Top 2 Spider Silk

Fibre doesn't have to be made out of plants, like hemp, cotton, bark etc. Being innovative in textile design, we need to consider textile in different aspect. Textile is no longer as simple as yarn and fabric, it's a field for us to consider the existing resources and being creative to create new materials out of them. From the last lesson, we have talked about different bio-fibres that surprising me. For example, Spider Silk, Hack Fish, Milk, Honeybee silk etc. I have never expected insects can be used to create fibre and the fibre that they created are incredibly delicate.

Spider is known for its strong spider webs, their webs are used for protecting themselves and eggs and also for hunting. Spider silk is quite vary, due to the fact that spider is wild insect which is not controllable by human. However, Simon Peers and Nicholas Godley have used 3 years to create a piece of golden spider silk garment which has been shown in V&A 2012. This golden cape has used 1.2 million of spiders especially the Madagascar to create the silks in 3 years. Although it is not efficient, it is art and gives us an idea how spider can contribute in the textile industry.

golden cape by Simon Peers and Nicholas Godley

The spider silk has reminded me of the spider web in the shop that I work. It is light, it swings in the breeze. It looks fluffy and thick, like the filling of the duvet.  

Brick lane shop 'Iconoclast' 

http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/g/golden-spider-silk/
http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2009/09/spider-silk/
http://www.newscientist.com/blogs/shortsharpscience/2012/01/the-science-of-the-spider-silk.html

TOP 2 Innovative fibre and materials

There are limited properties of plants, due to money and lands to grow.

Nettle feels like linen and they grow in T-bet.
Jute similar to polyester.
Ramie
Linen
=> Bass fibre is grown on polluted land to clean the land

 Hemp (Toxic & Drugs) 1960s- 1970s
-can be recycled
-able to resist UV
-thermal properties and durability
-can be woven and knitted

Leave supply
-Agave
-Pineapple
-Banana
they are strong to be flooring
-flute is soft enough for clothing

Bark
-eco-friendly
-suitable for accessories but not clothing

Seed- hair fibre
-absorben
-light and silky
-for insulation and fibre filling

Coir = coconut
- hard for flooring

Peat fibre
-from organic plants
-UV resistance
-antistatic with antiseptic properties
-warm woollen felted
for blanket, woven, knitted

Alginate = brown seaweed
-healing and anti-bectiria
-dissolvable in warm water for underwear
-benefit to skin
-anti-inflammatory medical
-hasten blood clothing

Metal
-Aluminium, copper, steel
-create shape memory, predetermined shape and react with heat
-conductive
-against electromagnetic radiation
-detectable by radar and heat seeking

Paper
-renewable resources of pine trees, cotton, rice, abaca, banana plant
-not a strong fibre
-degradable
-recycle

Latex
-from rubber tree
produce latex for 40 years
-for starch garment
-skin sensitivity
-waterproof

Man-made Synthetics
-Polyethylene, PVC, Polypropylene, polyurethane
-not renewable
-high strength
-weep away bacteria and sweat
for industrial, medical, sports

Bio fibres
-no waste or useful waste

Dextrose
-acceptable life cycle

Stach
-plant material
-maize, potatoes, sugar beet

Spider silk
-for medical world
-investigated via genetic modification in goats and silk worms
-stronger

Hack fish

Milk
-waste milk
-profitable
-bio product
-skin friendly
-absorbent and blend well with other fibre

Honeybee silk (CSIRO)
-silky
-finer than human hair
-skin friendly
-biodegradable
-dissolvable wound dressing
->sense and response the wound

Growing fabric (Suzanne Lee)
-Bio couture
-exploiting chemical or plants as a raw material
-grow in 3D
-can be print

Feovative (Jae Phim Lee)
-growing 3D packaging material
-mushroom spores
-enhance decomposition
-can remove toxic

Carbon fibre
90% carbon obtained by controlled decomposition
-facilities conduct with heat and power

High tech fibres
-finess and flexibility of fibre optic yarns
-can be woven and knitted
-response to human need

Drivers of Innovation
-Sustainability
 -better use raw materials
 -recyclability and regeneration

-Speed and Efficiency
 -quick response
 -reduction of overheads and costs
 -decrease transport fee

Customisation & Individuality
 -new ways of manufacturing
 -variety of functions

Political Change
 -trade agreement and embargoes

Fabrican (sprayed fabric)
-liquid suspension
-by gun or aerosol
-> non-woven garment
-can repair the product
 -add sleeves and decoration
-add functionality

Rapid Prototyping (3D print)
-UV beams to fuse layers
-recycle and process with no waste
-decrease the time
-no threads
-no fabric

3D spacer fabric
-kitted or woven
->preform fabric
-trap air like honeycomb affect
for Shoes and Jewellery

Over size
-create interesting and creative products

Micro-sized stitch
-nano-knitting
-medical tissue engineering
-blood vessel

Biomimetics
-replicates the surface of shark skin
-self cleaning
-waterproof
velco, stomatex
-leaf's natural ability to transpire and keep dry
-response external elements, temperature, weather

