‘Moving Colors’ A distinctive shoe collection of five pairs of shoes. Pioneering durable design with bacterial dyes.
By Studio Ilfa Siebenhaar and SKUA Studio.
In this collaboration, we used the power of bacteria’s renewable resources to make dyes for shoes. In this shoe collection, we applied bacterially produced pigments in response to polluting dyeing practices in the fashion industry, shaped by sustainable design and traditional craftsmanship by SKUA Studio.
Craft meets innovation – Sustainable shoes through biotechnology and craftsmanship
Science and craft come together in this fascinating collaboration with SKUA Studio. The result is a unique collection of shoes made from leather dyed with pigments derived from our color-producing bacteria. Instead of the toxic synthetic dyeing techniques normally used in the fashion and footwear industry, we use eco-friendly dyes derived from bacteria that produce a beautiful array of colors. All individual shoe components are dyed in the lab in Rotterdam and sewn together in SKUA Studio’s workshop in Utrecht, where slow design and respect for craftsmanship are paramount.
Microbes and Design – A new step forward in sustainable fashion
We met Anousjka Röben and Naomi Hille, both shoe designers and founders of SKUA Studio, during the Driving Dutch Design program in 2022. Our refreshing ideas about how fashion should look complement each other perfectly. This led to a joyful collaboration resulting in a beautiful play of colors and distinctive shoe designs, shaped and inspired by the growth of bacteria.
The designs of this shoe collection are inspired by the organic shapes of bacteria
The designs of this shoe collection are inspired by the organic forms of bacteria. When bacteria multiply, they create beautiful organic patterns, with each pattern being unique. The movement within these patterns was the inspiration for the “Moving Colors” shoe collection.
In this collaboration, we explored how we could work together as a studio and strengthen each other to create a design that reduces environmental impact without compromising the aesthetics of the design. We contributed our knowledge and expertise, from which beautiful organic forms based on bacterial growth emerged. As can be seen in both the shoe design and the design of the colored and hand-dyed leather, this resulted in an inspiring collaboration combining innovation with artisanal design and craftsmanship.
