Sustainable action, fair trade, organic agriculture, renewable energies - the issue of climate protection and sustainability will continue to dominate public discourse in Germany in 2019 and show that the issue of resource use is more topical and important than ever before. In the fashion industry, too, the issue of sustainability is becoming increasingly important, especially as more and more consumers are attaching importance to transparent trade routes, resource-saving work and fair working conditions. More and more fashion companies are relying on sustainable and ecological raw materials, but most production takes place in developing countries with long trade routes and poor working conditions in the factories.

Wiete Sommer, fashion and textile designer from Dresden, is a graduate of the HTW Berlin. She wants to create fair fashion and offer consumers the greatest possible transparency. The young designer is working in a joint project with the Light Microscopy Facility of the CMCB technology platform of BioDIP Dresden. With the help of light microscopic images of the BioDIP, the designer creates digital prints which are then printed on fabric. The fashion collection is produced in Germany. Wiete Sommer has also already thought about alternatives to cotton and talked to producers: "Materials such as hemp or algae are excellent, they are renewable raw materials and innovative materials of the future," said Ms. Sommer.

The designer sees her project as an opportunity to bring science and art together and to show in a creative way how a new product can be created from analytical science and modern design. For example, she has already printed photos of moulds on clothing. "It is very important to me to show a strong naturalness and to find the aesthetic in the seemingly less aesthetic," explains Ms. Sommer. So she sees her fashion as a marketable product, but with great artistic aspirations. She is well on her way to producing her collection in small series by the end of next year. "A presentation is conceivable within the framework of the Long Night of Science and consumer fairs are also under discussion.

Negotiations are currently underway on the licensing agreements for image rights. "I am always open to new ideas and I would be happy to continue working with other people across all industries," the designer emphasizes. Ms. Sommer comes from a family of artists in Radebeul; her parents and sister involve her in their projects and consult with them. Her parents have also been photographed as models for their new project. Working with photographs offers a lot of creative scope, the designer can also imagine screen printing for her next project. "My goal is to pass on knowledge through fashion as an image carrier and to show how aesthetic science can be. I want to visualize sustainability, provide new food for thought, and offer a further alternative to conventionally manufactured mass-produced goods".

Contact for journalists                                                                                                            Wiete Sommer