TEXTILE PAPERS
The following artefacts result from encountering wasted textiles, from personal sewing projects. It is important to mention that all papers included in my work are made from textile scraps, while conventional paper is made from cellulose fibres from wood.
The Textile papers aim to communicate the textile waste issue and propose questions and ideas for sustainable change. Their aesthetic is used to create a moment to stop and think about our definition of waste, presenting preferable futures.
WHAT IS 100% ?
100% Cotton? 100% Recycled? When is it 100% recycled cotton?
This piece was designed to suggest the idea of keeping textiles made solely from virgin materials in order to make fibre separation for recycling processes as simple as possible. Additionally it argues that cellulose based fibres, such as cotton, only have a certain amount of time in use, before the function of the fibre is lost through the recycling process.
When is a fibre recycled to the full extent of its use?
What if the ‘third recycling’ actually was biodegrading?
The material I had made in previous self-studies was used in combination with a clean paper sheet in light blue as a background. It shows the pure cotton fibre and should give the viewer a better understanding of what cotton initially looks like.
WASTE OF WASTE OF WASTE
WASTE OF WASTE OF WASTE
This triptych provokes the idea of never reaching ‘zero waste’, as there will always be waste of waste. The pieces put the focus on tiny waste such as threads, thread reels, care labels, hangtags, and textile dust. Is it about accepting the mess?
In this case I chose tiny off-cuts, threads, thread reel and a care label to bring my point across. The three papers benefit from the colour contrast, choosing light details on blue paper and colourful details on light paper.
INTERCONNECTING THREADS
This piece expresses the need to include more diverse systems in the apparel industry.
Cooperating with businesses beyond the known field, such as the papermaking industry, could open up new opportunities for a more intelligent waste management.
Opposite forces of the economy could suddenly be seen as interconnected and counterbalancing.
This paper design was made with the ‘couching’ technique, synergising black and white fibres. Black threads are found on the white paper surface. In the middle of the piece, a fabric off-cut represents common grounds, being the connective to both sides.
RE-RECYCLING THE RECYCLED
This triptych, introduces the viewer to the fibre recovering process.
The three main steps show the fabric off-cut and the smaller cut pieces, making the shredding in the last step easier. The shredded fibres were laid out on a white sheet of paper to clearly show how the lengths of the fibre has shortened throughout the process. It presents the thought of recycling an already recycled object.
A contrast is achieved with the mint green paper, as it was partly made from synthetic fibres. In close inspection, one can identify little parts of elastics. Interestingly enough it needed lots of cellulose in order to bond and be made into paper. This should communicate the fact that synthetic fibres are already able to be recovered and spun again. It is not the most intelligent solution to have it mixed up with another material and 'downcycled', when there are already opportunities for it to be made into a new garment again, keeping the same functionality.