TOP 3 Portable Light

How Textile help the poor? Textile is about new technology and traditional technique. In this world, there are many developing countries without resources, especially electricity. Portable Light Project has provided them electricity by using solar powered fabric. A reflective textile, A flexible photovoltaic, a battery case with USB port and a LED light is needed. Fabric is used as a media to emit light, photovoltaic absorb the sunlight in daytime in order to convert sunlight into electricity and store it in the battery case for night time and charging electrical products. This project no only just helped poor children in their education (reading in dark), it can also save lives. With a portable battery, it can provide electricity to medical devices which can save lives by giving out stable and more electricity resources. Although it is a small helping hand to developing countries, it can accelerate the developing process.

children study with portable light

portable light with working

http://portablelight.org

TOP 3 Innovation in finishing

Functionality in Textile

Synthetic
-raw materials from polyester
-can add function being more durable
-it degrade from laundry and time

Natural
-add function in yarn stage when spinning yarn
-or in finishing, polish the final stage, print
-can be recharged and reapplied and recoated from the laundry stage

Textile function

Protective Properties
-UV protection from damage, sunburn
-SPF factor can be incorporated into fabric dyes, fibre and laundry detergent
e.g. print with UV protection, ceramic content, tight weaves, heavies weight fabric,polyester, linen,        hemp

Fire and Spark resistance
-Aramid, Glass, Carbon and Wool
-> natural resistance and turn in carbon
Finishes apply natural fibres, metal coating protect
"Smart" - interactive fibre, heat set memories
-protect from heat shielding

Impact resistance
-military, active sports, upholstery textile
eg Cordura and Kevlar
-damaged fabric can be recovered (heal)
-Ballistic protective body
-light weight

Waterproof
-rubber on garment
-> too hot will become uncomfortable
eg sport and outdoor
-100% cotton and pure wool
-Use the small particle in yarn (nano-technology)
-Breathable Laminates, Gore-tex, light weight and breathable
-Ventile= 100% cotton
-from long staple, cotton fibres
->tight plain weave structure
-no coating, laminating, sheds water and stains easily

Temperature
-Keep warm and stay cool
eg Air-vantage use air chambers,
-Aerogel inspired from astronauts clothing
-Using water tube to get away the heat of body

Moisture Management
-Sportswear, Underwear, socks and shoes
-Keeping skin dry after physical activity
-Garment can be quick to dry and breathable
eg Coolmax

Phase change technology
-for aerospace
-for sports, workwear and bedding
-Micro-encapsulated elements
-absorb, store and release heat
-can be incorporated into fibres or coating in finish

Buoyancy and inflatables
-save lives and protect body against impact
-air trapping areas can be integrated into garment for sailing and riding
->activated by sudden movement

Antistatic Protection
-Static electricity
->minor discomfort or serious fires and explosions
-metal content can lower danger

Signalling Textiles
-reflective textile
-higher visibility at night
e.g. sports and accessories
-embeds or mini reflector
->reflect light to a distance of 200 meters, under water for diving
eg Nike"Reclaim the night"

Refractive Textile
-biomimetic color, shift property
->in hogberry (South America)
-layes of cells interfere with light waves and soap bubbles
-rainbow colours can be achieve -> under pressure
-for sportswear <-> muscle intension
-Morpho butterfly wings
-> color via photonics, light interference

Phosphorescent
-trap, store energy from light and emit it
-non-toxic
-can incorporated into most synthetic fibre or coat on natural fabric
-Perm-alight use zinc sulphide in pink
-Electroluminescence use phosphor powder
->excited by an electric current
-EL for display light
-Fibre optics powered by small battery
->changed text, pattern in soft woven or knitted digital
-blue light for body against yellow

Chromatic
-Dye, REsponse to an external stimuli
e.g. heat, UV light, thermochromatic ink
-> by conductive thread and power source
-create textile display the changes colour
eg signal with heat, wound dressing, fire fighter, clothing -> colour change

