As the world’s population surges, human hair is one of the few natural resources that increase with it. As a plentiful and renewable substitute to waning resources like tortoise shell, horn and tropical woods, an increasing number of designers are exploring its possibilities as a sustainable alternative and viable material for everyday objects.
Zsofia Kollar is a designer, researcher, published author, and the founder of Human Material Loop, a material science company with a primary focus on repurposing hair waste for various segments of the textile industry. Her work centers around exploring the essence of humanity in the 21st century, delving into the profound impact of human activity on our planet, and seeking ways for humanity to be the solution to tackle the environmental impact of our existence.
#circulareconomy #hair #textileindustry #materialinnovation #ecosystem #futureproof #science
RETHINKING HUMAN MATERIALS – ZSOFIA KOLLAR ON THE CULTURAL LEGACY & CREATIVE POTENTIAL OF HUMAN HAIR
In the past half-century, significant technological advancements have greatly enhanced our comfort and connectivity. The advent of globalism has enabled us to access products and resources from virtually anywhere on the planet. However, as we move forward, it is becoming increasingly apparent that we need to shift towards a global-local system that relies on the resources available within our immediate surroundings.
Wearing Hair – Should we just grow our own sweaters?
You and I both know this. The supply chain is super messed up. The way humans make clothing is deeply messed up. And it’s almost impossible to find a really good sweater. So should we just make garments made of human hair?
Startup Human Material Loop: haarresten als duurzame grondstof voor textiel
Haarresten (van kapsalons) zijn nu nog afval, maar zijn een perfecte niet vervuilende en duurzame grondstof voor de textielindustrie. Human Material Loop produceert nieuwe materialen uit haarresten.
Human hair clothes against pollution textile industry
Can we use our own hair to make clothes, for example? If it’s up to Hungarian Zsofia Kollar, it’s the future of the textile industry. In the lab at the Brightlands Chemelot Campus in Geleen, she is researching how to treat hair and process it into products.
Zsofia Kollar has developed a way to use the waste keratin protein fiber from human hair and develop textiles with zero negative impact on the environment.
Each year, millions of kilograms of human hair waste end up in landfills or incinerators. But according to a 31-year-old designer based in the Netherlands, that hair could be used to help the fashion industry become more sustainable.
ATH Down to the Root: Would You Wear a Sweater Made of Human Hair?
The Human Material Loop company proposes a revolution in the textile industry, using human hair waste collected from beauty salons.
What if the solution of the global textile industry was in human hair?
We speak with Zsofia Kollar, Founder and Director of Human Material Loop, a materials science company focused on using human hair for the textile industry.
This start-up makes textile from human hair. ‘Why should we make animals suffer when we throw away 150 million pounds of hair every year?’
A coat made from human hair. Probably your first reaction is somewhere between “weird” and “gross. After reading the story about Human Material Loop, that might change.
Hair-raising – how a start-up with human hair wants to revolutionize the clothing industry
The start-up “Human Material Loop” has developed a technology that can be used to make yarn and clothing from human hair. The trial phase is currently underway, and the Dutch company’s first collection is due to appear at the end of the year.
Dressing in hair? With this startup, you can!
It may seem absurd, but it’s no joke: from 2023 people will be able to wear human hair clothes! This is definitely an out-of-the-ordinary idea, which makes it, in my opinion, extremely interesting.
Circular economy class of 2023: meet the fresh crop of waste-busting startups
Public voting has opened for the 2023 Green Alley Award, which recognizes pioneering circular startups in Europe.
Sustainable fashion, the innovative fabric made from human hair
The startup Human Material Loop tests a new experimental textile fiber made from human hair in one of the most extreme environments on our planet.
Fashion of the Future: Sweaters Made From Human Hair
Who needs cashmere when you could wrap yourself in a cozy, comfy sweater made from… human hair? It’s a jump scare, but it might also be the key to a future of sustainable textiles.
Human Material Loop: Startup uses human hair for textile applications
Utilizing human hair waste from hair salons as a raw material, the Dutch start-up company Human Material Loop is working on three different technologies to make use of the main component human hair is made of – keratin
A sweater or sneaker made of human hair? They are not averse to this at this company in Geleen
She takes a black blazer out of a purse. A discreet design, not very different from what you see in an average fast-fashion store. “Just feel it”, says the Hungarian Zsofia Kollar (31). It feels rough, solid. And almost seems synthetic. But there is nothing artificial about the jacket. It’s made from our own cuts found on the floors of barbershops.
All I want for X-mas… A better world
Our hair is a valuable asset. But once cut, we just throw it away. Can that also be done differently? Yes, and how! Zsofia Kollar (31) turns it into textiles. She wants to change the textile industry and make the world a little better.
Making a difference with human hair
DECARBONIZING EUROPE – The start-up Human Material Loop on the Brightlands Campus in the Dutch town of Geleen wants to make shoes, clothing and bags from human hair.
Human hair sweater? If your first thought is “Ew”, read this
Think of your last visit to a hairdresser or a barber. Next to wishing that the shampooing would go much faster because your neck was hurting from the uncomfy sink or questioning your new haircut decision (the bangs will eventually grow out, don’t worry!), have you ever looked at the hair waste around you and wondered, does it really have to end up in the trash?
