6 - Design that looks at Models from Nature & History

In this strategy is about how are we use inspiration from natural and history in the past to adapt in sustainable textile. As the textile designer, I consider how much textile designers can find inspiration and information for future sustainable design from studying and reflecting nature as well as textiles, habits and social of the past. Now, social has interested by using textile materials from local than before for example, flex and hemp from Europe, bark close from Asia. As industrial machine use material from the natural world but in the possible ways now we can learn from nature and how we can captivated to naturally provided solution for us. For instant, We used fibre from pants get attach to animal fur, and used spider cell or spiderweb can be inspired development new textile technology to the world. In my opinion, this strategy used and award a natural intelligent and the human intelligent from past, culture and tradition then apply acknowledge to develop the most sustainable systems

"...the accumulated past is lift's best resource for innovation ...reinventing beats inventing nearly every time." Stewart Brand

Examples:

• Shape-memory polymers to mimic natural movement
• 'Lotus effect' nano-coatings
• Velcro
• Austerity repair
• Make-do-and-mend
• D.I.Y/punk customization
• Modern nomads
• Historic dying/ printing techniques

Mortortex

Morphotex butterfly which used the scales on their wings to reflect the light in different ways in order to maintain a vivid, bright blue with shimmer in their wings.

"Teijin Fibers Ltd. started the commercial production of Morphotex, which is an unstained, structurally colored fibre. This technology is based on the biomimetic conception for the microscopic structure of Morpho butterfly's wing, Thin films of 70 nm thickness consisting either of polyester or nylon are laminated in 61 layers alternatively, and four types of basic colors such as red, green, blur and violet are allowed to be developed by precisely controlling the layer thickness according to visible wavelength. Morphotex has wide applications, e.g. filament, short-cut fiber and powdery materials." kenkichi (2005)

This dress is purely a trick of the light, Sydney designer Donna Sgro used Morphotex a technology-based, structurally colored fibre that mimics the microscopic structure of the Morpho butterfly's wings. Manufactured in Teijin, Japan, morphotex requires no inks, dyes or pigments, nor excessive water consumption or industrial waste as no energy is being used.

This project is really inspired me, because basically I'm interesting in textile technology. I knew an traditional dye technique is still useful for now. Moreover in Thailand Thai Silk is very poplar product in Thailand and very famous in the world. Thai Silk has unique quality and shine, they have reflect with the light. For this project, I realize that we can use new technology create a new fibre for same quality as made from nature material with out any dyes.



Reference


Chua, J Malik. (2010) "Morphotex" Dress Mimics Butterfly Wing Shimmer--Without Any dyes. [Online] Available from: <http://www.ecouterre.com/morphotex-dress-mimics-butterfly-wing-shimmer-without-any-dyes/> [Accessed 4 January 2015]

5 - Design that explores clean/better technologies

This strategy explored how replacing systems of production with less energy consuming and smarter technologies to reduce environmental impacts. That are not only better for environment but are also maintainable. If we want to produce garments which are more ecologically friendly then we should make sure that all the procedures used in the design process are cleaner and better than before.

Example: 

• Bio-based materials and processes
• 3-D printing
• Laser
• Water-jet
• Sonic cutting
• Sonic welding
• Digital printing
• 'Re-surfacing' of polyester
• Novel dying technologies
• Digital finishing
• Tagging

All of this are smarter technologies to reduce environment impacts and help us to save time for produces there product in short timing. I though I would try to uncover new and brilliant ways to produce objects/garments and identify innovative technology.

Ever & Again (2007)

This project experimented with sonic cutting and slitting to reshape the shirts, and fusing digital sublimation printing with heat photogram printing. For This she had to translate her heat photogram print design, which used real objects like wire and leaves, into digital repeat using photoshop. 

After I read her project, I explored some research of photogram print as well. I came to realize it was an economic and ecological way of printing as a little waste was generated from the process but they made a short time to process it as well. For this a reason that made me interested and like in digital printing and some technology that can related to created textile. For instant, laser cutting, 3-D printing, digital textile, heat pressing, and heat pleating as well. 

In order to, make mark-making, sometime I would like to choose heat transfer color papers and polyester as a medium for made fabric in design. Moreover, I like this technique, because sometime you will get the different outcome which you are not realize than before. And you never know what kind of result you can get.

