Human Hair as a Regenerative Material Resource: utilising protein fibre waste in the circular bioeconomy through interdisciplinary collaborative desig

目前在英国，人类头发每年产生650万公斤的废物。到2050年，它将在全球生产100万吨纤维，这几乎与目前每年的羊毛产量相同，这是由于世界人口的增加而增加的。这项基于实践的设计研究关注的是基于蛋白质的废物的回收，探索人类头发作为一种资源来增加循环生物经济（CBE）的价值。通过从垃圾填埋场转移资源，减少纤维工业中不可再生材料的压力，这项研究将发现新的，对环境有益的材料和模型。CBE在应对气候紧急情况方面发挥着重要作用。它已经开始通过使用自然的、可再生的系统来扩展传统的废物设计方法。这给我们带来了新的生物基材料。虽然植物基和人造材料的回收利用势头强劲，但蛋白质基纤维的全面前景尚未得到充分探索。与其他动物来源的蛋白质纤维一样，人类的头发也是一种丰富的废物。它还没有一个恢复和再生的闭环系统，尽管它有一些有害但也有价值的特性。如果从整体角度考察，利用跨学科合作和设计驱动的实践，考虑到新产生的生物材料的美学、伦理、社会、经济和文化价值，利用蛋白质基纤维将增加CBE的价值。作为一名创意设计研究员，我将通过科学、设计、艺术和文化领域的合作，利用绿色化学和机械回收方法，从头发废料中开发可再生的生物基材料，包括纺织品和生物塑料。参与式设计和反思性实践是激发创新系统/材料/产品的关键方法。访谈、研讨会、实地研究以及与科学合作伙伴和文化机构的驻地结合材料开发将构成基于实践的研究的核心部分。最终形成实物展示和最终的书面论文。

Human hair currently generates 6.5 million kilogrammes of waste in the UK annually. By 2050 it will generate one million tonnes globally - this is nearly the same amount of fibre as current annual wool production - an increase due to our increased world population. This practice-based design research is concerned with the recycling of protein-based waste, exploring human hair as a resource to add value to the circular bioeconomy (CBE). By diverting the resource from landfill, reducing pressure on non-renewable materials in the fibre industry, the research will uncover new, environmentally-beneficial materials and models.CBE plays an important role in responding to the climate emergency. It has begun to extend conventional approaches to designing with waste by using natural, regenerative systems. This has brought us new, biobased materials. While the recycling of plant-based and man-made materials has gained momentum, the full landscape of protein-based fibres has been underexplored. Alongside other animal-derived protein fibres, human hair is an abundant waste stream. It does not yet have a closed-loop system for recovery and regeneration, despite its harmful, yet also valuable, properties. Utilising protein-based fibres will add value to the CBE if examined from a holistic perspective, using interdisciplinary collaboration and design-driven practice, taking into account the aesthetic, ethical, social, economic and cultural values of newly generated biomaterials. As a creative design researcher, I will develop renewable biobased materials from hair waste including textiles and bioplastics, utilising green chemical and mechanical recycling methods by collaborating across the fields of science, design, arts and culture. Participatory design and reflective practice are key methods used to stimulate innovative systems/materials/products. Interviews, workshops, field research and residencies with scientific partners and cultural institutes combined with material development will form the core part of the practice-based research. Resulting into a physical showcase and final written thesis.