Innovative or questionable? Designer makes clothes from human hair
Always cheaper, always new clothes: fast fashion is an enormous burden on the environment. Zsofia Kollar wants to change that. She is the founder of Human Material Loop, a clothing company that uses a special material: human hair.
Innovative or questionable? Designer makes clothes from human hair
Always cheaper, always new clothes: fast fashion is an enormous burden on the environment. Zsofia Kollar wants to change that. She is the founder of Human Material Loop, a clothing company that uses a special material: human hair.
ZSOFIA KOLLAR MAKES CLOTHES FROM HUMAN HAIR: ‘BARBERSHOP WASTE’
Zsofia Kollar does not opt for the usual raw materials, but uses human hair to make clothing, among other things. In this way she wants to combat climate change and make the world a little more beautiful.
Do-gooders: Zsofia makes clothes from human hair
With one crisis after another, we would almost forget that good things happen. In this section we talk about ‘world improvers’. They try to make the world a little more beautiful, in their own way. Designer Zsofia Kollar (31) wants to change the textile industry… with human hair.
THE WORLD OF DUTCH DESIGN
Nadia Moussaid talks to well-known and lesser-known designers about the future of design. Biodesigner Bob Hendrikx talks about biotechnology: how can the living world be incorporated into our technology? There is finger food that is produced with human manure. The ‘Shit Show’ by designer Fides Lapidaire aims to close the food cycle. There is a sweater made of human hair, designed by Zsofia Kollar, and Nadia talks to Marleen van Bergeijk about ‘chronic health’. Jury chairman of the Dutch Design Awards Kevin de Randamie tells what inspires him and what strikes him during Dutch Design Week 22.
#FoundersFridays: meet Zsofia Kollar
Founders Fridays is a StartupAmsterdam initiative showcasing local entrepreneurs who help strengthen our ecosystem.
Can you imagine wearing a human hair sweater? With this question, the head cinema should start.
Human Material Loop is regularly represented at trade fairs, and collaborations with brands continue. First commercial collections are planned for the end of 2022. The team is currently focusing on hair waste from hairdressing salons, but in the future they are aiming for a model that also works with hair donations.
Winner for Future Thinking by Distributed Design EU
The Future Thinking winner, designing for a better future, considering social and cultural challenges, Human Material Loop
The start-up Human Material Loop has developed a process with which yarn can be made from human hair.
Earth Overshoot Day marks the day when humanity has used up all the natural resources the earth can provide in a year. In 2022 it fell on July 28th. We consume resources, but what do we give back in return?
This start-up makes textiles from human hair
The start-up Human Material Loop has developed a process with which yarn can be made from human hair. With recyclable, almost climate-neutral textiles, it wants to get the fashion industry to rethink.
There is a Renewable Resource on your Head
While contemporary designers like Zsofia Kollar are making products like sweaters and upholstery using human hair, there is a rich history of utilizing this material across time, space, and industry.
Human hair in the textile industry
We often put a lot of care in our hair, but when it’s cut we just throw it away. A real shame, thinks designer Zsofia Kollar. With her 100% Dutch blond knitted sweater she wants to show that you can change the textile industry with human hair.
Human Material Loop is one of the three nominees for the Dutch Design Awards 2022
Dutch Design Awards (DDA) has been leading for years in the interpretation of excellent Dutch design. DDA does not only look ahead, but also back: to our design traditions and the major impact that the Dutch design mentality has in the world.
Read about the nomination on the page of Dutch Design Awards
What if we could introduce human waste as a material in the production chain?
Human Material Loop is a project researching ways to integrate waste human hair as a sustainable material for the industry into a zero-waste recycling system
HAIR STORIES: ZSÓFIA KOLLÁR
Zsófia Kollár, a Hungarian designer based in Amsterdam, is founder of Human Material Loop, which proposes that human hair can be recycled and integrated into textiles, thus reducing the environmental impact of the world’s second largest polluter (after oil): the fashion industry.
‘Object-Oriented Identity’ Reflects on Society’s Fascination With Consumption
Are we the sum of our own actions, or the sum of our own objects? A new book investigates this question through a compendium of curated items from the far throes of culture to meditate on notions of identity in the midst of our product-oriented society.
Making knitwear from hair: Human Material Loop
Human Material Loop is an Amsterdam startup founded in 2021 with the mission of “revolutionizing the textile industry.”
The designer who made clothes from human hair and wrote a book about our most popular objects
Hype&Hyper is a design and lifestyle magazine covering innovation, urban life and creative ecosystems across Central and Eastern Europe.
The possibilities of human waste in textile production
In the pursuit of discovering more sustainable alternatives for textile production, innovators have stumbled upon many creative ways to tackle the issue – some of which are somewhat surprising.
Province helps another 25 entrepreneurs with their sustainable innovation
Today, 25 entrepreneurs from North Holland have been selected to work in an intensive program of the province, GO!-NH, on the accelerated marketing or further growth of their sustainable innovation or company.
Human Material Loop was founded in 2021 to explore the possibilities of human hair waste as a material and its integration into the textile industry.
