inside gozen’s biomaterial and nanocellulose textile 'lunaform'

Gozen’s biomaterial and nanocellulose-based Lunaform

Gozen officially launches the biomaterial Lunaform, a series of grown and fermented nanocellulose textiles formed by microorganisms. In an interview with designboom, founder Ece Gozen says the material goes beyond plastic-based imitation leather. The team uses their own BioCraft technology to grow the nanocellulose material in their new facility in Turkey, spanning 40,000 square foot. In seven days, the nanocellulose textile Lunaform comes to life through a resource-light fermentation process in this laboratory.

‘Unlike the many synthetic alternatives that rely on a polyurethane base or materials requiring heavy processing, Lunaform is 100% bio-based in its wet state and shaped through the ingenuity of microorganisms, creating a totally unique nonwoven biomaterial,’ Ece Gozen tells designboom. A single structure of fibrous cellulosic bonds makes up Gozen’s biomaterial and nanocellulose-based Lunaform. The founder shares with us that this is key to the material’s tensile strength and drape. The team sources a minimal amount of plant-based inputs from certified local suppliers in Turkey that are required for their controlled fermentation process. ‘Though in reality we grow our feedstock ourselves – which is the wet state of Lunaform – to ensure a process that is scalable and sustainable,’ she says.

all images courtesy of GOZEN Studio

Balenciaga robe-style coat made of bio-based ingredients

Gozen’s biomaterial and nanocellulose-based Lunaform has made its debut before. It graces the runway during the Balenciaga Summer 2024 show at Paris Fashion Week. Called the Maxi Bathrobe Coat, the ensemble comprises a black, belted, robe-style coat with front pockets. Now, there are three collections in the recent launch of Gozen’s biomaterial and nanocellulose-based Lunaform. The first is ORIGINS, which reveals the trail of fibrous patterns left by the activity of microorganisms during its creation. Then TRANSPARENT, dubbed the first commercial translucent collection, created as well with nanocellulose.

The last is INDIGO, which is an artistic material finish that resembles the texture and look between textile, leather, and denim. All of the materials here are from the nanocellulose lattice that formed after the design team combined natural agents and flexible biopolymer, to name a few. The result, as Ece Gozen explains to designboom, gives the clothing a natural cascading drape that can hold its own form, all the while being lightweight and flexible. These are some of the reasons that the biotechnology startup founder and the design team work with the biomaterial and work on making the nanocellulose-based Lunaform as available as possible.

GOZEN launches the biomaterial LUNAFORM, a series of nanocellulose textiles formed by microorganisms

textile-like material transforms into variety of textures

‘Lunaform can be viewed as something of a hybrid material, its fibrous, cellulosic structure gives it a woven fabric-like quality while it retains the durability and beauty of a noble nonwoven. This enables designers to shape new forms that feel both organic and futuristic,’ the designer says. In addition to that, Gozen’s biomaterial and nanocellulose-based Lunaform is a shapeshifter.

The founder says the textile-like material transforms into a wide variety of touches and textures, even though it comes from a single source. The design team uses their in-house BioCraft technology. In that case, they can tune the nanocellulose by thickness, transparency, colorway, and even grain. They also combine fermentation and biotechnology in the process, which allows for a flexible material.

in seven days, the nanocellulose textile and collection LUNAFORM comes to life

For the unveiling of Gozen’s biomaterial and nanocellulose-based Lunaform, Ece Gozen taps Turkish filmmaker and multidisciplinary artist Serra Duran Parali to produce a short film showcasing the collections. The shot takes place in the biotechnology startup’s new 40,000-square-foot facility in Turkey, which is capable of handling 150,000 square feet of nanocellulose material per year. In the short film, the director documents Lunaform’s materiality and textures using macro shots, fluid motion, and contrasting lighting.

Ece Gozen tells designboom why she and her team decide to go for a short film to reveal the material and collections. She shares with us that designers and creatives need to see and even feel a material’s potential to feel inspired to use it. ‘A film allows us to cut through the noise in a space where there is often a lot of talk but little substance. Instead of relying on claims and descriptions, we let the material speak for itself, showing its cascading drape, organic formation, and versatility in action,’ she adds. The founder believes that by taking the viewers through their process, they’re also providing them a level of transparency that is rare in this space.

the textile emerges from a resource-light fermentation process

For Ece Gozen, there’s a low adoption of next-generation materials in the creative industries. The founder explains to designboom that ‘bridging this gap is not just part of a strategy, because it’s already an inherent part of our identity. Gozen is a design-led biotech company born at the intersection of biology, design, materials, and fashion. So our mission is to create new, progressive, and functional materials by taking a design lens to biotechnology. For us, this is not a goal, but a fundamental part of our approach and vision.’

In fact, she and her team are growing Gozen’s biomaterial and nanocellulose-based Lunaform instead of creating new biomaterials all the time. It is abundant and flexible enough to grow in laboratories using natural ingredients, and the founder sees nanocellulose as a foundation to explore and expand upon. ‘So instead of mycelium or other feedstocks, our focus is on pushing the boundaries of Lunaform itself. Its versatility allows us to uncover new applications beyond fashion and textiles, from cosmetics to wearable technologies – and even to industries as exciting and far-fetched as space exploration,’ she says.

LUNAFORM is 100% bio-based in its wet state and shaped through microorganisms