My inspired most is consider rethinking the up cycling fabrics, developing them in order to make people close to nature than before. That is a good way which people could get inspirations from nature/environment. In my opinion, now a day textile is not only create some beautiful fabric but also thinking about how are they combination between technologies and science together. Further more some of new technology can created new and amazing garments that consumer unexpected before.

Reference

Upcycling Textiles. (n.d.) Ever & Again(2007).[Online]. Available at:<http://www.upcyclingtextiles.net/#/fashion/> [Accessed on 3 January 2015]

4 -Design to reduce Energy & Water use

After being inspired from lasted post " 3- Design to Reduce Chemical Impacts". I decided to  start explored some companies that plan targeting water and energy combustion. Most water consumption is used in the production stages with dying and washing garments to make them ready for sales. As a designer. I feel that designers need to source the most energy efficient and natural/organic materials as they can to ensure that they are passed on to the consumer that they will treat the garments in the better way.

"60% of the total energy consumption in the lifecycle of t-shirt occurs in the use phase. i.e washing, ironing, drying" (Allowed et al,2006)

Levi Strauss & Co., they are focused on building sustainability into everything they can do. They have already begun to examine their work ethics and have produced a life-cycle assessment (LCA) to find out the process of their most popular a pair of Levi's 501 and Dockers Original Khaki from cotton seed to the landfill. They find out the fact to see how much water, the climate change, and energy are used in the process of their product. It provides the designer with details on how to make a more sustainable and ecological product.

Levi's lifecycle of a jean

1. Cotton Production - As 95% of their product are made from cotton. They looked to source sustainable cotton by working with The Better Cotton Initiative to ensure their cotton is not damaging to environment.

2. Fabric Production - Textile mills around the world will turn the fabric with the supporter of  NRDC's Responsible Sourcing Initiative to encouraging mills to reduce their water chemical and energy used.

3. Garment Manufacturing -  Curt, Sew and finishes.

4. Transport and distribution - Retail, online and wholesale around the world. Attempt to reduce global carbon footprint by looking at the amount of energy use and greenhouse gas emission records.

5. Consumer Use - Consumers can reduce the fill lifecycle climate change impact of their jeans by up to 50 percent by line drying and wash them in cold water

6. Recycling -  A care-tag has been produced in the jeans to encourage the consumer to donate their old jeans to Goodwill rather than adding to the 23.8 billion pounds that ends in landfill yearly.

7. End of life - In 2009, Levi added recycled cotton fibers to their Eco line. Also had begun looking at how denim can be recycled and used for housing insulation.

References

Levi Strauss & Co. (n.d.) Life Cycle Of a Jeans. [Internet] Available from:<http://www.levistrauss.com/sustainability/innovative-practices/planet/> [Accessed 3 January 2015]

3 - Design to reduce Chemical Impacts

3rd strategy focuses on using the appropriate process and material selections for any product to minimize environment impact. It attempts to cut down on harmful chemical processes for example devore, chemical dyes etc. It include seek natural dyed, raw material, using organic, and non-chemical decorative procedures materials for create effects to replace material and processes know to be harmful such as laser cutting.

Atelier Rwanda: natural did in Rwanda

Natural dye in Rwanda by atelier Rwanda is a research based project that explore the full cycle of natural dying in contemporary textile production in Rwanda. At this time, Rwanda's local textile market is base on imported fabrics. They are known as 'african fabrics' are mostly designed outside Africa. The propose of this project is explore design possibilities in filed of textile while using local product each as fabrics and natural dyes pigment and the skills to support the identity of there local culture.

In Rwanda, there is no tradition of textile dying although the method does exist in the region's basketry crafts. In this project was followed by implementation, where the craft-man designed a series of shoes and scarves. The scarves made from natural dyed pigment with plant fibers and basketry technique. For created a local textile with a highly textile expression, which can be easily produced with available materials and methods.

Reference

David, Maya Ben,. (2011) Atelier Rwanda: natural did in Rwanda. Available from: <http://www.designboom.com/design/atelier-rwanda-natural-dye-in-rwanda/> [Accessed on: 24 December 2014] 

MILCH Upcycles Trousers, Shirts into Menswear-Inspired Eco-Fashion

Milch has always liked to borrow clothes from boys. There is one way to always get the menswear-inspired to womens'. The designer named MILCH, is dutch designer who steals, borrow, and pick an idea and design from the lads. They used refashioning secondhand men's garment such as men's trousers and shirts to create, adapt, design into gender-bending womenswear. Foe instant, Milch picked a boy white t-shirt to created a long dress (Tencel men's shirts into dresses, skirts, blouses, and hats with a play-around a new design).

