Catalytic Clothing

Catalytic Clothing is a public experiment between the world's of Fashion and Science. Catalytic Clothing employs existing technology in a new way. It seeks to explore how clothing and textiles can be used as a catalytic surface to purify air. It is the brainchild of artist / designer Helen Storey and chemist Tony Ryan – people from very different worlds whose minds have come together over recent years in highly successful art/science collaborations. A series of cultural and art interventions brought this forthcoming technology into the public domain, seeking to engage you, in helping us shape our world for the better. A six year, project in collaboration with Professor Tony Ryan at the University of Sheffield, which works at nano-scale and combines art, design and science. The first phase of the project resulted in creative outputs designed to engage public opinion with this ‘technology yet to come’: HERSELF a textile sculpture comprising of a unique floor length couture dress ‘catalysed’ with ‘CatClo’ air purifying technology. This was accompanied by the ‘Field of Jeans’ an installation comprising a large number of donated and ‘catalysed’ jeans erected in public spaces, which further illustrated ideas behind this pioneering research project, whilst sharing its findings as they emerged (e.g. denim is the most efficacious surface and there are more jeans on the planet than people). ‘CatClo’ sets out to use the textile surface of clothing to purify air, whilst addressing challenges of an environmental and societal nature. An existing purifying technology - commonly found in concrete, glass, paints, sunscreens and toothpaste – is applied via the laundry process, to textiles and everyday clothing for the first time, representing an entirely new application and global market opportunity. The website was designed and launched alongside the making of a film, co-produced and directed with Adam Mufti, (starring Erin O’Connor with music by Radio Head). This was released as a 3 month ‘viral campaign experiment’ to gain global appetite, comment and understanding from the rest of the world via the project website and was downloaded in 147 countries and reached 300 million people. A new media/digital tool was created with design agency DED Associates to track this global response in real time, across all social media, blog, editorial, radio and TV coverage. A film has been created showing The Story of Catalytic Clothing https://vimeo.com/37670313 The team behind Catalytic Clothing were delighted that their work to bring air purifying technology to clothing has helped inspire the wondrous, proactive installation, Wendy. The installation by architects HWKN is the winner of the annual Young Architects Program hosted by The Museum of Modern Art and MoMA PS1. Opening in Long Island City, New York (28 June - early September), Wendy experimentally tests ecological and social boundaries of architecture. The film, the Catalytic Clothing story and 3 pairs of catalysed jeans, was also shown at the World Environment Day Festival, Sunshine Coast, Queensland. Catalytic Clothing: Herself and Field of Jeans appeared as part of Newcastle Science Festival 2011. Helen Storey and Tony Ryan delivered a talk and Q&A session. Manchester Science Festival 25 – 29 October 2012 The Soap Box: Immerse yourself in the Catalytic Clothing Soap Box. A bespoke installation, housed within the iconic NQ Launderette in Manchester’s Northern Quarter - take in the sights and smells of a real launderette, whilst discovering more about the project and the possibilities for the future through a bespoke installation. 28 October 2012 On the Soap Box: Artist and designer Helen Storey and scientist Tony Ryan will discuss their collaborative project in the surroundings of The NQ Launderette. 25 October – 4 November 2012 Small Soap Box: Catalytic Clothing becomes a pop-up ‘launderette’ at the Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI); washing machines from the Museum of Science and Industry's archive collection, accompanied by Catalytic Clothing soap boxes will tell the story of Catalytic Clothing now