Keel Labs and Mr. Bailey Debut the Starboard Vest

Generated from a mutual desire to apply biomimicry to real-world products, Keel Labs and Mr. Bailey partnered to create the Starboard Vest, a one-of-a-kind piece from Kelsun, Keel Labs' flagship fiber.

MORRISVILLE, N.C., April 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Keel Labs and product designer Mr. Bailey debuted the Starboard Vest, a garment made from Kelsun™ fiber. Generated from a mutual desire to apply biomimicry to real-world products, the partnership granted creative freedom to Mr. Bailey while designing a one-of-a-kind piece from Kelsun, Keel Labs' flagship fiber made from seaweed.

While Keel Labs' mission is to harness the radical potential of the ocean to transform the textile industry and the world, Daniel Bailey, better known as Mr. Bailey, uses nature to inform his design philosophy – most notably in his work using marine life cycles in jellyfish to inspire an evolving, generative design language in footwear.

Kelsun's oceanic origins and Keel Labs' desire to offer designers a more sustainable alternative to conventional materials made the partnership a natural fit, expanding Mr. Bailey's design work at the intersection of nature and technology.

Through his research, Mr. Bailey found inspiration in Keel Labs' name. The root of Keel Labs' name hails from shipbuilding, with a 'keel' serving as the structural spine of a ship, uplifting and maintaining forward momentum. Mr. Bailey studied the etymology of this word, exploring new contexts for the Keel Labs name, as well as new design possibilities for Kelsun fiber in the form of an experimental garment.

"I genuinely believe that impactful design starts at the material level. Collaborating with the team at Keel Labs has been enlightening—they're not only harnessing seaweed to create fibers but are also intelligently integrating these innovations into current textile production processes. It's this mix of idealism and pragmatism that resonates with me. I'm thankful to Keel Labs for allowing my team and I the liberty to explore the potential of Kelsun fiber and demonstrate just a glimpse of what their material can achieve," said Mr. Bailey.

The Starboard Vest was knit with a 50/50 Kelsun fiber and cotton blend. It has 3 successive layers of different knit constructions, and utilizes a trapunto technique to connect the vest's exterior shell and contrasting ribs. In an effort to further explore the versatility of Kelsun, Mr. Bailey chose to fill the vest with 100% Kelsun fiber to inflate the vest's shape and structure – an homage to life vests found onboard marine vessels.

"It was a privilege to work with Mr. Bailey to bring his vision of Kelsun to life in the thoughtful and detailed execution of the Starboard Vest. Through Mr. Bailey's vision, we were able to push Kelsun beyond its creative limits – creating a truly unique design that unites next-gen materials, biomimicry, and the art of garment construction," said Tessa Callaghan, Keel Labs' Co-Founder & CEO.

About Keel Labs
Keel Labs is a sustainable materials company addressing the highly polluting systems of textile production with aquaculture-based technologies. Many of the most widely used fabrics today are either petroleum-based, or require immense amounts of water and pesticides in cultivation, most relying on toxic chemicals throughout the production process. Keel Labs' flagship product is Kelsun™ fiber, a biodegradable, seaweed-derived material that leaves no toxic residue in the environment at its end of life.

Driven by the exploration of novel, regenerative resources, Keel Labs is broadening our vision for the potential of the ocean to accelerate our planet's development towards a more sustainable future through the development of climate-focused material solutions.

For more information, visit keellabs.com. For brands interested in working with Kelsun, visit keellabs.com/partnerships

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SOURCE Keel Labs