30 minutes, the researchers lifted the hairs out of the water, and as they did so, the film coated the locks.

Compared to the immersion technique, the LB method provided more coverage. In addition, hairs treated with the LB approach sustained less UV damage, were less prone to breakage and could hold more moisture than those that were simply immersed in the nanocomposite. They also dissipated heat better and generated less static electricity when rubbed with a rubber sheet. The researchers say that the method can be scaled up for use by companies that manufacture wigs.

Since the dawn of the Industrial Revolution, clothing production has been on an unsustainable path. Like most manufacturing, textiles are produced in a linear fashion with a cradle-to-grave model. Fabrics like cotton are farmed, worn, used, then thrown away. The textile industry as a whole is responsible for 10% of global carbon emissions, with leather being especially harmful. 

The cattle industry is the single leading driver of deforestation, and the tanning of leather creates a great deal of chemical pollution. These challenges have motivated a search for more sustainable textiles, especially leather alternatives.

A team with a track record of successful collaboration may hold an answer. Biomedical Engineering researchers at Columbia Engineering recently announced they have created a compostable bioleather with superior flame-retardance and low environmental impact. Their microbial nanocellulose (MC) bioleather has a 1,000-times lower carcinogenic impact than cow leather and a significantly smaller carbon footprint than synthetic leather or cotton. Their study was published in Environmental Science: Advances. 

The team, led by Theanne Schiros and Helen Lu, together with Ph.D. candidate Romare Antrobus, has been working together for several years in Columbia’s Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (MRSEC) to develop materials for a broad range of applications from biomedicine to energy, electronics, and textiles laid the foundation for inventing this versatile new material.

“Our bioleather represents a breakthrough not only for textiles but shows other industries how to explore a sustainable manufacturing process to engineer regenerative materials,”  said Lu, professor of biomedical engineering and Senior Vice Dean of Faculty Affairs and Advancement at Columbia Engineering.

To make high-performance biotextiles, the team harnessed microbial biosynthesis of nanocellulose, drawing inspiration from pre-industrial and indigenous science. Schiros hypothesized that a main component of mammalian brain used for millennia to tan hides into leather–lecithin phosphatidylcholine– would stabilize the interaction of cellulose with both water and lipids in a tanning emulsion, and modify the material properties of MC through its hydrophilic groups to make it suitable for use as a bioleather. When the researchers used traditional brain and smoke tanning processes, they noted an increase in tensile strength and ductility of MC, which encouraged this line of investigation. Their discovery led to the development of an eco-friendly, plant-based lecithin “tanning” process for nanocellulose that created a strong, compostable bioleather. 

This new process will not only transform future textile development but also cultural heritage research. While civilizations around the world have been creating sustainable and durable textiles since antiquity, most of these ancient techniques have been lost.

“Our team is now collaborating with scientists at the Metropolitan Museum of Art to develop a conservation studies database for artifacts in their cultural heritage collections and to understand the mechanism behind historic brain and organ tanning,” said Schiros, associate professor of materials science at the Fashion Institute of Technology and adjunct associate research scientist in Columbia’s MRSEC. 

Coming full circle to modern-day design, the researchers created a pair of naturally dyed, microbial bioleather sneakers in a collaboration with Public School NY. The sneakers are part of an exhibition, Towards a Circular Society: Learning from Nature, currently on view at the University of Bern’s Wyss Academy for Nature. They will also be on view in a separate exhibition at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts.

This new study builds off the researchers’ successful rethinking of manufacturing through the lens of biomaterials and the circular economy, including two startups spun out of their labs, Algiknit, which makes kelp-based biofibers, and Werewool, which has created a platform for high-performance regenerative textile fibers with DNA-programmed color and function, such as stretch or waterproofing,  provided by engineered proteins. 

With their accomplishments in harnessing the power of microbes and developing paleo-inspired green processing techniques, Lu and Schiros expect biofabrication to play a critical role in facilitating a transition to a more sustainable economy. MC offers a modular engineering platform for high-performance regenerative materials with various applications, from tissue engineering to batteries, electronics, biosensors, and pollution remediation, which the researchers are continuing to explore.

Schiros believes the broad applicability of their research may only be a matter of time. She added, “The biofabrication approach developed here can incentivize and accelerate a paradigm shift to a circular materials economy, critical to global climate goals and sustainable development.”

Japanese global apparel retailer, UNIQLO, shows us the joys of clothing as it presents its Spring/Summer collection for 2022. The collection provides fresh, comfortable, functional, and stylish pieces perfect for the season, whether one is in the city, nature, at home, or the seaside. 

