A former Kingston University student has designed a pregnancy vest that carries and nurtures a baby plant as part of a final year experiment.

Alice Kim from Seoul, South Korea wanted to compare life cycles of plants and people by exploring whether the care given to babies could be invoked with similar feelings of responsibility towards small green seedlings.

The 23-year-old fitted volunteers with the makeshift belly to find out how they felt.

She said: “People already talk to plants, and that reminded me of how pet owners behave with dogs and cats in their homes too – treating them like children.

“I wondered whether a plant could be like a member of the family too and decided to test out people’s reactions by creating the pregnancy vest.”

The graduate said she found vest wearers became much more aware of just how fragile the seedling was and how inconvenient it was as well as how much close attention it needed.

She said: “Watching my volunteers walk carefully and adjust their movements to protect the plant showed me that they were aware of their responsibility and that care was being given – which was what I hoped for. I found it inspiring to observe people’s responses.”

Although the vests are not for sale, the future designer exhibited a miniature plant stroller at the emerging talent exhibition for new designers in London over the summer.

Miss Kim is now in her native South Korea and is looking for a job in interior design.