" We pay attention to ecological and socio-cultural aspects in the production chain as a whole," says Cloed Priscilla Baumgartner, MILCH's designer and founder. "The raw material [men's suits and shirts which have been laid aside] comes fromVienna and is processed in responsible factories."

This is an amazing garment!!!! I am very appreciate in avant guard design. In the present, fashion and textiles industries in the 65percent of clothes they throw away go strange to a land fill. Which is a waste way and destroy environment as well. As a designer we can do for save and reused a product for global. We should rethinking again in design or product when we need to remade it again. This company has very great idea for use a second hand or old shit for redesign to use in other gender. That is means they can provide the product cross over use only one gender. Moreover, They uses leftover old cloths to make a new garment that is not only visually appealing but environmentally friendly as well.

Reference

Chua, Jasmin Malik,. (2010) MILCH Upcycles Trousers, Shirts into Menswear-Inspired Eco-Fashion. Available from: <http://www.ecouterre.com/milch-upcycles-trousers-shirts-into-menswear-inspired-eco-fashion/> [Accessed: 22 December 2014]

2 - Design for Cyclability

This strategy concern about a process of converting waste material or useless products into new product or as same as never was product of better quality or a higher, friendly environment value. To a product through the process of recycling  by itself or human-made ( reuse, repair, recycle, reading,).  By taking some of items that is old or non-use and giving a new design or remade in a better way to creating a new product. From old product. they will cut, change, and edit some part for renew. From all of these scrap fabrics are still functional, beautiful, and useable again. This is a incredibly beneficial to the environment. For example, a old jacket jeans they can remade from jacket to a bag or cut long jacket sleeve to short sleeve as a new design. 

Incredible Upcycled Gown Made From 1,000 Newspaper Cranes.

This origami dress was created by Yuliya Kypro. She turned 1000 paper cranes into a dress. She assembled her headlining bustier dress (complete with a flowing peacock train. This dress piece is not only stunning to audience but also help Eco friendly, she painstakingly folded each and every one of the origami bird from old Metro newspaper. 

Reference

Ecouterre,. (2010) Incredible Upcycled Gown Made From 1,000 Newspaper Cranes. [Internet]. Available from: <http://www.ecouterre.com/extreme-origami-an-upcycled-gown-made-from-1000-newspaper-cranes/> [Accessed: 22 December 2014]

The Cabbage Chair

 

We cannot reject that needless waste and heaps of scarps fabric are part of the equation in textile's and fashion malfunctioning process in industry. Many designers designed amazing product that related to cutting edge fashion and eye-catching furniture designs. On the other hand, this process will come with a huge cost in term of useless element.

The Cabbage Chair design by Japanese designers, Nendo. He determines this trend by using waste paper from the pleated fabric industry and turning in to an organic shape. This furniture textile waste chair was designed for the exhibition, the XXIst Century Man Exhibition, curated by Issey Miyake, in Tokyo.

As Nendo (n.d.) has described, the Cabbage Chair fits (our) active, optimistic, and forward-moving ’21st century selves,’ the kind of people who, to borrow a concept Miyake expressed during a meeting with us, ‘don’t just wear clothes, but shed their skin'.

Amazingly, this Cabbage chair was made from used product in the textile industry. From a huge of paper from industry that usually abandon and unwanted product. This is clever solution with waste things by recycle to a renewal for textile and furniture industry.

In my opinion, there many have unwanted products from there production not only a piece of paper from pleated process but also included environment production around us. This is one of first step that creative new design for recycle useless product as a new. In my project, I used  heat transfer technique by use transfer dyed paper on to fabric, which this produced in mass amounts during the process of making print pattern. There product are unused and waiting for throe it away. In the same way, I would like to use some paper to create some lamp cover in origami design. This is a good way for use unwanted thing to newly.




Refernces

Dezeen Magazine,. (2008) Cabbage Chair By Nendo. [Internet]. Available from:<http://www.dezeen.com/2008/03/06/cabbage-chair-by-nendo/> [Acessed: 1 November 2014]

Nendo,. (2008) Cabbage Chair. [Internet]. Available from: <http://www.nendo.jp/en/works/cabbage-chair-2/> [Accessed: 1 November 2014]