Rootfull exhibits at First Light Festival
Rooted: Material Ecologies is the result of an open call to artists, sponsored by the Messums Creative Foundation. The brief was to propose a large, site-specific, ephemeral sculpture created using non-hydrocarbon-based materials, challenging artists to think differently about the use of materials in their individual practices, and encouraging the viewer to consider the beauty and value in ephemeral art.
ROOTED: Material Ecologies
In an exploration of creativity and non-hydrocarbon materials, Rootfull has been selected by Messums Org for a large-scale, site-specific, ephemeral work of art to be previewed in the 13th century tithe barn at Messums West as part of the gallery’s Active Environmentalism programme from 24 May to 14 June 2025; and then presented at the opening of the First Light Festival on the beach at Lowestoft on the 21st and 22nd June. The First Light Festival takes place on the most easterly point of the country and, on the shortest night of the year, it sees the sun rise on a festival of art and discussions.
Tom Faulkner x Rootfull
Tom Faulkner x Rootfull
The installation invites visitors to experience nature reimagined, an immersive display that celebrates the seamless fusion of craftsmanship, ecology, and creativity at the Tom Faulkner Show Room, Pimlico, London
Rootfull at V&A Dundee
Rootfull exhibits at Shifting Matter, NYC
Shifting Matter is a group exhibition celebrating a profound love for nature-related materials, embracing them as living collaborators. The show explores the intersection of design, art, and nature, featuring creators who develop objects, works, and biomaterials in dialogue with science and natural processes
Crossing Boundaries - Magazine Interview
Like nature, biotech invites us to exist beyond categories to generate product design processes that are alive and support further life.
‘What I am doing is a craft which is guiding nature’ Zena explains while citing basket weaving or woodwork as examples. ‘It is cultural in a way because it is working with a natural fibre and, in other ways, it’s more scientific.’
Zena Holloway in conversation with Grant Gibson
In this episode Grant and Zena talk about: how she came to work with wheatgrass; early experiments with other materials; why her process is like a school experiment; how beeswax provided a Eureka! moment; ‘collaborating’ with her material; roots’ potential in industry; working with Kylie; giving up underwater photography and becoming a full-time bio-designer; creating new products with fashion designer Phoebe English; being fuelling by optimism; oh and stealing her son’s Lego.”
Rootfull grows Imogen Heap’s AI Twin!
Festival of Light at HEALS
Rootfull Exhibits at Material Matters, LDF
Rootfull exhibits with Material Matters for London Design Festival 18-21 September at Bargehouse, Oxo Tower Wharf on London's Bankside.
Rootfull wins UK Innovate research grant
Rootfull wins QEST craft scholarship
Root textile is a disruptive and exciting innovation that can shift behaviours. With this new natural fibre, maker and designer, Zena Holloway promotes deeper awareness of the materials we consume. Craft is about when and by whom something is made; how objects respond to need and most importantly the materials they are made from.
Exhibiting at Future Fabrics 2024
Serpentine Gallery, Ocean Talks
Rootfull is a material innovation company developing a highly novel textile by guiding plant root to “weave” unique artefacts and surfaces. It’s a disruptive innovation that fuses sustainability, creativity, and natural artistry, brought together by underwater photographer and bio-designer, Zena Holloway.
Rootfull wins Gold, Chelsea Flower Show 2024
Meet Rootfull, founded by bio-designer Zena Holloway: creating the fabric of the future from wheatgrass roots.
How, exactly? Rootfull plants the seeds on beeswax templates. As the roots grow, they bind together into a naturally woven ‘fabric’ whose properties, texture and appearance vary depending on the template used. Twelve days after planting, this root fabric is ready to be harvested. The innovation is patent-pending and combines material science coupled with creativity. Zena is able to apply this unique textile to form coral-like sculptures that spread her message about ocean conservation, beautiful lampshades, coloured with natural dyes and artistic jewellery as well as clothing
Surface Design Awards 2024
Texture and pattern offer a gateway into the natural world, harnessing natural materials and textures to evolve a sense of well-being at Surface Design Show 2024
Future Heritage
Future Heritage has a track record for spotting the next big thing. The work is thoughtfully and rigorously executed with makers pushing their chosen material or process in new directions.
Mills Fabrica
The Mills Fabrica was set up to create positive social impact for future generations with like-minded entrepreneurs and strategic partners. They focus on incubating and investing in sustainable innovations and building an international community of innovators, entrepreneurs and visionaries.
Future Fabrics
Rootfull exhibits at the Future Fabrics Expo 2023. Showcasing material solutions that sensitize visitors to new and extraordinary alternatives to plastic.
Silver at Chelsea
Root dress wins silver medal at Chelsea Flower Show 2023