Fashion designer Caroline Zimbalist is shaking up the industry with original dresses made partially of seaweed as an alternative to plastics derived from dirty fuels.
According to the Associated Press, Zimbalist's designs gained traction in 2024 when singer-songwriter Chappell Roan wore one of the unique dresses on "The Tonight Show." Since then, she has launched a website to sell eco-friendly dresses, which cost between $150 and $1,200.
The Public Interest Research Group reported that around 60% of our clothing is made from synthetic fibers, such as polyester, which not only contain petroleum but also shed microplastics into the air and waterways.
Moreover, most fast-fashion brands use synthetic plastics to save money and produce more garments, and many of these items end up contaminating the environment or piling up in landfills. Creating clothing out of biomaterials like seaweed puts a new spin on fashion while helping the planet.
The magic happens on Zimbalist's stove, where she blends corn starch and a thickener made from seaweed. After letting it harden in heart- and leaf-shaped silicone molds, she stitches the mixture into custom dresses.
Other major brands, such as Adidas, Hermès, and Lycra, have also started experimenting with environmentally friendly materials, including mushroom leather and corn-based materials. They're not mainstream yet, but that could change in the near future as more companies switch to sustainable products.
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However, whether eco-friendly fashion will replace unsustainable practices in general is yet to be determined, as biomaterials can be expensive and currently difficult to source.
There's also the issue of demand; since not many people are aware of clothing made from biomaterials, experimental and niche designers are cornering the market. It will likely take time for the fashion industry to catch up as more green technologies become commercially available.
However, Dale Rogers, an Arizona State University professor who studies supply chains, believes that alternative materials will eventually gain widespread popularity.
"What they're doing is likely to have long-term benefit, maybe even after their lifetimes," he told the AP.
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Giving me money back 💰 Meanwhile, while Zimbalist noted that her seaweed-stitched dresses aren't ready to be scaled up, she said her work is "a piece that leads to larger conversations."
Perhaps one day, we'll all be wearing dresses made of seaweed or other plant-based materials indistinguishable from standard fabrics.
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