The Colour of Hair

«The Colour of Hair» aims to create a sustainable surface altering process through the use of the natural and abundant material of hair. The developed process uses human hair to create surface treatments and decoration on diverse metals. By considering hair as a useful material rather than a material to evoke distasteful emotion, «The Colour of Hair» proposes controlled and sustainable printing wonders.

Drawing inspiration from traditional ceramic techniques, the process uses human hair to create a surface treatment and decorative patterns on a diverse range of metals. By applying the hair to a carefully heated surface, the material carbonises instantly and acts as a form of ink that has similarities to etching and anodising. This reaction is caused by the hair’s main protein, keratin. The transformation during this process is permanent and durable.

Designers:
Fabio Hendry (Studio Ilio) in collaboration with Martijn Rigters

Project Type:
Material science, experimental design

Website:
studio-ilio.com