TOP Reflection

After the past few lessons, I felt they are enjoyable but there are lots of information that need to be taken in. The lessons have widen my horizon, they have introduced me different fabric that I have never heard of , such as, spider silk, bark, milk etc. Being a Textile designer, these knowledges are required indeed. Although I may not able to recognise every fabric, at least I know basic intelligence on  common fibre like cotton, flax, wool, silk etc. The knowledge that I have learnt can help me to consider my use of fabric in designing my own textile. In the past, I mostly focus on the fashion industry, but I have neglected the existence of the agriculture industry, medical industry and transport industry. When I have a deep thought, I really think that textile is everywhere. For example, I am sitting on my office chair to write on this blog, I have found that I am sitting of a chair covered with imitation leather, wearing textiles, looking at my curtain which is made from polyester. Textile is everywhere!!

In the seminars, they have given us a very good chance to learn from each others, for example wood textile by Elisa Strozyk, two gaze activated dress by Ying Gao etc. These are the designers that I haven't heard of, they are introduced by my classmates. Seminars have created a platform for all of us to exchange informations, indeed its an important and realistic way for designers to share what they have and learn from it. On the other hand, tutor can clear our doubts from the presentations in seminars. In terms of GM-spider silk, we may think it is come from real spiders but actually it is from goat or silk worms that with the genetic of spiders. If we don't have a deeper research, we must get confused. In my presentation, I think I didn't research very deeply on the spider milking process which made everyone questioned about the spider silk that I mentioned was GM- spider silk or real spider silk. After I have been questioned, I digged into the spider silk and figure out the truth. From this, I have learnt to listen and make improvements.                      

I have tried to put my daily life projects and what I have seen into this blog. I would like to share my projects and show my thoughts in terms of textile. Honestly speaking, I am very in to sustainable designs, I think it is a big tread for fashion and long term. According to the resources from earth, they are getting less and less. Since textile is everywhere, we should start making changes from it. Every designers have their own responsibilities to their own work. We may not able to change everyone purchasing habit, but we can change our design materials and style, even with people and culture. After my sustainable lecture, it makes me reflect on my passed projects, I found that its not an easy task. I have tried using recycled paper which are only used for one side, I made jewellery out of them. And I have tried to create a piece of fabric with all the fabric strips. All of these products take longer time than a normal item, because they have to be handmade and they take time to find all different resources. Sustainable design still has a long way to go, but I believe one day everyone can be sustainable.

To conclude, I really enjoy my lessons and I have obtained lots of informations on materials and fabrics. Beside of all the basic informations, I have learnt the attitude of listening and learning from tutors and classmates, it's very important process to share and obtain. I hope I can use all I have learnt in my future projects and career.




http://www.elisastrozyk.de/seite/woodtex/woodentextiles.html
http://www.dezeen.com/2013/06/24/nowhere-nowhere-two-gaze-activated-glow-in-the-dark-dresses-eye-tracking-ying-gao/

Top 4 Using wasted fabrics from factories

Based on my factory visit, I have done a project on wasted fabrics. I am inspired by the beauty of women. In different countries, there are different definition of Beauty. This time I have taken African neck stretching and the ideal bodyshape of being skinny as my main inspiration. Fashion is used to glamorize ourselves. Lots of girl prefer skinny bodyshape and keep losing weight in an unhealthy way, in this case, fashion can create an illusion to satisfy their beauty standard. In terms of colors, African stretchings are chosen , the colors are attractive and cheerful.

Lycra fabric strips from the factory

Fabric strips with sewing threads on top

Different fabric waste from the factory

Knotted Fabric strips  

Circular form on elastic fabric

Details on overlapping circles  

 In this collection, I have used wasted fabrics from a factory to create my own textile. The concept is similar to creating felt, but I used unwanted strips to link different piece of fabrics together. At the same time, the fabric will be more textured. However, this type of textile skill is more suitable for lycra strips. I think using factory wastes is not only for fashion designers but also textile designers. We all share a same aim - being sustainable and responsible to our earth! 

