Founder of Studio B. O.R., Al-Rashdan is pioneering eco-friendly materials and technologies to reshape the future of fashion.

Batoul Al-Rashdan, the visionary founder of fashion tech brand Studio B.O.R, is at the forefront of sustainable fashion innovation, bringing eco-conscious alternatives into the spotlight. As a finalist in the Fashion Trust Arabia (FTA) 2024 Awards’ Fashion Tech category, Al-Rashdan is committed to addressing one of the industry’s most pressing challenges: sustainability.

With a strong academic foundation, including two postgraduate degrees in digital fabrication and textiles, Al-Rashdan is reshaping how fashion is designed, manufactured, and consumed. Her work focuses on creating sustainable fabric solutions, some of which are derived from unexpected sources such as food waste. Through bio-design techniques, Al-Rashdan is also exploring natural alternatives, such as extracting colours from plant-based bacteria and engineering bio-plastics that decompose and return to the earth.

The Fashion Trust Arabia Awards, scheduled to be announced on October 24 in Marrakesh, celebrate emerging talent from across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Al-Rashdan, alongside 17 other finalists, is competing for six prestigious awards, including categories such as Ready-to-Wear, Eveningwear, and the highly coveted Franca Sozzani Debut Talent Award. Her inclusion in the Fashion Tech category is a testament to her trailblazing efforts in combining fashion with cutting-edge technology.

Speaking about her mission, Al-Rashdan explained, “There are two aspects of what I do. One is sustainable fabric solutions, like those made from food waste. The other is bio-design techniques, which involve innovations like extracting natural colours from plant-based bacteria or creating bio-plastics that return to the earth.” These innovations align with the growing global movement toward eco-conscious design and production, challenging the fashion industry’s reliance on harmful materials and wasteful processes.

Studio B.O.R is not only leading the way in sustainable materials but also exploring the use of advanced technology in fashion. Al-Rashdan’s studio is known for integrating 3D printing, robotics, and parametric design into its creations, pushing the boundaries of what sustainable fashion can achieve. “I’m trying to optimise sustainable solutions and test the limits with technology,” she said, adding that her ultimate goal is to bridge the gap between research and real-world application.

Al-Rashdan’s approach demonstrates a profound commitment to the intersection of technology and sustainability, an area gaining increasing attention as consumers demand more responsible fashion choices. The combination of bio-design and digital fabrication allows her to explore new possibilities for materials and production processes, aiming to create fashion that not only looks good but does good for the environment.

The FTA 2024 Advisory Board, which includes notable figures such as British designer Erdem Moralioglu, jewellery designer Gaia Repossi, and US designer Kelly Wearstler, selected the 18 finalists from across the region. The winners will be celebrated in Marrakesh, and Al-Rashdan’s work in fashion tech is positioned as a highlight of the event, offering a glimpse into the future of sustainable fashion.

Beyond the awards, Al-Rashdan’s work is part of a broader effort to make sustainability mainstream in the fashion industry. Her research-based approach seeks to integrate eco-friendly solutions into everyday fashion practices, providing alternatives to the waste-heavy, resource-intensive methods that have long defined the industry. By leveraging advanced technologies like robotics and 3D printing, Studio B.O.R aims to optimise these solutions and push their adoption on a larger scale.

As the world of fashion continues to evolve, figures like Batoul Al-Rashdan are proving that sustainability and innovation can go hand in hand. Her nomination for the FTA Awards highlights the importance of sustainable fashion in the region and globally, signalling a shift towards more responsible practices in the industry.