A bio-alternative to constructing outdoor gear




The advent of synthetic materials such as polyurethane and

Gore-tex has democratised access to extreme climates.


Human interactions with these climates are temporary

experiences, lasting days to weeks,but they have lasting

repercussions for the landscape left behind.


Waste is a complex issue on the mountains, where climbers

frequently leave behind their gear to avoid carrying any extra

weight for a safer descent.


There is a need to design gear specifically for short-term use:

made from nature, to be experienced in nature.


Purely by existing, we consume energy in the natural

environment. The point of Algear is to highlight a move away

from the   mainstream notion of brutal energy extraction and

move towards a mindful form of consumption. The ability to

cultivate micro-algae allows for a sustainable form of

extraction.


This project harnesses the organic growth assembly of

cyanobacteria, a blue-green algae which is among the oldest

known phototropic organisms. Their photosynthetic abilities

and adaptiveness to stressful conditions offer potential for a

material that can endure the shifting/changing climates.


Their simple cell structure allows the species to grow at a fast

rate, making them almost infinitely renewable.


Algear proposes a future where outdoor gear that protects us

from the elements can be created and produced with

elements that are abundant to us or with what is left from the

past.


This project contributes to the importance of the leave-no-

trace code, through growing a material that naturally

biodegrades and nourishes the land in the process,

allowing for the conservation of an ecological future through

our transient adventures outdoors.