Watch All Walks Co-Founder Erin O’Connor in Catalytic Clothing’s film, Herself:
Catalytic Clothing - Herself from Helen Storey Foundation on Vimeo.
Fashion and science made a unique duo at this years Edinburgh International Science Festival. Artist and designer Helen Storey MBE from the London College of Fashion and scientist Professor Tony Ryan OBE from The University of Sheffield, the dynamic patnership behind Catalytic Clothing, revealed their exciting vision of air purifying jeans and kilts.
Catalytic Clothing is a refreshing and clever initiative combining fashion and science. The idea is simple, but powerful. By treating the garments with a unique blend of titanium dioxide, they act as a catalyst to clean the air around them. This means that each one of us can help neutralise air pollution simply by walking around. Not only does the air become cleaner, but our clothes do too. With the help of sunlight, the catalysts will neutralise the dirt from the air pollution around us that would otherwise end up stuck to our clothes, meaning fewer trips to the launderette will be needed, saving energy.
Speaking about the project, Prof Helen Storey said:
“Catalytic Clothing is the most challenging, globally relevant project I have ever attempted. Behind almost all human advancement, lies science. Through my work, I try to share and involve the public with these possibilities.”
Since launching in June 2011, the campaign for clean air has spread across the globe and has reached over 300 million people. The Catalytic Clothing film stars All Walks’ Co-Founder Erin O’Connor and has gone ‘viral’, continuing to be downloaded all over the world.
If everything goes smoothly, we will not have long to wait long before we see this initiative come to life. Current testing indicates that Catalytic Clothing will be ready to launch to the market as an Ecover laundry product by 2013.
Click here to see a film charting the story so far.
To keep up with all the latest developments, follow Catalyst Clothing on Twitter @ProfHelenStorey.
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Words by Hanna Fillingham
Editor Charlotte Gush, on Twitter @CavaCharlotte
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Hanna Fillingham is a second year Journalism student at Cardiff University.
During the summer of 2011, Hanna worked as an intern for Caryn Franklin. Hanna has a blog here, and is on Twitter @hannafillingham |