Nowadays, the majority of raw material of textile is form cotton, animal, tree and oil. These resources have being cost more and more because of environment, land, and resource constraints. With the large demand of textile product, lots of country, company or research organization started to look for develop new resource. Seaweed has successfully be abstrated fibre and woven into fabric in recent decade and publicly been known in recent years. In this essay, first it will be briefly introduce seaweed. Secondly, It will demonstrate the history of seaweed development around the world and the benefit of seaweed fibre has been discovered. Thirdly, it will introduce designer Christine Zillich’s seaweed collection. Finally, it will discuss the environmental and ethical benefits and considers of seaweed fabric production.

Seaweeds are marine algae and categorise as plants. Most of them are the green, brown or red kinds, and they commonly uses on food, medicine, fertilizer, filtration, industrial, etc.1 They contain mineral salts and and are rich in amino acids, iodine, trace elements. 2
Seaweed has being a healing plant in Chinese medicine for long time, it can boost immune systems, reduce blood sugar, promote circulation and digestion, and revitalize skin, hair and nails 3

Seaweed fibre has been discovered and developed around the world for decades. A Janpense’s special fibre company is the first to achieve mass production of seaweed fiber manufacturers and in leading procession in the world. The company has been selling seaweed fiber towel in the country since 1993 and selling seaweed fiber underwear in South Korea since 2000.4 Nowadays, it has expanded to Europe and Southeast Asia and other countries. In 1997, couturier Olivier Lapidus request the CEVA, a private research organization that dedicated to the study algae to developed a marine plant fibre research project that is suitable for spinning, weaving, dying and washing, just like cotton.5 In 2000, The Italy company, Zegna Baruffa Lane Borgosesia also developed a fibre called Thalassa that contain seaweed ingredients6. It claim that This fiber fabrics and clothing has better ability to maintain and improve human surface temperature, also it has medical benefits like brain relaxation, increase the wearer 's attention and memory and anti-allergic, reduce fatigue and improve insomnia 6. In 2007, Qingdao University public a patent about preparation and uses of Chitosan graft seaweed fiber4. Due to the fibre has coated with chitosan, it has good moisture absorption and antibacterial properties, and non-toxic , harmless, safe and biodegradable4. Peruvian textile industry has developed seaweed fiber clothing that can withstand UV rays and prevent skin cancer4. According to the Spanish " Digital Daily" reported in 2008, this seaweed fibre clothing can effectively prevent the body from excessive exposure to ultraviolet light, thereby preventing serious eye disease and skin cancer and other skin diseases4. Seacell is the new fibre that developed by German company AG smartfirbe in 20117. Basically, Seacell is make our of Lyocell and seaweed, consider as celluslose regenerated fibre. It is the fibre that contains trace elements, vitamins and minerals found in seaweeds.7 The company has develop two type of fibre: SeaCell pure and SeaCell avtive. Seacell active has added silver that has an antibacterial and Permanently bacteriostatic effect.

There are lots of advantages and properties of Seaweed fibre has been proved. Firstly, seaweed can protect the skin and exhibit anti-inflammatory properties, which also these properties can be achieved to unfold in the fibre9. Secondly, the seaweed carbon fibre that from seaweed charcoal has infrared function that can resonate the human blood and rise body temperature, then promoting metabolism and rid the harmful substance in body4. So seaweed fibre has being use medical field since 1930 as seaweed clothing can accelerate wound