The Colour of Hair aims to create a sustainable surface altering process through the use of the natural and abundant material of hair. The developed process uses human hair to create surface treatments and decoration on diverse metals. By considering hair as a useful material rather than a material to evoke distasteful emotion, ‘The Colour of Hair’ proposes controlled and sustainable printing wonders.
Drawing inspiration from traditional ceramic techniques, the process uses natural fibers to create a surface treatment and decorative patterns on a diverse range of metals. By applying the hair to a carefully heated surface, the material carbonises instantly and acts as a form of ink that has similarities to etching and anodising. This reaction is caused by the hair’s main protein, keratin. The transformation during this process is permanent and durable.
We are currently working on expanding the range of materials for our printing process, exploring the possibilities of a variety of wool, cashmere and fish scales, as well as the potential of printing on ceramics for a new range of applications.
Surfaces are available in numerous tile-sizes up to 60 x 30 cm, on either aluminium or brass substrates. Finished with a clear nano-coating for durability. Please get in touch for an overview of prints, patterns and applications.
In collaboration with Fabio Hendry
For more information please visit www.thecolourofhair.com
Ceramics sample, The Colour of Hair.
As part of the annual Future Heritage show at Decorex (UK) curated by Corinne Julius, The Colour of Hair was asked to create a large installation.
Courtesy of Future Heritage, UK.
Together with Solomon&Wu (UK), a manufacturer of high end architectural panels, The Colour of Hair created an installation to demonstrate the variety of patterns, materials and substrates possible with this technique.
Courtesy of Design Biennale Zurich, CH.
A series of tabletops commissioned by Steelcase (USA), one of the the worlds largest producers of office furniture, to investigate opportunities of integrating new surfaces in the working environment. The graphical patterns have been altered in a way that makes them more suitable for repetitive, larger series, printing.