THE JOYS OF CLOTHING

For this season, UNIQLO focuses on the simple joys that come to life when people and clothes find each other. In its latest lineup, there’s a blazer or dress that captures modern life in the city, a relaxing and roomy pair of shorts for that trip to the great outdoors, and breezy linens and madras shirts in lively colors that can be worn at the beach. UNIQLO presents four sub-themes this season and what ties all these together is that they bring happiness and comfort to its wearer during these sunny days.

The Joys of Skyline

City-dwellers enjoy the convenience of a cosmopolitan lifestyle: a neighborhood cafe with friendly baristas, a deli selling artisanal cheeses, restaurants serving farm-to-table food, or attending children’s ball games necessitating football mom shirts. This urban way of life needs contemporary and modern clothes that can be worn at work or off-duty.

The Joys of Landscape

Relish life off the grid, the rustling of the wind in the trees and the crunching of leaves under the shoes, with colors and textures that blend in with the scenery of nature.

The Joys of Imagination 

Art and sophisticated designs stir the senses. Imaginations are supposed to wander and enter brilliant new worlds so UNIQLO found inspiration in vibrant and uplifting colors. 

The Joys of Sun and Seaside

An afternoon by the beach while soaking in the sun and feeling the breeze calls for natural textures, linen fabric, and clothes that drape effortlessly over the body. These are comfortable to wear and more importantly, easy to shed off when it’s time for a dip.

UNIQLO U

This season’s collection for UNIQLO U aims to support the daily rhythm of all sorts of lifestyles. Artistic director Christophe Lemaire and the design team in Paris produced relaxed, loose-fitting, and clean silhouettes for the ultimate in comfort. 

This is also reflected in the palette, featuring earth tones in brown, khaki, and olive. Warm, neutral colors, such as faded tones of orange and green, and military blue also make an appearance. A kids’ collection will be offered again this season.

UT

For this season, UNIQLO’s exciting range of t-shirts inspired by art, music, movies, manga, and other elements of culture, UT promises a diverse range of interests, including film, art, and photography. 

A highlight this season is a line of monochromatic Mickey Mouse art by Joshua Vides. The artist is known for his immersive installations and products that embody the essence of pop art. Next is the collection in collaboration with Magnum Photos, a cooperative that has visually documented most of the world’s major events and personalities since the 1930s. The collection includes iconic photographs shot by Alec Soth, Eli Reed, Alessandra Sanguinetti, Gueorgui Pinkhassov, Elliott Erwitt, and Martin Parr.

These are accompanied by a collection that features Keith Haring’s debut exhibition at the Tony Shafrazi Gallery in New York City in 1982. Joining Haring are collections showcasing the art of Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat.

COLLABORATIONS

Apart from the sub-themes, UNIQLO is offering collaborations that reflect different aesthetics, but are all grounded by joy:

Hana Tajima

Hana Tajima returns to create UNIQLO’s first collection dedicated to dresses. This season, the New York-based fashion designer created garments that are made to be lived in, with understated yet iconic styles. 

The collection features deep greens and blues inspired by nature and flower patterns found in Tajima’s garden. These patterns can also be found on hand-drawn scarves. 

Inès de la Fressange

Inès De la Fressange turns to the colorful Moroccan city of Marrakesh in creating this season’s collection. The designer crafted high-quality and elegant yet casual items that liberally use cotton, linen, and silk. 

The womenswear lineup is infused with menswear elements in natural colors and warm accents in reds, oranges, and pinks. The collection stays true to de la Fressange’s DNA of effortless chic that is truly French, truly Inès.

JW Anderson

Jonathan Anderson, who is never far from the sea, was inspired by sailing and the culture of seaside towns and ports when developing this collection. The sapphire blues of the sea, the soft browns of seashores, and the calming beiges of chalk cliffs are combined with red, green, and blue elements, reminiscent of maritime signal flags. 

The nautical narrative is expressed through rope details, performance fabrics, patchwork, and asymmetrical elements.

UNIQLO’s 2022 Spring/Summer collection will be available starting February in all stores nationwide. 

For more updates, visit UNIQLO Philippines’ social media accounts, Facebook (facebook.com/uniqlo.ph), Twitter (twitter.com/uniqloph) and Instagram (instagram.com/uniqlophofficial) and UNIQLO Philippines’ website at uniqlo.com/ph, and download the UNIQLO App.