The Future Materials Bank is a crowd-sourced archive of materials that support and promote the transition towards a more sustainable artistic practice. By collecting information and samples from makers around the world, the databank aims to democratize and produce new knowledge about these future-proof materials. Through our workshops, seminars, and collaborations, we attempt to (re)define what is and what constitutes a sustainable material.
After taking a shower
I picked up the hair wrapped around the drain hole and threw it into the trash can; after blowing my hair, several strands fell on the ground; after the hair stylist cut the hair, the hair that fell on the floor was quickly swept away Into the dustpan, pour out.
Zsofia Kollar, a designer based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, is also the founder of Human Material Loop, who proposes to use “human hair” as an innovative raw material for textiles.
Here’s how fashion 2022 is becoming sustainable
More generally, most brands are committed to using recycled or organic materials. But the impact on fossil fuels remains substantial and is indeed expected to grow over the next two decades. Unless the main material of fashion 2022 becomes hair: as proposed by designer Zsofia Kollar with Human Material Loop.
Philosophy of Zsofia, a designer who makes clothes with hair
Going back in human history, we can see that the “hair” of various animals has been used in our lives. Feather duvet, wool sweater, horsehair brush. But what about human hair?
The evolution of fashion and its environmental impact to save the planet
The evolution of fashion and the sectors related to it will be decisive in contributing to the rescue of our planet.
Would you wear a sweater made of hair? A designer explains the benefits to the environment
Every year in Europe alone, hair weighing about 72 million kg is cut, almost like 7 Eiffel Towers, which almost all end up in the undifferentiated sector. So Zsofia Kollar, 30, founded the Human Material Loop brand for the creation of fabrics with recycled organic fiber
These are Amsterdam’s powerhouse female entrepreneurs to watch in 2022
Silicon Canals is the leading European technology news source. We cover news, knowledge, and insights from the technology and startup ecosystem.
Clothing made from human hair
Specialty Fabrics Review, Industrial Fabrics Association International’s flagship magazine, is the definitive voice of the industry. In print since 1915, it is one of the longest-running magazines in the United States.
Dutch designer turns human hair into fabric, introduces new possibility for sustainable fabrics
Amsterdam-based designer Zsofia Kollar creates different kinds of textured and patterned fabrics using human hair, something that is mindlessly thrown away
Spot on Conceptual Design: A Rescue of our Well-Being?
What is a conceptual design anyway? It’s the initial phase of a design outlining the basic functions and strategies of an idea: the rest is subject to change according to various reviews and modifications.
AmsterDames: Inspiring Women in the Netherlands … An English Feminist Podcast in Amsterdam
#32: A Sweater Made Out Of Human Hair ??? – Zsofia Kollar
HUMAN MATERIAL LOOP, human hair as a material
Looking at human hair as a material can be puzzling, but overcoming this taboo offers many advantages.
Clothes made with waste hair, this Dutch designer’s textile revolution for sustainable fashion
In Europe, 72 million kilos of hair are thrown away every year. For Dutch designer and researcher Zsofia Kollar, this is a real waste. In fact, in his Human Material Loop project, waste hair is a precious resource to be transformed into high-quality fabrics.
3 European Eco-Brands Breathe Sustainability into Fashion
Before the turn of the 21st century, the term “fast fashion” was largely unheard of. It was Spanish high street retailer Zara who became renowned for slashing heady production times from months to mere weeks back in the early 00s
What if human hair was the next tissue? This designer believes so
The transition towards zero waste is a reality that we must all strive for, in order to ensure a greener future for all. In addition to the most common solutions that we can adopt in our daily lives, there are also disruptive ideas that are starting to appear on the market.
A Hungarian designer living in Amsterdam makes clothes out of human hair
Zsófia Kollár, who lives in Amsterdam, is entering the fight for sustainable fashion with an unusual raw material, so she wants to put the clothing industry on top of its head
Will you wear clothes made out of human hair?
Amsterdam-based designer Zsofia Kollar’s ‘Human Material Loop’ is flipping the textile industry on its head by making clothes out of human hair!
The salvation of the planet was seen in human hair
Amsterdam-based designer Zsofia Kollar saw the salvation of the planet in human hair. Making clothes from loose or cut strands will help reduce carbon dioxide emissions from the production and transportation of goods, as well as reduce the amount of garbage from the fashion industry.
This designer is giving human hair a second life – but not as wigs
“So I am trying to help people become more open-minded to different materials again and hopefully in the future, wearing a jumper made of human hair will be normal.”
Human Material Loop nomination at FEM-START Up Award 2021
Annual Award for female entrepreneurs with promising startups, the opportunity to pitch their company in front of a jury of experts, investors, advisors, and members of the press.
Knitting sweaters from human hair
Human Material Loop shows that the answer to problems is often closer than you think and wants to launch a true textile revolution with their concept to show that people are not above, but equal to the ecosystem.
Human Hair Sweater
With her project Human Material Loop she shows that human hair is a valuable raw material that can be used for, for example, wall hangings or sweaters.
Read full article on De Krant van de Aarde, de krant van groen Nederland
Human hair wear?
With special guest, Zsofia Kollar, founder of Human Material Loop, wait for it – an organization showing how waste human hair can be a sustainable textile of the future. Collabs with local hairdressers and textile users are welcome.
