By Biology
By Biology was born at the crossroads of curiosity and craftsmanship — where science becomes silk and discovery is spun into design. Each scarf is a tapestry of hidden worlds: DNA crystallised like frost on a winter branch, neurons branching like ancient forests, cells forming patterns as intricate as coral reefs. What is invisible in the lab becomes visible in the weave, reminding us that nature’s code is not only functional but profoundly beautiful.
Founded by Siwan Oldham, who has spent her career in medical research, the brand turns years of biology into wearable storytelling. Every piece is printed and hand-finished in Macclesfield, the historic town where silk has been nurtured for centuries, carrying forward traditions of care and skill. Just as ecosystems rely on cycles of renewal, By Biology ties its artistry to purpose — gifting 10% of each sale to Alzheimer’s Research UK, helping new ideas take root.
Highlights
- Science as Design: Each scarf features original imagery derived from DNA crystallography and neuronal photography — where every fold reveals the artistry in discovery.
- Made in the UK: Printed and hand-rolled in Macclesfield by a family business with 50 years’ silk-making heritage, supporting local craftsmanship.
Giving Back: With every purchase, 10% of sales is donated to Alzheimer’s Research UK and the MS Society, via Work for Good — weaving generosity into every design. - Storytelling Through Science: Every collection translates complex scientific research into wearable narratives, sparking curiosity and bringing hidden worlds into everyday life.
Planet
By Biology’s ethical commitment is stitched into its design process. The choice of silk – a natural fibre that returns to the earth without trace – mirrors the cycles of nature, like leaves that fall and replenish the soil. Printing is done with water-based inks, ensuring the vibrancy of the scarves does not cloud rivers or streams, allowing colour to live on fabric rather than in waterways.
Production remains close to home in Macclesfield, reducing transport emissions and rooting creation in the soil of a historic silk town. Still, just as ecosystems thrive on transparency, the brand’s next step will be to illuminate the story of its silk sources, ensuring every thread aligns with nature’s balance.
People
Each By Biology scarf is a collaboration between past and present, knowledge and craft. Made in Macclesfield, where silk has been woven for centuries, these scarves are made by experienced artisans. Founder Siwan Oldham brings a scientist’s eye and a storyteller’s heart, ensuring that what is worn also teaches and inspires. This is human creativity in symbiosis: research translated into design, tradition into future.
The opportunity ahead lies in formalising the safeguards – a code of conduct, wage commitments, or supplier pledges – that will serve as roots to anchor the brand’s ethical growth, ensuring that as it expands its canopy, its foundations remain fair and just.
Business
By Biology’s business model is a living ecosystem where profit nourishes purpose. With 10% of every sale flowing directly to Alzheimer’s Research UK through Work for Good, each scarf is not simply sold but sown into research, carrying potential for breakthroughs that ripple outward like seeds scattered on the wind.
By Biology’s scarves illuminate the hidden worlds of biology, igniting curiosity and allowing wearers to carry fragments of knowledge into the everyday.
Shipping & Contact
Registered Company Number: 14311374
25 Tithe Barn Close, St Albans AL1 2QD
VAT number: N/A