The ongoing project GROWING PATTERNS. LIVING PIGMENTS by studio LIA sees it's mission in re-thinking fashion and textile design practices and production processes towards a more sustainable and healthier future. New technologies are being used to find alternative ways of thinking fashion. While the dyeing industry is seen as the biggest environment polluter in the production chain, a focus lies on bacteria dyeing, which brings numerous advantages over traditional dyeing techniques. The goal is to generate a broader application field for this technique and to find new ways of using bacteria for the dyeing of fabrics and filtering water after the dyeing process. In combination with techniques like UV and 3D-printing, laser engraving and -cutting as well as jacquard weaving, silk screening and so on, the first phase of the project made it possible to push bacteria dyeing a step forward in terms of aesthetics. In an artistic research process the growth of the bacteria could be guided and pattern designs were able to establish, which is a great achievement for being able to compete with other printing and dyeing methods.