A biological revolution in the world of sports footwear and apparel: the research of MIT and Puma has led to the creation of materials and fabrics enhanced through the use of special kinds of bacteria, which guarantee a specific set of performances for athletes. The fruit of this research debuted in the Material Village set up in the via Tortona Superstudio Più hub, which is dedicated to presenting the materials, new technologies and sustainability of the Fuorisalone set of events and exhibitions.

In this context, much interest was shown in Breathing Shoe, the “biologically active” shoe that keeps the foot cool; the Deep Learning Insole, with microorganisms that are capable of providing useful feedback for the improved athletic performance of the person wearing them; the microbially-active Carbon Eaters t-shirt that changes its appearance to inform the wearer about the air quality surrounding it; and Adaptive Packaging, the biologically programmable material for new kinds of biodegradable packaging.