Genetically-engineered plants that produce edible textiles by Carole Collet

Plants could be genetically-engineered to act as "living machines" that produce textiles as well as crops, according to this synthetic biology project by designer and researcher, Carole Collet.
"Would you eat a vitamin-rich black strawberry from a plant that has also produced your little black dress?" wondered Collet, whose Biolace concept responds to the need to produce enough food and textiles for the world's rapidly expanding population by proposing that the DNA of plants could be adapted so they produce synthetically-enhanced foods and lace-like fabrics grow from their roots.
"'Biolace' proposes to use synthetic biology as an engineering technology to reprogram plants into multi-purpose factories," explained Collet, who is a full time academic and deputy director of the Textile Futures Research CentreCentral Saint Martins College in London.
"Plants become living machines, simply needing sun and water to be operational. In such a scenario, we would harvest fruits and fabrics at the same time from the same plants."
Collet believes that by 2050 advances in biological technologies could enable the "hyper-engineered" plants to be grown in huge greenhouses with their roots embedded in a mineral nutrient solution.
The Biolace project proposes four genetically-engineered plants including a tomato plant with high levels of a nutrient called lycopene that could help improve the skin's resistance to sunburn and protein-rich edible lace growing from its roots, and a basil plant that could produce anti-viral medicines as well as perfumed lace for use in decorative fashion applications.
A strawberry bush with black lace growing from its roots would yield black strawberries enriched with enhanced levels of vitamin C and antioxidants, while a spinach plant could produce micro biological sensors for use in electronics at the same time as providing a multi-mineral food supplement.
"The aim of this project is to bring to light the potential of emerging living technologies and to questions the pros and cons of such extreme genetic engineering," said Collet. "Could biological engineering promote a new kind of sustainable textile manufacturing, less reliant on chemicals and less energy-hungry than our current models of production?"
Other strange synthetic biology projects we've featured recently include cheese made from human bacteria and synthetic creatures that could help to clean up pollution.
Photography is by the designer.
Film is by Immatters.
Here's some more information from the designer:
‘Biolace’ is located in 2050, in a future where all grown food is ‘enhanced’ and where sustainable manufacturing is compulsory for an overpopulated planet. ‘Biolace’ proposes to use synthetic biology