The nacre jacket grown from bacteria

A radical fusion of science, craft and activism, ALWAKIA by Elie Al-Marji explores new ways of thinking about protection and solidarity. At its core is a biofabricated material inspired by mother-of-pearl, grown with bacteria to form lightweight, impact-resistant armour. This armour is integrated into a jacket made from olive waste leather, creating a garment that unites protection, sustainability and a symbolic connection to the Levant, where both culture and landscape are under threat.

The project is as much about care and solidarity as it is about innovation. Each nacreous armour piece is created in the lab and then hand-assembled into the jacket, echoing endangered Levantine inlay traditions once used in ceremonial objects. The garment acts as both shield and signal: oversized, unignorable, and designed to amplify the wearer’s presence. Its iridescent finish catches the light like natural nacre, while sculptural winged sleeves shaped like olive leaves symbolise peace and mourning. Motifs drawn from the Palestinian keffiyeh and cellular bone structures layer meaning into the surface, blending cultural heritage with biological design.

ALWAKIA challenges what protection can mean today. Rather than relying on synthetic materials like Kevlar, it uses biodegradable, regenerative components grown in the lab. The modular, impact-resistant armour is mapped to the body’s pressure points, offering defence without restricting movement. In this way, the jacket fuses function, ritual and activism, turning clothing into a living banner, a wearable statement in solidarity with those resisting oppression and environmental destruction.

References: Elie Al-Marji