Creative Wear Fashion Design from Bioplastic Derived from Shrimp Shell Waste

Abstract

This creative research aimed to investigate the potential of bio plastic derived from shrimp shell waste for fashion design applications, develop creative wear garments using the developed biomaterial, and promote environmentally sustainable fashion design through value-added utilization of biological waste. The research employed a creative research methodology consisting of a literature review on biomaterials and sustainable fashion, a consumer survey involving 30 participants, including fashion students and individuals interested in biomaterials, and experimental development of chitosan-based bio plastic extracted from shrimp shell waste. The developed material was fabricated into various forms and applied to the creation of a creative wear collection inspired by marine ecosystems and bioluminescent plankton, emphasizing transparency, surface texture, and three-dimensional material characteristics.

            The findings revealed that consumers highly valued environmentally friendly products and considered aesthetic design and material properties as the primary factors influencing purchasing decisions, while comfort and material odor remained major concerns. The material experiments demonstrated that the developed chitosan bio plastic could be fabricated into transparent bio plastic films and bio-beads with desirable flexibility, formability, and surface quality. Furthermore, the incorporation of fluorescent pigments successfully enhanced the material's aesthetic value through luminescent effects. The resulting creative wear prototypes effectively demonstrated the potential of shrimp shell bio plastic as an alternative sustainable material for experimental fashion design, while simultaneously adding value to seafood waste through the integration of biomaterial innovation, wearable art, and sustainable fashion concepts.