Listen to the interview on Broadcast Amsterdam – Dam Daily radio show
A sweater made out of human hair
As a material, human hair is abundantly present and locally produced. It is also a non-toxic, non-irritant, and anti-allergenic material. It has a strength-to-weight ratio comparable to steel, being able to stretch up to one and a half its original length before breaking.
A sweater made of human hair: is this a sustainable solution for the clothing industry?
In Europe, 72 million kilograms of human hair waste is thrown away every year. On average, hairdressers produce at least ten large bags of hair as waste every week. This ends up in landfills or incinerators. A huge shame thinks Kollar because she thinks we can use it so well. “My goal is to turn this waste into tapestries, woven stories about what we humans contribute to our planet, show the power of our diversity by using human hair as a material.”
TEDxAmsterdamWomen -Talent Night 2021 Finalist
For the fourth year in a row, TEDxAmsterdamWomen hosted Talent Night, where they opened their stage to new, undiscovered “ideas worth spreading.” This year they focused the Talent Night event on boosting the participation of younger applicants. The idea was to give particularly young talent the opportunity to share their unstoppable ideas; ideas that make the world more inclusive, to drive meaningful change, and inspire others to act with them.
Rossana Orlandi – Guiltless Plastic Award 2021 – Responsible Innovation Projects – Finalist
Rossana Orlandi is launching the third edition of the Ro Plastic Prize to challenge and inspire the design community to think differently about how objects are made. The best projects will be presented as Finalists during the Milano Design Week 2021.
Read more about the Guiltless Plastic Award at Rossana Orlandi
What design can do – No Waste Challenge – Finalist
Initiated in collaboration with the IKEA Foundation, the No Waste Challenge called upon all creatives, hackers, and dreamers to submit bold solutions to reduce waste and rethink our entire production and consumption cycle.
Winner design White Carnation Prize 2020 Zsofia Kollar
“It is a special challenge to create a meaningful object for someone who contributed to our freedom and security while risking life. Freedom to me means security and trust, where individuals are free in self-expression. Where positive rights guarantee the growth of a society or stimulate individual development. Freedom is acceptance and growth.”
OBJECT Rotterdam: binnen no-time op de hoogte van het nieuwste designtalent
So on OBJECT there are various designers with their work. This ranges from young, up-and-coming talent to well-known labels. You will find both unique and limited editions , and you can talk to the designers themselves: they are simply present.
Sustainable Fashion: the Generation 2020 project of the MOAM foundation
The creation of Zsofia Kollar is a reflection of our consumer culture that silently destroys us to meet our demands. Products have become tools that mark daily reality and end up becoming our extension.
DUS: DE KOP # 15
DUS connects a diversity of speakers, makers and visitors with 1 word in 1 evening. #15 DUS: De Kop is about cups of coffee, going under, tapping something on the head, being coupled and bald cups.
Working Hard or Hardly Working during Dutch Design Week
An exhibition exploring the ideas, theories, social impacts, creative output, and processes surrounding labour.
Lodown Magazine x Radical Cut-up
Copying from others and the art of de-contextualizing has a long history, it goes along with the age of industrialized reproduction that basically transcends everything of our life at any given moment.
PROJECT DIVERSITY – Femme Art Review
“The project I showcased was called Diversity, a tactile gesture that connects and facilitates conversation about gender identity.”
When can we start to objectify our hair?
Zsofia Kollar is a designer who uses hair as the primary medium. The human hair has many capabilities due to their nutrients. For this collection, Zsofia experiments with the hair as an absorbent material to carry scent through a tapestry, table decor, and jewelry.
MILAN 18: KABK, MY PRACTICE, MY POLITICS
The Royal Academy of Art, The Hague (KABK) will present work by 20 artists and designers at the My Practice, My Politics at the Salone del Mobile at Milan Design Week 2018.
Work by 18 young artists in Artis
Eighteen young Amsterdam artists have been inspired by Artis. Their work will hang in the zoo from April 20.
Dare to Amaze
Zsofia Kollar is a Hungarian material and conceptual designer based in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Experimenting with materials is an important part of Zsofia’s works, she grounds her production on a conceptual base as much as on the experiments.
GRADUATION SPECIAL: Zsofia Kollar
We desire to create bonds. Not just with other humans, but also with objects. Our curiosity moves us to reveal secrets, find the hidden, and wonder about intentions, functions, or the process of an object.
Jos Brink Prize winner receives artwork from KABK student Zsofia Kollar
On 21 May, the Jos Brink Oeuvre Prize 2017 was awarded by Minister Jet Bussemaker (Emancipation) during a festive program in the Oude Luxor Theater in Rotterdam. Ellie Lust wins Jos Brink Oeuvre Prize 2017 and receives artwork by student Zsofia Kollar.
Repulsive and confronting: Is human hair the new it-product?
Why do we find things made out of human hair so disgusting?
It’s no secret that our environment is a fragile ecosystem and manufacturers are increasingly looking for sustainable materials to use in their products.
Successful RESET at the Salone del Mobile 2016 – Royal Academy of Art, The Hague
In the intimate environment of a private penthouse in the heart of Ventura Lambrate, the exhibition received more than 23,000 visitors to its programme of performances, installations and design discussions.
