HUARAFLOR
BIODESIGN | PRODUCT DESIGN | BRANDING
Reviving tradition through sustainable design.
Biodesign + Sustainable Fashion
Brief
Huaraflor is a biodesign project transforming the invasive ice plant into bio-leather, hand-crafted into huaraches using my great-grandfather’s original patterns. I led the concept, product design, and brand development—blending sustainable material innovation with cultural storytelling to create footwear that honors tradition while embracing contemporary design.
Audience
Huaraflor is for design-conscious individuals who value sustainability, cultural heritage, and craftsmanship—people who believe the objects they wear should tell a story and carry meaning.
Opportunity
There’s an opportunity to position Huaraflor as both a symbol of cultural preservation and an example of circular design innovation, offering a product experience that is as thoughtful in its making as it is in its message.
Concept
A brand rooted in the colors, textures, and rhythms of Mexico—where coastal breezes meet desert blooms, and tradition meets innovation. Huaraflor transforms the invasive ice plant into bio-leather huaraches, hand-crafted from my great-grandfather’s original patterns. It’s a celebration of ancestral craftsmanship, environmental renewal, and the beauty of everyday objects made with care.
Design
A palette of terracotta walls, cactus greens, ocean blues, and marigold yellows captures the soul of Mexico—from the bustling mercados and handwoven baskets to the stillness of a desert afternoon. Organic textures and floral motifs recall the land’s native plants, while clean, modern typography bridges heritage with contemporary design. The visual identity is vibrant yet refined, honoring the artistry of handmade goods and the bold spirit of Mexican design.
Voice
Warm, poetic, and grounded in tradition—speaking as both maker and storyteller. The tone celebrates Mexican heritage, honors the land that provides the materials, and invites others to see design as a bridge between culture, sustainability, and innovation.
This diagram shows how Huaraflor transforms waste into value—turning invasive ice plant from ecological restoration efforts and gelatin, a meat industry byproduct, into versatile biomaterials like bioleather, bioplastic, biofilm, and biorubber. The process closes the loop, supporting a circular economy and sustainable design.
Huaraflor’s biomaterial blends the natural pigments of ice plant with gelatin and sugar to create flexible, versatile forms. Red and orange ice plant yield warm pink hues, while green ice plant produces sunny yellows. By adjusting the ratios of gelatin and sugar, the material can shift from soft biorubber to translucent biofilm to durable bioleather—making it adaptable for a wide range of applications.
This brand board captures the essence of Huaraflor—rooted in Mexican culture, coastal and desert landscapes, and the vibrancy of everyday life. Warm terracotta, marigold, and cactus green echo the textures of sunbaked walls and desert blooms, while ocean blues bring a breath of the Pacific. The imagery blends artisanal markets, native plants, and architectural color stories to create a visual language that feels both timeless and modern. It’s an aesthetic of warmth, craftsmanship, and connection to place—grounded in heritage, alive with color, and inspired by the land that shapes the material.
Huaraflor’s color palette draws from the landscapes and culture of Mexico—sun-warmed clay, vibrant marigold, soft pink skies, and golden blooms balanced with shades of cactus green, sage, and ocean blue. These colors evoke the warmth of heritage, the richness of nature, and the vibrancy of coastal and desert life, grounding the brand in both place and story.
GRATITUDE
Huaraflor is such a meaningful project—one that beautifully weaves together biodesign and storytelling. It’s a rare example of how design can honor heritage while shaping a more sustainable future.
JOHN SUEDA, DESIGN CHAIR, California college of the arts
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The HuaraFlor Huarache