KYT - Biomaterials to Break Down Ozone

The job our skin is designed to do – act as a living, breathing organ – finds itself at odds with the state of our environment.

Today, urban megacities are no strangers to extreme air pollution and smog, with ozone being a major contributor. Sweat pores serve as entry points for pollutants, and the skin’s permeability increases in humid conditions, heightening the risk. The forehead and scalp are among the most permeable areas. When ozone comes into contact with the skin, it can impair healing and contribute to conditions like psoriasis and eczema. It can also increase the absorption of toxins through sweat glands, some of which are carcinogenic and endocrine-disrupting.

Protect: Our water-based biomaterial, made from silk, sodium alginate, and calcium chloride solution, is doped with titanium dioxide to break down ozone on contact. Worn as a headpiece, it shields vulnerable areas from air pollution.

Project: The sodium indigotrisulfonate (indigo) pigment in the headpiece degrades when exposed to ozone, signaling pollution exposure and evoking the garment’s historical role as a symbol of protest.