Chitosan, Olive waste

ALWAKIA | Bacterial Nacre Resistance Armour

ALWAKIA is a statement protective gear project that fuses biodesign, activism, and endangered craftsmanship to respond to the growing suppression of student protest movements globally. Developed by Elie Al-Marji as part of the MA Biodesign program at Central Saint Martins, the project centres around the development of a novel material: bacterial nacre; a sustainable, biofabricated alternative to traditional protective composites. At its core, ALWAKIA employs regenerative design to develop wearable resistance: gear that protects both the body and cultural identity in contexts of political unrest.

The foundation of ALWAKIA’s material innovation lies in biomineralisation using the bacterium Sporosarcina pasteurii. Through a process known as Microbially Induced Calcium Carbonate Precipitation (MICP), the bacterium catalyses the deposition of calcium carbonate onto biodegradable scaffolds made from chitosan. This results in a layered composite material that mimics the microstructure and impact-resistance of natural nacre (mother-of-pearl), but without the ecological cost of mollusc harvesting. The bacterial nacre is engineered through the cultivation of bacterial cultures, scaffold fabrication via extrusion bioprinting, and controlled mineralisation in custom-designed bioreactors. SEM analysis of the fabricated material confirmed the presence of calcium carbonate bridges and aragonite formations, replicating the hierarchical structure found in natural nacre and yielding an impact-resistant bio-composite suited for protective applications.

Functionally, ALWAKIA challenges the extractive nature of synthetic personal protective equipment (PPE), typically made from petroleum-derived, non-biodegradable materials such as Kevlar or polycarbonates. By replacing these with biologically grown calcium carbonate composites and olive waste leather, ALWAKIA offers a model of regenerative protection. The jacket’s protective elements-rigid, nacreous plates-are modular and stitched onto a flexible base layer made from upcycled leather, strategically placed over vital zones to balance mobility and defence.

Conceptually, ALWAKIA is born from protest. It was developed in response to the violent repression of student-led movements, particularly those opposing genocide and ecological devastation in Palestine. The gear is designed specifically for student activists who face increasing physical and political risk while advocating for justice. By merging armour with identity, ALWAKIA transforms protective clothing into a symbolic artefact of resistance.

The project also foregrounds the importance of cultural preservation, drawing deeply from Levantine nacre inlay traditions. These endangered artisanal practices, once used to craft intricate ceremonial and religious objects, are reframed within ALWAKIA as acts of cultural resilience. Instead of decorative inlay into wood, nacre forms are replicated through biofabrication and embedded into wearable forms. The final jacket design echoes traditional patterns, including visual motifs inspired by the Palestinian keffiyeh and geometric nacre inlays, combined with anatomical references to bone and cell structures. Winged sleeves, shaped like olive leaves, symbolise peace and the ongoing ecocide targeting olive groves in occupied territories.

Visually, the jacket is oversized and sculptural, its boldness designed to amplify the activist’s presence rather than conceal it. It embodies defiance through visibility, functioning as both protective exoskeleton and political statement. The jacket is not a uniform; it is a living banner, designed to be “louder than fear.” The surface finish of the bacterial nacre is treated to emulate the iridescence of mother-of-pearl using cellulose nanocrystals, offering a glossy, culturally rich aesthetic that merges biology and craft.

In sum, ALWAKIA demonstrates the power of living systems to co-create not only materials, but meaning. It proposes a future in which protection is regenerative, cultural survival is activist, and design is inseparable from ethics. Through interdisciplinary methods that span microbiology, digital fabrication, traditional craft, and protest culture, the project positions itself at the forefront of a new design paradigm, one where matter itself resists.

Making process

The making of ALWAKIA combined experimental biology, computational design, traditional craftsmanship, and symbolic aesthetics to bring to life a statement resistance jacket. This multi-stage process unfolded across laboratory environments, craft studios, and digital fabrication spaces, blending the rigor of scientific experimentation with the nuance of cultural expression.

The process began with material development. Chitosan, a biopolymer derived from crustacean shell waste, was selected as the scaffold substrate for its biocompatibility, biodegradability, and mineralisation potential. A series of formulations were tested for extrusion viscosity, thermal stability, and structural integrity. Once optimised, chitosan scaffolds were fabricated using extrusion-based bioprinting at the Francis Crick Institute.

In parallel, the bacterium Sporosarcina pasteurii was cultured under controlled conditions. Through the mechanism of Microbially Induced Calcium Carbonate Precipitation (MICP), the bacteria biomineralised calcium carbonate onto the chitosan scaffolds. Scaffolds were immersed in a bioreactor system where mineralisation was induced. Microscopy and SEM imaging confirmed the presence of mineral bridges and crystal morphologies that mimicked natural nacre, validating the material's structural performance and aesthetic potential.

Once mineralised, these bioengineered nacre units were cut and refined into modular tiles. The pieces were then manually embedded into a custom-tailored jacket using Levantine inlay techniques adapted for flexible substrates. Each nacre component was sewn onto the olive waste leather base, a biodegradable material chosen for its durability, sustainability, and cultural relevance to the Levant region.

The jacket’s form was deliberately oversized, amplifying the message carried by student activists. Its silhouette featured an elevated collar for neck protection and sculptural winged sleeves shaped like olive leaves, symbols of resilience and peace. Computational mapping guided the placement of nacre components, aligning them with the body’s pressure points to reinforce vital zones while preserving freedom of movement.

The iridescent surface finish was achieved through the application of cellulose nanocrystals, giving the jacket a pearl-like sheen that reinforced the material’s origin and symbolic intent.

The ALWAKIA jacket stands not only as a functional piece of protective gear, but also as a wearable monument to protest, heritage, and ecological design. Its creation represents a dialogue between living systems, ancestral craft, and the urgent need for visibility in resistance.

Text submitted by the maker and edited by the Future Materials Bank. For information about reproducing (a part of) this text, please contact the maker.