Fascinated by fabric II

Modern technology has opened up endless possibilities in the realm of fabrics, especially relating to recycling and sustainable design- that much was certainly clear to me after last week’s introductory TED talk! This weekend I was excited to delve in a little further when I went to hear Claudine Rousseau (course leader for LCF Sportswear) discuss smart fabrics in design at the V&A’s Fashion Festival.    

The first piece we were shown was a sports shirt made from coffee beans. The fabric was light, flexible and breathable- you would never connect it with the image of waste coffee grounds. As the beans naturally contain anti-bacterial properties that eliminate odors and wick away sweat, the fabric is perfect for activewear. 

I thought the effect of these recycled yarns heatpressed between layers of waste fabric (above) was really interesting. These samples are the work of Italian designer Luisa Cevese. I researched a bit more into her when I got back home, and I love how she applies the principle of reusing waste fibres to create accessories. Just look at these bags...

In the TED talk, the term ‘biomimicry’ was mentioned, and on Saturday, I saw a few of such fabrics in action. Inspired by the idea of water sliding off bird’s feathers, last year Scholler launched the aptly named ‘Ecorepel’, a water repellent  fabric finishing. It was fun to watch Claudine tip a bottle of water over a treated surface, and see the droplets simply roll off. There were also fabrics that mimic pine cones, with pores that open and close depending on the temperature, making it useful for outdoor activity. I’ve never really thought about fabrics in such a functional way before, and it was really interesting to hear about the specific jobs fabrics can be used to achieve for certain purposes in a design. 

 

This (left) was one of my favourite fabrics, however. 

Although functionality is great when it comes to fabric selection, I think simply appealing to the senses is also a wonderful thing in itself. This piece has been made of multiple laser cut layers bonded together. Who can resist a bit of textured shine with some bright orange peeping through...not me, that’s for sure! 

Fascinated by fabric - Spray on technology

After Kate Goldsworthy’s talk introducing TED’s sustainable design strategies last week, I was interested to look a little further into one area she raised: developments in new fabrics and technology. 

Since 2003, when Spanish designer Manel Torres collaborated with the Imperial College of London to patent ‘Fabrican’, the idea of spray on clothing has been in and out of the news.   The fabric is seamless, lightweight, washable, and can be built up in layers to achieve different thicknesses. Arguably, these properties give it the potential to be seen as a more efficient alternative to conventional garment cutting, where excess material wastage around pattern pieces is highly inevitable.  Torres was inspired by “principles of the earliest textiles such as felt, which were produced by taking fibres and...binding them together without having to weave or stitch them” (Torres, 2010, www.theguardian.com). Contained within an aerosol, the spray is made of a solvent based fibre mix that bonds together and dries on contact with the skin. This means no finishing techniques are required to create a garment, further reducing the need for extra energy and material use (such as threads and bindings). The texture and colour of the fabric can also be changed depending on the type of fibre used within the spray mixture, making it highly adaptable, and meaning it wouldn’t be restrictive to work with from a design perspective. Although the product is still being researched and refined for different purposes, Fabrican’s website suggests it also has a role in medical, hygiene and even manufacturing industries, including everything from spray on bandages to upholstery.
 

Fabrican sprayed fabrics in different colours

A spray-on t-shirt being created

A finished spray-on garment

If made widely available to the public, imagine all the different uses Fabrican could have in everyday life...small areas of fabric could be sprayed on to mend holes in existing garments, making it easier for people to increase the lifetime of their current clothes. It could be used to alter garments, such as adding pockets where you want them, quickly lengthening something, or perhaps creating sleeves for winter. Fluorescent sprays could be used to spray on reflective strips for safety when out at night...And as Bridgette Meinhold observed in an Ecouterre article,  ‘if the material rips or doesn’t fit right, it can be dissolved and reworked’(Meinhold, 2010, www.ecouterre.com). 

Spray-on technology could help people to live more sustainably by giving them the power to easily mend or renew any type of worn fabric themselves, whether on an interior piece or something wearable; therefore reducing the need to keep buying replacements. In today’s society, where quick, convenient processes are favoured by those leading busy working lifestyles, perhaps the ease of a spray on solution would at least encourage people to repair and alter, rather than discard, items from their homes and wardrobes. It will be interesting to see how Fabrican develops, and whether or not it can impact on people’s attitudes in our throwaway culture. 

References:
Sample, I (2010) Spray-on clothing becomes a reality. The Guardian. Available at http://www.theguardian.com/science/2010/sep/16/spray-on-clothing-t-shirt [Accessed 20/08/13]

What is Fabrican? (2010) [Internet] Available at http://www.fabricanltd.com [Accessed 19/08/13]

Meinhold, B (2010) Wearable technology- Instant Spray on "Clothing in a Can" redefines fast Fashion [Internet] Available at http://www.ecouterre.com/instant-spray-on-clothing-in-a-can-redefines-fast-fashion-video/ [Accessed 20/08/13]

Images:
Fabrican Ltd. (2010) Fabrican Fabrics [Online Images] Available at http://www.fabricanltd.com [Accessed 20/08/13]