Top 4 sustainable Textile (Factory visit)

In this summer, in order to investigate clothing factory wastes, I have been to Guang Zhou (China) to visit one of my friend’s clothing factory - ZINO corp. LTD. This factory is used to produce womenswear. In general, most of the wastage is come from the cutting process, for example armholes, collar, sleeves, fabrics between each piece etc, there is approximately 15% fabric is wasted. Imagine factories make thousands of garments a day, the wastage is multiplied by 1000 which is a massive quantity. All the unwanted fabric will be collected and put into bags. You may ask where will these wastage go? I have asked the person who in charge of the wastage, he said most of them will be sold to other company but he didn’t mention how the fabrics will be used. It remains mystery.

 

Being a designer is responsible to all we have created including the waste, we should think before we cut a piece of fabric and plan the patterns wisely to minimize the wastage. Fashion Designer Mark Liu has cleverly used his unique cutting to create his Zero Waste garments. His idea has turned all the negative fabrics into positive and sew them back together like a jigsaw puzzle. No matter what role are you, you are also responsible to maintain the health of the Earth.

Mark Liu Zero waste design

I have made a top out of the fabric waste. My method is combining all the little pieces into a big fabric and create clothing out of it.  

ZINO corp. LTD

http://www.stique.com

TOP 4 Working with traditional skills ( Ted- TEN 7 – Design for Ethical Production)

In our first year lecture, we have also discussed about sustainable design. The speaker has mentioned as a designer we can obtain and inspired different traditional skills around the world, but we also need to do something to pay back those community. We may set up a production line in those places, in order to create job opportunities for local people as well as helping countries to develop. For example, Leila Hafzi, who is a sustainable designer, created her winter 2009 in Nepal. She imported chinese and indian silks to Nepal for painting and dyeing. Traditional skilled Thanka painters are hired to created her prints on fabric. Besides, she adopted a low-impact dyes and a closed circuit water management system to reduce the harmfulness of the earth. It is very impressive for us to look at all these incredible designs.  

Leila Hafzi winter 2009

 Leila Hafzi winter 2009

Leila Hafzi winter 2009

Brown. S, (2010) Eco Fashion

Leila Hafzi

http://leilahafzi.com/collections/equilibrium-autumn-winter-2009-autumn-winter-2009/

TED's TEN

1 – Design to Minimise Waste

This strategy encourages designers to minimise the waste that is created in the textile industry, both pre and post consumer. It includes zero waste cutting and recycling but it also introduces the idea at the outset that we need to avoid producing stuff that doesnt work, that people dont want.

“Of the total textile fibre produced, up to 65% is lost, post-consumer, to landfill, incineration or composting, which represents between 400,000 and 700,000 tonnes per annum in the UK. Of this, at least 50% is said to be recyclable” (Allwood, 2006)

• Long-life textiles

• Recycle and re use of materials

• Re-working existing garments to produce up-cycled products

• Design multi-functional products

• Zero waste cutting

• Using new technologies to ‘re-surface’ pre-consumer polyester

2 - Design for Recycling / Upcycling

This strategy explains how when you design for recycling / upcycling, the thought process is very different, but totally connected to, the practice of recycling textiles. This strategy includes discussion of the polyester economy.

Design for upcycling is about "not merely conserving the resources that went into the production of particular materials, but adding to the value embodied in them by the application of knowledge in the course of their recirculation" (Murray, 2002)

• Designing for recycling/upcycling from the outset (pro-active approach)
• Responding to existing garments/materials to Recycling/ Re-engineering a product/garment (reactive approach)
• Upcycling – adding value through process or concept to existing garments/materials
• Transfer printing onto polyester to produce up-cycled products
• Closed-loop recycling (forward recycling) of post consumer polyester
• Monomateriality
• Borrowed materials
• Design for disassembly

3 – Design to Reduce Chemical Impacts

This strategy is about appropriate material selection and processes: consider using organically produced materials; use mechanical technology to create non-chemical decorative surface pattern; seek convincing alternatives to harmful chemical processes such as devore, chemical dyes, mordants etc.

“One cupful of pesticides and fertilisers are used in the production of the average t-shirt” (Observer, 2005)

• Consider using organically-produced materials
• Use mechanical technology to create non-chemical decorative surface pattern, such as laser/water-jet/sonic cutting and laser/sonic welding
• Seek convincing alternatives to harmful chemical processes such as devore, chemical dyes, mordants etc.
• Consider natural dyes and their processes

4 – Design to Reduce Energy and Water Use

Energy consumption and water usage in the textile industry are extremely high and occur at each stage of the lifecycle of textiles – at the production stage, in the use phase (where consumers use and care for textiles and garments) and at the end stage (which covers either disposal and/or re use of the material.