Haagse studente wint landelijke Design Award met gerookt hout
De Haagse studente Zsofia Kollár heeft de eerste FSC Design Award gewonnen. FSV staat voor Forest Stewardship Council. Hout met dit keurmerk is geproduceerd volgens strenge regels over de bescherming van de natuur, legaliteit en over de rechten en het welzijn van de lokale bevolking en arbeiders.
Student Zsofia Kollár from The Hague wins national FSC Design Award 2016
The results of the FSC Design Award 2016 were announced on Thursday at the annual FSC Event in Wageningen. The main prize went to Zsofia Kollár, an interior architecture student at the Royal Academy of Art (KABK) in The Hague.
HUMAN HAIR TURNED INTO SCENTED CLOTH BY ZSOFIA KOLLAR
Human hair is loved and hated at the same time: while an adorning crown of the body, once it’s not on someone’s head it’s possibly the most despised kind of rubbage.
Zsofia Kollar weaves human hair to create golden perfumed textile
To create the textile, Kollar wove strands of blonde hair around one another and sprayed the piece with essential oil, so that the tapestry would gradually perfume the room it is displayed in.
Zsofia Kollar is a designer, researcher, published author, and the founder of Human Material Loop, a material science company with a primary focus on repurposing hair waste for various segments of the textile industry. Her work centers around exploring the essence of humanity in the 21st century, delving into the profound impact of human activity on our planet, and seeking ways for humanity to be the solution to tackle the environmental impact of our existence.
#circulareconomy #hair #textileindustry #materialinnovation #ecosystem #futureproof #science
RETHINKING HUMAN MATERIALS – ZSOFIA KOLLAR ON THE CULTURAL LEGACY & CREATIVE POTENTIAL OF HUMAN HAIR
In the past half-century, significant technological advancements have greatly enhanced our comfort and connectivity. The advent of globalism has enabled us to access products and resources from virtually anywhere on the planet. However, as we move forward, it is becoming increasingly apparent that we need to shift towards a global-local system that relies on the resources available within our immediate surroundings.
Wearing Hair – Should we just grow our own sweaters?
You and I both know this. The supply chain is super messed up. The way humans make clothing is deeply messed up. And it’s almost impossible to find a really good sweater. So should we just make garments made of human hair?
Startup Human Material Loop: haarresten als duurzame grondstof voor textiel
Haarresten (van kapsalons) zijn nu nog afval, maar zijn een perfecte niet vervuilende en duurzame grondstof voor de textielindustrie. Human Material Loop produceert nieuwe materialen uit haarresten.
Human hair clothes against pollution textile industry
Can we use our own hair to make clothes, for example? If it’s up to Hungarian Zsofia Kollar, it’s the future of the textile industry. In the lab at the Brightlands Chemelot Campus in Geleen, she is researching how to treat hair and process it into products.
Zsofia Kollar has developed a way to use the waste keratin protein fiber from human hair and develop textiles with zero negative impact on the environment.
Each year, millions of kilograms of human hair waste end up in landfills or incinerators. But according to a 31-year-old designer based in the Netherlands, that hair could be used to help the fashion industry become more sustainable.
ATH Down to the Root: Would You Wear a Sweater Made of Human Hair?
The Human Material Loop company proposes a revolution in the textile industry, using human hair waste collected from beauty salons.
What if the solution of the global textile industry was in human hair?
We speak with Zsofia Kollar, Founder and Director of Human Material Loop, a materials science company focused on using human hair for the textile industry.
This start-up makes textile from human hair. ‘Why should we make animals suffer when we throw away 150 million pounds of hair every year?’
A coat made from human hair. Probably your first reaction is somewhere between “weird” and “gross. After reading the story about Human Material Loop, that might change.
Hair-raising – how a start-up with human hair wants to revolutionize the clothing industry
The start-up “Human Material Loop” has developed a technology that can be used to make yarn and clothing from human hair. The trial phase is currently underway, and the Dutch company’s first collection is due to appear at the end of the year.
Dressing in hair? With this startup, you can!
It may seem absurd, but it’s no joke: from 2023 people will be able to wear human hair clothes! This is definitely an out-of-the-ordinary idea, which makes it, in my opinion, extremely interesting.
Circular economy class of 2023: meet the fresh crop of waste-busting startups
Public voting has opened for the 2023 Green Alley Award, which recognizes pioneering circular startups in Europe.
Sustainable fashion, the innovative fabric made from human hair
The startup Human Material Loop tests a new experimental textile fiber made from human hair in one of the most extreme environments on our planet.
Fashion of the Future: Sweaters Made From Human Hair
Who needs cashmere when you could wrap yourself in a cozy, comfy sweater made from… human hair? It’s a jump scare, but it might also be the key to a future of sustainable textiles.
Human Material Loop: Startup uses human hair for textile applications
Utilizing human hair waste from hair salons as a raw material, the Dutch start-up company Human Material Loop is working on three different technologies to make use of the main component human hair is made of – keratin
A sweater or sneaker made of human hair? They are not averse to this at this company in Geleen
She takes a black blazer out of a purse. A discreet design, not very different from what you see in an average fast-fashion store. “Just feel it”, says the Hungarian Zsofia Kollar (31). It feels rough, solid. And almost seems synthetic. But there is nothing artificial about the jacket. It’s made from our own cuts found on the floors of barbershops.
