Bone Fashion
We had a great time at the Surface Design Show 2024. Besides meeting a huge range of individuals and representatives from various companies, a number of potential surprising directions made themselves known. In particular, one of these deserves a mention.
Michelle Lowe-Holder is interested in making sustainable upcycled fashion accessories. Fortunately, the Surface Design Show gave us the opportunity to discuss our work, and to begin a project that would see us displaying work at two fashion shows. In doing so, it would steer us to experiment with a glue that has deep roots in the history of making.
During the show, we began to see a theme within enquiries. There was much interest around sustainability, biodegradability and application. Drawn to the surfaces we presented, Michelle invited us to make a few artifacts that were made with materials and glues that were completely biodegradable. If successful, the object would not cause environmental concerns at the point of disposal.
And so, the post person delivered us a box of goodies including bracelets, wedges (shoes), toggles, buttons and clasps to name a few. Included was a protein based adhesive, colloquially known as bone glue. We were to copy a selection of these objects using marquetry that was made from only timber and bonded solely with bone glue. No PVA or PU glue, both of which are plastic based. A particular ambition for Michelle, was for us to use the bone glue as a replacement for the recycled plastic sheet we have previously used.
Encountering its physical properties, we learned a little about the glue in relation to the job we were asking it to do. Used as an adhesive to make up marquetry blocks, it had many positives. It’s quick to apply, will bond many materials outside of timber, sets in approximately half an hour and of course is non toxic.However, when used as a piece of sheet material, sandwiched between timber slabs, we encountered an issue whilst machining forms from the marquetry block.
As a sheet, it responded poorly to mechanized cutting. Being a soft material, moving blades caused friction which generated heat. The heat led the glue to clog up blades, and at worst it completely melted, allowing the bond to fail. In contemporary terms, these are bad things. Needless to say, we found some workarounds allowing us to salvage two bracelets and a pair of wedges.
By today's wooly standards, bone glue is relatively clean and by some measure, sustainable. Traditionally used in furniture making, a tired and loose joint could be heated, allowing the glue bond to break. The joint could now be disassembled, fixed and reset. This is great, and served a world of make do and mend, rather than manufacture and market. However, in using a traditional product with contemporary making processes, adaptation of our approach was needed. The glue must not be exposed to heat if the objects are to survive and thrive. Problem solving.
Into the world, via DPD, entered some new artefacts. Two pairs of shoes and approximately 10 bracelets made their way to Michele. As these objects journeyed towards Norway and London, we moved forward, exploring the opportunity to use cleaner glue in the production of our marquetry blocks. A change in our process, and a step in a good direction.
