Beyond the Meat Dress: Fish Plastic and Milk Fashion

Franc Fernandez shocked the world when he designed Lady Gaga's infamous "meat dress,"  but he's not the only one who's found an unexpected use for a protein source. The lifecycle impact has yet to be calculated, but by using would-be waste products, these two items edge into the eco realm.

Designer Erik de Laurens makes "plastic" from fish scales. The fishing industry discards tons of fish scales, so de Laurens was inspired to put the stuff to use. By applying heat and pressure, de Laurens transforms the scales into faux-plastic drinking glasses, goggles, and a water dispenser.

Meanwhile, Anke Domaske uses spoiled milk as her medium. The German fashion designer creates stylish dresses by spinning milk fibers into protein threads. Domaske, whose background is in microbiology, hopes that the silk-like milk fiber will become a viable alternative to cotton.

While we're captivated by these un-boring innovations, we may have lost our appetites.

--Della Watson