All I want for X-mas… A better world
Our hair is a valuable asset. But once cut, we just throw it away. Can that also be done differently? Yes, and how! Zsofia Kollar (31) turns it into textiles. She wants to change the textile industry and make the world a little better.
Making a difference with human hair
DECARBONIZING EUROPE – The start-up Human Material Loop on the Brightlands Campus in the Dutch town of Geleen wants to make shoes, clothing and bags from human hair.
Human hair sweater? If your first thought is “Ew”, read this
Think of your last visit to a hairdresser or a barber. Next to wishing that the shampooing would go much faster because your neck was hurting from the uncomfy sink or questioning your new haircut decision (the bangs will eventually grow out, don’t worry!), have you ever looked at the hair waste around you and wondered, does it really have to end up in the trash?
Innovative or questionable? Designer makes clothes from human hair
Always cheaper, always new clothes: fast fashion is an enormous burden on the environment. Zsofia Kollar wants to change that. She is the founder of Human Material Loop, a clothing company that uses a special material: human hair.
Innovative or questionable? Designer makes clothes from human hair
Always cheaper, always new clothes: fast fashion is an enormous burden on the environment. Zsofia Kollar wants to change that. She is the founder of Human Material Loop, a clothing company that uses a special material: human hair.
ZSOFIA KOLLAR MAKES CLOTHES FROM HUMAN HAIR: ‘BARBERSHOP WASTE’
Zsofia Kollar does not opt for the usual raw materials, but uses human hair to make clothing, among other things. In this way she wants to combat climate change and make the world a little more beautiful.
Do-gooders: Zsofia makes clothes from human hair
With one crisis after another, we would almost forget that good things happen. In this section we talk about ‘world improvers’. They try to make the world a little more beautiful, in their own way. Designer Zsofia Kollar (31) wants to change the textile industry… with human hair.
THE WORLD OF DUTCH DESIGN
Nadia Moussaid talks to well-known and lesser-known designers about the future of design. Biodesigner Bob Hendrikx talks about biotechnology: how can the living world be incorporated into our technology? There is finger food that is produced with human manure. The ‘Shit Show’ by designer Fides Lapidaire aims to close the food cycle. There is a sweater made of human hair, designed by Zsofia Kollar, and Nadia talks to Marleen van Bergeijk about ‘chronic health’. Jury chairman of the Dutch Design Awards Kevin de Randamie tells what inspires him and what strikes him during Dutch Design Week 22.
#FoundersFridays: meet Zsofia Kollar
Founders Fridays is a StartupAmsterdam initiative showcasing local entrepreneurs who help strengthen our ecosystem.
Can you imagine wearing a human hair sweater? With this question, the head cinema should start.
Human Material Loop is regularly represented at trade fairs, and collaborations with brands continue. First commercial collections are planned for the end of 2022. The team is currently focusing on hair waste from hairdressing salons, but in the future they are aiming for a model that also works with hair donations.
Winner for Future Thinking by Distributed Design EU
The Future Thinking winner, designing for a better future, considering social and cultural challenges, Human Material Loop
The start-up Human Material Loop has developed a process with which yarn can be made from human hair.
Earth Overshoot Day marks the day when humanity has used up all the natural resources the earth can provide in a year. In 2022 it fell on July 28th. We consume resources, but what do we give back in return?
This start-up makes textiles from human hair
The start-up Human Material Loop has developed a process with which yarn can be made from human hair. With recyclable, almost climate-neutral textiles, it wants to get the fashion industry to rethink.
There is a Renewable Resource on your Head
While contemporary designers like Zsofia Kollar are making products like sweaters and upholstery using human hair, there is a rich history of utilizing this material across time, space, and industry.
Human hair in the textile industry
We often put a lot of care in our hair, but when it’s cut we just throw it away. A real shame, thinks designer Zsofia Kollar. With her 100% Dutch blond knitted sweater she wants to show that you can change the textile industry with human hair.
Human Material Loop is one of the three nominees for the Dutch Design Awards 2022
Dutch Design Awards (DDA) has been leading for years in the interpretation of excellent Dutch design. DDA does not only look ahead, but also back: to our design traditions and the major impact that the Dutch design mentality has in the world.
Read about the nomination on the page of Dutch Design Awards
What if we could introduce human waste as a material in the production chain?
Human Material Loop is a project researching ways to integrate waste human hair as a sustainable material for the industry into a zero-waste recycling system
HAIR STORIES: ZSÓFIA KOLLÁR
Zsófia Kollár, a Hungarian designer based in Amsterdam, is founder of Human Material Loop, which proposes that human hair can be recycled and integrated into textiles, thus reducing the environmental impact of the world’s second largest polluter (after oil): the fashion industry.
‘Object-Oriented Identity’ Reflects on Society’s Fascination With Consumption
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Making knitwear from hair: Human Material Loop
Human Material Loop is an Amsterdam startup founded in 2021 with the mission of “revolutionizing the textile industry.”
The designer who made clothes from human hair and wrote a book about our most popular objects
Hype&Hyper is a design and lifestyle magazine covering innovation, urban life and creative ecosystems across Central and Eastern Europe.