Well-being Factors
-Easy-care
-keep garment clean can reduce time for caring
-non-iron and easy care shirting and bed linen areas
-nano technology and teflon
-lower laundry temperature and lighter

Comfort and ease
-comfort, fit
->imparted by stretch fibres
eg lycra and dow

Aromatic agents
-smells
-> drive emotions and spur memories
-degrade by laundry and time
-scented textile release aroma when agitated
-microencapsulation
-> trap scented particles
-Aromatherapy element
-multi-sensory

Antibacterial
-protecting the health of user
-in cosmetic and washing powder, toothpaste
-in underwear, bedding, footwear, sports, medical
-can reduce laundry
-naturally antibacterial like silver, tea tree, aloe vera

Insect repellence
-reduce harmful effects
e.g. dust miles
-Use micro encapsulation and surface coating of an active insecticide similar to naturally derived permethrin
-for outdoor clothing

Health and cosmetic benefits
-textile next to skin 24/7
-moisturising skin, active health benefit
-T-shirt 200 gms, vitamin C = 2 lemons
eg future T-shirt with Medical use
-Moisturising capsules are trapped
-anti-celluite by miss sixty and victoria secret
  

Interactivity
-conductivity->interactive textile
-imparted by metal fibres, metal content coating or printing ink
-solution depends on products use and functionality
-Gorix->carbonised fibre with electrical conductive prop, for heated car seat, motorbike, clothing, heated diving suits,
eg embroidery, print, coated
-skin gloves for iPhone

Power Source
-removable power source
-light, washable,flexible
-Solar power can be woven into garment or add surface
-> backup power source
-flexible printed batteries and cicuit printing tech
-> solution and under investigation
Heat- thermal energy and power, kinetic energy

Soft Interfaces
Ambient technology
eg Tv remote, joy stick
Furniture can br memorise personal preference and adapt accordingly

Monitoring health
-smart garment
-> medical monitoring
-mamagoose baby pyjamas -> cot death
-detecting danger signals

Monitoring Sport
-Smart garment in sport
-Record
-Feedback with trainer

Communication and Interaction
Seamless communication
-Invisibility clothing and optical camouflage
-Divert light wavelengths
-Change light from positive to negative refraction rendering the object irritable -> for military
-Portable light Project
-> enable developing country to create and own solar textile
-Flexible PV material,LED lighting and USB Power

Fashion
-wearable electronic
-uniquely being together textile and garment

Skills
flocking
shearing
stitch bond
needle punching
devore
polyurethane & spandex textures
brushing and sanding
pleating & creasing
waterjets polyurethane
embossing
sandwich layer
ultarsound bonding & quitting
Laser
 

 

Continue Top 2 Spider Silk process

In the first seminar, I have introduced the real spider silk textile which has been told as an impossible task. Since I don't have enough evidence to proof the process of collecting the silks, I will have a more in depth research on the process of spinning spider silk. From the video by Art Institute of Chicago, Kathleen Bickford Berzock has introduced the history of spider silk and given us photograph as the prove of the real spider silk production.

In the lecture, we have discussed about the 'spider silk' which is a genetic modification in goats and silk worm. Spiders are very hard to control by human, so scientists try to put the gene of spider to goat or silk worm in order to create fibre which contain the properties of spider silk. This kind of spider silk is known as GM spider silk.

GM spider silk diagram

How can we milk the spider to obtain spider silk ????

' In the silking process, the spiders are collected and they are taken to a building and the silk is pulled from their abdomen and they are returned to the wild. They actually set the spiders into a little cone and you can see the spider has just been inserted and the legs are wrapped to protect the spiders so that they won't get injured. The silk is excused by the spider and they have a little machine that spins multiple strings together to make a thread.'   by  Kathleen Bickford Berzock

Milking spider diagram

milking spider

spider in a cone for milking

spinning spider silk

http://www.artic.edu/exhibition/spidersilk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFF68_bME9E
http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/g/golden-spider-silk/

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