Gecko
-functional
-stick effect

Body scanning
-automatic body measurement
-increase satisfaction of customers

Moulded fabric
-heat
->non-woven fibres, 3D wearable sculpture
2D-> 3D

Precious waste
-chemical or energy greedy
-avoid using virgin resources but decrease in quality
-low tech methods
-old fashioned spinning wheel

Zero waste cutting
-like jigsaw puzzle
-won't leaving and scraps of waste
-challenging approach
-15% wastage of fabric

Laser and waste Jet cutting
-Laser seals the edges of most textile
-recycle polyester
-use laser cutter to decorate
-water jet cutting
-sensitive to high temperature

Magnetism
-change structure of fabric
-creating pattern
eg Jenny Leavy, Linda Florance

TOP 1 Textile in agriculture industry

In terms of textile, the first thing that come up to most of the peoples' minds are the fashion industry. Indeed, more and more textile has been created to satisfied the need of fashion. Nevertheless, we couldn't ignore those basic textiles which can fulfil our daily life. They are in agriculture and fishing industry. In the past, scarecrow was used so as to scare the birds and prevent them eating the crops. However, it is not an effective way, scarecrow is not good enough to protect the crops from all sorts of harm. Now, we have bird control netting to keep a distant between the birds and the crops, landscape fabric for weed control and soil stabilisation, frost protection blankets to raise temperature and provide a perfect environment for all different types of crop in different weather. New types of textiles have given us a better condition to improve our food quality.

landscape fabric

frost protection fabric

  bird control net

For fishing, we no longer use tridents to fish, we use fishing net instead. Fishing net is more efficient due to the fact that it can capture hundred of fish at one. In ancient times, Aboriginal fishermen using nettles or the inner bark of cedar to create their own net. Owning to the technology has been improved, more and more textiles have been invented, so we can choose polyester net or nylon net for fishing. New types of textile no only giving us more choices to choose from, but also enhance our living quality. 

fishing

polyester fishing net

TOP1 Textile Innovative 11/10/13

What is Textile?
- Flexible
- made out of fibres glass (natural or artificial)

Creating fabrics
- weaving (warp & weft)
    -> computer controlled looms




- knitting (loops)
    -> seamless 3D garment
    -> underwear and sportswear
    -> either by hand or machine

- non-woven
  x spun yarn
  turning fibre into fabric
   -> bond together by entangling or filaments, mechanically, thermally or chemically
   -> short-life (fibre can be teared apart easily)
e.g. felt (by matting, condensing, pressing fibre)

Garment Process

Raw material -> yarn -> fabric -> garment -> distributors -> retailers -> customers

Textile can be used in 9 areas

-clothing

-transport
 -> abrasion resistance
 -> strength
 -> fire resistance
 -> light
 -> comfortable

-agriculture
 -> protecting crops
 -> deter weeds and insects
 -> extent the growing season

-geo textile
 -> hold and strength and add resistance to areas
 -> filter and drain
 -> separate

-medical
 -> compatible with human tissue
 -> strong
 -> light
 -> non-toxic
 -> able to sterilize
 -> high temperature
 -> bio-degradable

-architecture
 -> create spacial
 -> temporary or permanent structures
 -> high tensile
 -> UV resistance
 -> pliable
 -> abrasion resistance
 -> can be response

-active sports
 ->high strength
 -> durability
 -> abrasion resistance
 -> fire and weather proof

-domestic
 -> anti-bacterial
 -> comfort
 -> easy launder

-interiors
 -> stability and strength

Commercial fibre sources
- reliable price
- massive supply

Natural fibre

-cotton (seed head fibre)
-> regenerable
->recycle => less strength, can be recycle with virgin yarn
-> organic
-> function can be added => weatherproofing (nano technology)

- Flax
-> linen
-> high strength
-> can be mixed with different fibre => solve ceasing problem

-Silk
-> animal fibre
-> long fibres
-> inbuilt colors

-Wool
-> high performance
-> weatherproof
-> UV resistance
-> fire protection
-> elasticity properties
-> regenerable
-> recycled
-> can be replaced by polyester
-> man brain+ wool => waterproof

-Luxury hair fibres
-> expensive
-> hollow hair fibres (soft and light and warm)
e.g. Muskox, Rabbit, Opossum, Camel, Vicuna, Cashmere, Kel goats

Man made cellulosics
- wool pulp
- cotton
-linen
-bamboo
-soya
 -> fluid
 -> skin friendly
 -> soft
 -> strong
 -> absorbency
 -> breathability

- Tencel ( lyocell)
-> closed loop
-> chemical can be reuse => environmental friendly

- Acrylic
-> oil-based
-> wool like

- Polyamide
-> synthetic fibre
-> can be recycled
-> strong and light
-> function can be added

- Polyester
-> oil based
-> huge range of performance
-> build-in textile memory
-> can be laser cut
-> microfibres are superfine and sophisticated
-> can be recycled with same type of polyester

- Stretch Fibres
-> comfort
-> fit
-> flexible
-> elastic fibres