Reefit Pêlav by Pear and Mulberry is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2025 Xelata A' Design Award a Zîvîn in Dîzayna Afirandî, Algorîtmîk, Parametrîk û bi Alîkariya AI-ê Competition Category.

ZîvAfirandî· 2025

Reefit Pêlav

by Pear and Mulberry

Client: Pear and Mulberry

Xelata A' Design Award a Zîvîn Winner in Afirandî Category

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Verified Award Winner

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View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

Colors

The Design

About Reefit Pêlav

Reefit konseptek pêlavê ye ku bi dîzayna hilberîner (generative design) û materyalên biyolojîk-hilweşbar hatiye afirandin. Avahiya wê ji refên koralan îlham girtiye û çarçoveyeke hişk a mîna koralê ji bo piştgiriyê bi qatek toreya nerm a ji bo lihevhatinê re dike yek. Modelkirina parametrîk û çapkirina 3D tê bikaranîn, bi bîyoplastîkên ji giyayê deryayê hatine wergirtin, toreyên bi kalsiyûmê dagirtî û pêkhateyên mycelium re. Tore li gorî pê xwe diguncîne û hewagirtinê baştir dike. Piştî ku diqedin, pêlav dikarin li cihên vejandina deryayî bên danîn, ku li wir avahiya dewlemend a bi kalsiyûmê piştgiriyê dide girêdana koralan û pirrengiya jîngeha deryayî.

The Recognition

About the Xelata A' Design Award a Zîvîn

Reefit Pêlav xelatgirê Xelata A' Design Award a Zîvîn e, nasîneke bi awayekî awarte bi prestîj ku ji sêwiranên di asta herî bilind de, xweşik û bibandor re tê dayîn. Xelatgirên Zîvînê karên pir birûsk û pir afirîner in, yên ku pisporiya hêja, jêhatîbûn û zîrekiya sêwiranerên xwe nîşan didin. Tê hêvîkirin ku Reefit Pêlav karekî mînak, pir pîşekar û bi kûrahî nûjen be. Ev sêwirana bi Zîvînê serketî vedîtineke berbiçav û hatiye sitayişkirin e ku ji bo fireh kirina sînorên huner, zanist, sêwiran û teknolojiyê tevkarî dike. Reefit Pêlav afirandinek e ku gelek kes çavê xwe lê dikin, daxwazan şiyar dike, hestên erênî tîne û heyirînê çêdike.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: This footwear concept is a fusion of generative design and bio-integrated material science, inspired by the symbiotic nature of coral reefs. Utilizing parametric modeling and 3D printing with biodegradable materials, it embodies an intricate balance between structural integrity and organic fluidity. The multi-layered composition integrates a coral skeleton framework for support and a soft-skin lattice for adaptability, offering a unique haptic experience. Beyond aesthetics, its lifecycle embodies a complete sustainability loop—once worn out, the shoes can be repurposed as artificial coral reefs, reintegrating into marine ecosystems to foster new habitats.
Dimensions & Packaging: Flexible lattice composition, biodegradable mycelium composites, and 3D-printed structural coral-inspired framework. Adaptable sizing range via generative fit algorithms.
Tags: Biomimetic Footwear, Sustainable Fashion, Computational Design, Coral Restoration, Machine Learning, Eco-Futurism
Production Technology: The footwear is realized through generative design workflows, integrating biomimetic simulations, 3D-printed bio-composites, and mycelium-based biodegradable polymers. The parametric structure optimizes breathability, structural performance, and lightweight flexibility. The material composition includes seaweed-derived bioplastics, calcium-infused lattice structures, and fungal mycelium composites, ensuring a regenerative lifecycle aligned with oceanic restoration initiatives. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and topological optimization refine the form’s hydrodynamic properties, enhancing its environmental synergy when repurposed as an artificial reef structure.
Design Challenge: Key challenges involved balancing highly organic aesthetics with structural feasibility, ensuring manufacturability while maintaining an avant-garde design language. The material science complexities of developing fully biodegradable yet durable footwear posed additional constraints, requiring iterative prototyping and structural simulations. Furthermore, bridging computational design with ecological utility demanded extensive collaboration between fashion technologists and marine conservation experts. Ultimately, this project redefines footwear as a biological artifact, capable of both self-expression and environmental restoration.
Research: This project employs an interdisciplinary research approach at the convergence of computational design, biomaterials, and marine ecology. Core objectives include: Analyzing coral growth patterns through pattern recognition to inform dynamic footwear structures. Developing parametric footwear forms that optimize support and adaptability based on generative design principles. Testing biofabricated materials for structural resilience and marine integration, ensuring sustainability beyond the product lifecycle. Collaborations with material scientists, marine biologists, and algorithmic designers refine the manufacturability of bio-integrated footwear. The research underscores the potential for fashion as a regenerative agent, transforming waste into ecological solutions.
Inspiration: The project reimagines shoes as living ecosystems, merging marine biology, computational design, and sustainability. Drawing from the duality of coral structures—the rigid skeleton and the soft, enveloping polyps—the shoe mimics nature’s architecture, offering both protection and adaptability. Inspired by the regenerative properties of coral reefs, this project envisions footwear as a harmonious extension of natural cycles, redefining the relationship between fashion, ecology, and biomimicry.
Project Duration: The project commenced in March 2025, developed across multiple research hubs specializing in generative design, bio-fabrication, and sustainable material science. Research and prototyping take place in interdisciplinary studios, iterating through simulation and material testing.
Operation Flow: Designed for both high-fashion and sustainable impact, the coral-inspired footwear offers a radical reinterpretation of footwear lifecycle. The structure dynamically conforms to the foot, ensuring ergonomic adaptability. Over time, its material composition subtly evolves with exposure to moisture and heat, enhancing biodegradability. Upon retirement, the shoes can be deployed in marine restoration efforts, where their calcium-rich structure facilitates coral attachment and marine biodiversity growth, extending their functional impact beyond fashion into ecological preservation.
Image Credits: PEAR & MULBERRY