The possibilities of human waste in textile production
In the pursuit of discovering more sustainable alternatives for textile production, innovators have stumbled upon many creative ways to tackle the issue – some of which are somewhat surprising.
Province helps another 25 entrepreneurs with their sustainable innovation
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Human Material Loop was founded in 2021 to explore the possibilities of human hair waste as a material and its integration into the textile industry.
The Future Materials Bank is a crowd-sourced archive of materials that support and promote the transition towards a more sustainable artistic practice. By collecting information and samples from makers around the world, the databank aims to democratize and produce new knowledge about these future-proof materials. Through our workshops, seminars, and collaborations, we attempt to (re)define what is and what constitutes a sustainable material.
After taking a shower
I picked up the hair wrapped around the drain hole and threw it into the trash can; after blowing my hair, several strands fell on the ground; after the hair stylist cut the hair, the hair that fell on the floor was quickly swept away Into the dustpan, pour out.
Zsofia Kollar, a designer based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, is also the founder of Human Material Loop, who proposes to use “human hair” as an innovative raw material for textiles.
Here’s how fashion 2022 is becoming sustainable
More generally, most brands are committed to using recycled or organic materials. But the impact on fossil fuels remains substantial and is indeed expected to grow over the next two decades. Unless the main material of fashion 2022 becomes hair: as proposed by designer Zsofia Kollar with Human Material Loop.
Philosophy of Zsofia, a designer who makes clothes with hair
Going back in human history, we can see that the “hair” of various animals has been used in our lives. Feather duvet, wool sweater, horsehair brush. But what about human hair?
The evolution of fashion and its environmental impact to save the planet
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Would you wear a sweater made of hair? A designer explains the benefits to the environment
Every year in Europe alone, hair weighing about 72 million kg is cut, almost like 7 Eiffel Towers, which almost all end up in the undifferentiated sector. So Zsofia Kollar, 30, founded the Human Material Loop brand for the creation of fabrics with recycled organic fiber
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Silicon Canals is the leading European technology news source. We cover news, knowledge, and insights from the technology and startup ecosystem.
Clothing made from human hair
Specialty Fabrics Review, Industrial Fabrics Association International’s flagship magazine, is the definitive voice of the industry. In print since 1915, it is one of the longest-running magazines in the United States.
Dutch designer turns human hair into fabric, introduces new possibility for sustainable fabrics
Amsterdam-based designer Zsofia Kollar creates different kinds of textured and patterned fabrics using human hair, something that is mindlessly thrown away
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#32: A Sweater Made Out Of Human Hair ??? – Zsofia Kollar
HUMAN MATERIAL LOOP, human hair as a material
Looking at human hair as a material can be puzzling, but overcoming this taboo offers many advantages.
Clothes made with waste hair, this Dutch designer’s textile revolution for sustainable fashion
In Europe, 72 million kilos of hair are thrown away every year. For Dutch designer and researcher Zsofia Kollar, this is a real waste. In fact, in his Human Material Loop project, waste hair is a precious resource to be transformed into high-quality fabrics.
3 European Eco-Brands Breathe Sustainability into Fashion
Before the turn of the 21st century, the term “fast fashion” was largely unheard of. It was Spanish high street retailer Zara who became renowned for slashing heady production times from months to mere weeks back in the early 00s
What if human hair was the next tissue? This designer believes so
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A Hungarian designer living in Amsterdam makes clothes out of human hair
Zsófia Kollár, who lives in Amsterdam, is entering the fight for sustainable fashion with an unusual raw material, so she wants to put the clothing industry on top of its head
Will you wear clothes made out of human hair?
Amsterdam-based designer Zsofia Kollar’s ‘Human Material Loop’ is flipping the textile industry on its head by making clothes out of human hair!
The salvation of the planet was seen in human hair
Amsterdam-based designer Zsofia Kollar saw the salvation of the planet in human hair. Making clothes from loose or cut strands will help reduce carbon dioxide emissions from the production and transportation of goods, as well as reduce the amount of garbage from the fashion industry.
This designer is giving human hair a second life – but not as wigs
“So I am trying to help people become more open-minded to different materials again and hopefully in the future, wearing a jumper made of human hair will be normal.”
Human Material Loop nomination at FEM-START Up Award 2021
Annual Award for female entrepreneurs with promising startups, the opportunity to pitch their company in front of a jury of experts, investors, advisors, and members of the press.
Knitting sweaters from human hair
Human Material Loop shows that the answer to problems is often closer than you think and wants to launch a true textile revolution with their concept to show that people are not above, but equal to the ecosystem.
Human Hair Sweater
With her project Human Material Loop she shows that human hair is a valuable raw material that can be used for, for example, wall hangings or sweaters.
Read full article on De Krant van de Aarde, de krant van groen Nederland
Human hair wear?
With special guest, Zsofia Kollar, founder of Human Material Loop, wait for it – an organization showing how waste human hair can be a sustainable textile of the future. Collabs with local hairdressers and textile users are welcome.