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

• Innovative labelling to increase consumer knowledge about best laundry practices
• Digital printing
• Exhaust printing and dyeing
• Design for No or Low launder/Short life textiles
• Localisation
• Prioritise natural energy systems
• Dry patterning systems/Projected patterns
• Design for recovery of energy

5 – Design that Explores Clean / Better Technologies

Replacing systems of production with less energy consuming and smarter technologies to reduce environmental impacts.

• Dematerialising e.g. using sonic welding instead of threads
• Using new technologies like laser etching to ‘re-surface’ pre-consumer polyester
• Bio - GM technology, vanishing muslin, regenerated cellulose fibres
• Digital Printing - 2D and 3D
• Production Technologies such as 3D warp knitting
• Coating and Finishing - nano, colour technologies, Teflon
• Smart - Piezoelectric materials, shape memory alloys and shape memory polymers, magnetic shape, self-healing materials
• Smart Devices - RFID tagging, mobile technology

6 – Design that Looks at Models from Nature & History

How can the practices of the past inform textile design and production of the future? This strategy is about how much textile designers can find inspiration and information for future sustainable design from studying and reflecting upon textiles, habits and societies of the past.

“….the accumulated past is life’s best resource for innovation …reinventing beats inventing nearly every time.” Stewart Brand

• Learning from historic examples of extending the life of a garment
• Adapting traditional craft skills for contemporary contexts
• Consider local materials and production

7 – Design for Ethical Production

This is about design that utilises and invests in traditional craft skills in the UK and abroad. It is about ethical production which supports and values workers rights, and the sourcing of fair trade materials. It questions what ethical production means, and how it differs for each scale of production and manufacture.

“For making a $100 pair of trainers, the factory worker will receive just 50 cents” (www.cleanclothes.org)

• Design that utilises and invests in traditional craft skills in the UK and abroad
• Ethical production which supports and values workers rights
• Sourcing of fair trade materials
• Designers acting as facilitators of sustainable enterprise in traditional craft communities

8 – Design to Replace the Need to Consume

This strategy is about making stuff that lasts, stuff that we really want and want to keep and look after. It is about Emotionally Durable Design and Slow Design; and the design and production of textiles and products which adapt and change with age. This strategy is also about exploring alternative forms of design and consumption such as co-design and collaborative consumption.

“Clothing sales have increased by 60% in the last ten years”(Oakdene Hollins, 2006)

• Employ Emotional Durable Design/Slow Design
• Design textiles and products which adapt and change with age
• Celebrate vintage
• Personalise/Customise/DIY
• Recycle. Re-use
• Experience/User-centred design
• Explore Co-Design, mass collaboration, collaborative consumption, crowd sourcing

9 – Design to Dematerialise and Develop Systems & Services

This strategy introduces the concept of designing systems and services instead of, or to support, products, e.g. lease, share, repair. It is about multi functional products and temporary / non-invasive installations. It is about the development of on-line / local communities.

“Systems & services design illustrates how consumers needs can be met with services as opposed to tangible products, and at the same time provide economic and environmental benefits"(Manzini, E. 2001)

• Multi functional products
• Temporary/non-invasive installations
• Design systems and services instead of products e.g Lease, share, repair
• Develop on-line/local communities

10 – Design Activism

In this final strategy we encourage designers to leave behind the product and work creatively with the consumers and society at large. It is about designing events and communication strategies beyond product design to increase consumer and designer knowledge about the environmental and social impacts of fashion and textiles.

It is about making: exhibitions, conferences, festivals, publications, blogs, and open source networks. Here, the textile designer becomes a ‘Social Innovator’. We reflect on how much has changed for textile designers, and how much potential for the future there is!

