I can explain to you in detail just how a tree can be made into paper. But I've always wondered - and hoped - that someday, someone would help me discover how paper can be made back into a tree.
We obviously want to produce things that people want. We are going to continue to do that in an environmentally responsible way, while still being aware of the physical, scientific, and practical issues that we have to deal with.
I started to grow microbial cellulose to explore an ecofriendly textile for clothing and accessories but, very quickly, I realized this method had potential for all sorts of other biodegradable consumer products.
The future is in green energy; it's in making steel for energy-efficient cars.
It is extremely important to me that the social and environmental issues associated with the production of fashion clothing are addressed.
I believe within five to 10 years most larger corporations will switch to greener industrial enzymes, not just for the environment but also for their bottom line.
Biologically inspired materials could revolutionize materials science. People looking at spider silk and abalone shells are looking for new ways to make materials better, cheaper, and with less toxic byproducts.
In the future, fast-fashion retailers might change their philosophy toward real efforts to create a world of their own. One can only hope.
Right now, we're trying to make sure that what we produce is as good for the environment as possible or, at least, helps clean up another problem.
I often ask myself, 'What would design be like if objects were made of a single part? Would we return to a better state of creation?'
We have to find alternative ways of producing our raw materials without asking nature to do it for us.