Listen to the interview on Broadcast Amsterdam – Dam Daily radio show
A sweater made out of human hair
As a material, human hair is abundantly present and locally produced. It is also a non-toxic, non-irritant, and anti-allergenic material. It has a strength-to-weight ratio comparable to steel, being able to stretch up to one and a half its original length before breaking.
A sweater made of human hair: is this a sustainable solution for the clothing industry?
In Europe, 72 million kilograms of human hair waste is thrown away every year. On average, hairdressers produce at least ten large bags of hair as waste every week. This ends up in landfills or incinerators. A huge shame thinks Kollar because she thinks we can use it so well. “My goal is to turn this waste into tapestries, woven stories about what we humans contribute to our planet, show the power of our diversity by using human hair as a material.”
TEDxAmsterdamWomen -Talent Night 2021 Finalist
For the fourth year in a row, TEDxAmsterdamWomen hosted Talent Night, where they opened their stage to new, undiscovered “ideas worth spreading.” This year they focused the Talent Night event on boosting the participation of younger applicants. The idea was to give particularly young talent the opportunity to share their unstoppable ideas; ideas that make the world more inclusive, to drive meaningful change, and inspire others to act with them.
Rossana Orlandi – Guiltless Plastic Award 2021 – Responsible Innovation Projects – Finalist
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Read more about the Guiltless Plastic Award at Rossana Orlandi
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Winner design White Carnation Prize 2020 Zsofia Kollar
“It is a special challenge to create a meaningful object for someone who contributed to our freedom and security while risking life. Freedom to me means security and trust, where individuals are free in self-expression. Where positive rights guarantee the growth of a society or stimulate individual development. Freedom is acceptance and growth.”
OBJECT Rotterdam: binnen no-time op de hoogte van het nieuwste designtalent
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Sustainable Fashion: the Generation 2020 project of the MOAM foundation
The creation of Zsofia Kollar is a reflection of our consumer culture that silently destroys us to meet our demands. Products have become tools that mark daily reality and end up becoming our extension.
DUS: DE KOP # 15
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Working Hard or Hardly Working during Dutch Design Week
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Lodown Magazine x Radical Cut-up
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PROJECT DIVERSITY – Femme Art Review
“The project I showcased was called Diversity, a tactile gesture that connects and facilitates conversation about gender identity.”
When can we start to objectify our hair?
Zsofia Kollar is a designer who uses hair as the primary medium. The human hair has many capabilities due to their nutrients. For this collection, Zsofia experiments with the hair as an absorbent material to carry scent through a tapestry, table decor, and jewelry.
MILAN 18: KABK, MY PRACTICE, MY POLITICS
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Dare to Amaze
Zsofia Kollar is a Hungarian material and conceptual designer based in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Experimenting with materials is an important part of Zsofia’s works, she grounds her production on a conceptual base as much as on the experiments.
GRADUATION SPECIAL: Zsofia Kollar
We desire to create bonds. Not just with other humans, but also with objects. Our curiosity moves us to reveal secrets, find the hidden, and wonder about intentions, functions, or the process of an object.
Jos Brink Prize winner receives artwork from KABK student Zsofia Kollar
On 21 May, the Jos Brink Oeuvre Prize 2017 was awarded by Minister Jet Bussemaker (Emancipation) during a festive program in the Oude Luxor Theater in Rotterdam. Ellie Lust wins Jos Brink Oeuvre Prize 2017 and receives artwork by student Zsofia Kollar.
Repulsive and confronting: Is human hair the new it-product?
As the world’s population surges, human hair is one of the few natural resources that increase with it. As a plentiful and renewable substitute to waning resources like tortoise shell, horn and tropical woods, an increasing number of designers are exploring its possibilities as a sustainable alternative and viable material for everyday objects.
Why do we find things made out of human hair so disgusting?
It’s no secret that our environment is a fragile ecosystem and manufacturers are increasingly looking for sustainable materials to use in their products.
Successful RESET at the Salone del Mobile 2016 – Royal Academy of Art, The Hague
In the intimate environment of a private penthouse in the heart of Ventura Lambrate, the exhibition received more than 23,000 visitors to its programme of performances, installations and design discussions.
Haagse studente wint landelijke Design Award met gerookt hout
De Haagse studente Zsofia Kollár heeft de eerste FSC Design Award gewonnen. FSV staat voor Forest Stewardship Council. Hout met dit keurmerk is geproduceerd volgens strenge regels over de bescherming van de natuur, legaliteit en over de rechten en het welzijn van de lokale bevolking en arbeiders.
Student Zsofia Kollár from The Hague wins national FSC Design Award 2016
The results of the FSC Design Award 2016 were announced on Thursday at the annual FSC Event in Wageningen. The main prize went to Zsofia Kollár, an interior architecture student at the Royal Academy of Art (KABK) in The Hague.
HUMAN HAIR TURNED INTO SCENTED CLOTH BY ZSOFIA KOLLAR
Human hair is loved and hated at the same time: while an adorning crown of the body, once it’s not on someone’s head it’s possibly the most despised kind of rubbage.
Zsofia Kollar weaves human hair to create golden perfumed textile
To create the textile, Kollar wove strands of blonde hair around one another and sprayed the piece with essential oil, so that the tapestry would gradually perfume the room it is displayed in.
Zsofia Kollar – Sometimes the truth is stranger than fiction.
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