“...new ways of thinking about how design can catalyse, nurture, enable and activate positive societal changes towards more sustainable ways of living and working….” (Fuad-Luke, A. 2009)

• Raising awareness of environmental and social issues
• Participatory engagement using web and open source platforms
• Extending the reach of the designer beyond making products
• Hacktivism approaches

TED's TEN 

http://www.tedresearch.net

TOP 4 Cradle to Cradle (TED 10)

Sustainability
-Meet the need of present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs
-world is connected
-brand can't be entirely being sustainable, can do one but unable to do another

Considerate design
-life cycle of fashion product
-customisation of product
-minimising of waste
-decrease labour cost
-localised on demand production
-longevity of product

TED 10 principle
Current Environment
-retailers pressure on manufactures and supplies
-> lower cost, customer demand cheaper prise
-WTO has changed
-Manufactures face
-> great style variation but small quantities
-spread to market increase the flexibility
-buyer -> selling close to trend to lower risk
-Company is judged by the sustainability performance
-increasingly obsolete, disposable -> more waste
-manufacturing in china for lower cost not in EU
-profit margin reduced

Green Peace (Dirty Laundry)
-clothing and global toxic cycle

Industrial
-toxic chemical in water to create yarn, fibre,fabric
(harmful the final user e allergic, babies)
-EU has law, but developing to protect users

Brand should monitor of the supply chain (transparence)
because lower the cost so they need to find a way to lower cost, can't monitor company

Energy and Effluent
-water untreated
->effluent contaminate and release toxic pollution
-Energy -> mill, heat, lighting
solution solar heating
-Ethical Production (Fair Trade)
-Econ benefit, but still need to reduce pollution, ethical

Production
-localise manufacture  (save money)
eg seamless products, knitwear, accessories
     bonding and laser cutting
     Enzyme in dyeing fabric and garment wet treatment
     3D print

Raw materials (Ingeo)
-potatoes, corn, contain starch
->turn into polymer (polyester)
-biodegrade, UV protection, elastic
-Radici use bean, castor oil plant to manufacture
-> raw material for nylon materials
Spider silk - 5 times stronger
Bio Processing
-Carole colette by bio lace
-By exploring the cellular DNA programming of plant
-> create lace samples + strawberry lace

Vegetable colouring
-no standard of colour, colour fade, easy out with use

Inbuilt color
-feed silkworms to create colours
-DNA of cotton plants
-not standardise the colour in large quantity

Biomimicry
-Zero waste
-same characteristic

Waste Reduction Direct Panel on Loom
-saving process (utilises a loom)
-weave made to fit garment
-suitable for small orders
-difficult to copy
Loom-state+ Parsons (minimising waste)

Extending product life
-slow consumption
-double layers
-reversible of knitted tencel

Garment Care
-less frequent laundry, hand wash, cold water, line drying
-No wash
->Jeans create personal mark
-Waterless washing machine, decrease 90% water
-more wash, more microscopic wash away

Average lifetime of garment, approximate 2 years
-Pre consumer-> before the product is made
-post consumer -> us
Recycling= delaying the arrival of landfill

"one of the best way to reduce waste is to use the thing already existing"

Polyethylene ->fishing nets (take 100 years to degrade)

"Down-cycling" secondary product, quality lower than primary

Disassembly of garment
e.g. button, zipper-> remove
eg wear2

Up-cycling fabric
-using old clothing and textile

End of life
Diana Kovacheva "Best Before"
-eating Textile (table cloth, napkin)
->from gelatine, seaweed & wine

Dr Helen Storey
-dissolve pVA & alginates by PUMA bag

Composing fabric-> final disposal
Breakdown of the material by heating
-> left for agriculture as nutritient

Cradle to Radle -> 360 life cycle
-product return to producer

50 ways to work Sustainably
Forum for the future
Nike/ NASA launch Challenge
Lotton Made in Africa
BCI Better cotton Initiative
Patagonia
TED's TEN

TOP 3 Luminous fabric

Similar to Portable Project, Luminous Fabric can emit LED light. However, fibre optic fabric is powered by battery instead of natural resources. Comparatively, fibre optic fabric is more fashionable and decorative, it has been widely used in wedding decoration, furniture decoration and some garment construction etc. Fibre optic fabric is made out of ultra-thin optical fibre and woven with synthetic fabric. All the optical fibres are connected to a electricity supply which can be a battery or a panel. LED light can be controlled into different colours to match with different environment. It is flexible, fast, light weight, consume little power, water resistant and washable. Fibre optic fabric has given us a different view of textile and also means that our textile technology has stepped forward.

Panel of luminous fabric

Panel of luminous fabric

http://www.lumigram.com/catalog/page6.php

http://www.lumigram.com/catalog/index.php

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVykymab7lM