Emily Crane: Micro-Nutrient Couture

‘Micro-Nutrient Couture’ evolved from a restrictive brief based on the premise of Zero resources to create fashion futures; without the current mass production capabilities available what would a fashion practitioner do? ‘Micro-Nutrient Couture’ aims to create a fashion experience in a world exploring 'the constant new', offering a fresh alternative to the compulsive shopper obsessed with fast fashion, high street consumption and throw away prices.
My Major Project focuses on creating fashion using boundary-less techniques from the everyday 

- I cook, blend, culture and form ice bubbles as silhouettes. ‘Micro-Nutrient Couture’ is a sensory world of transient fashion where no one but the individual will ever wear the same dress again. Through this unique process and development of new materiality I have laid an innovative creative foundation for future fashion design, conscious of the restraints of our future planet and the impact from current fashion cycles, my methods look towards ‘survival’ as a key factor informing my processes, fashion is no longer a thing of simple beauty, but of nutrition also. I experiment with materials that occur naturally when cooked up from edible ingredients including gelatines, kappa carrageenan, agar-agar sea vegetable, water, natural flavour extracts, glycerine, food colouring and lusters, this is high tech kitchen couture.'-  Emily Crane describing the collection.

Emily Crane is an innovative young designer who has developed a method of producing eco-friendly, edible textiles. This is an original concept that I think is bizarre but brilliant and very inspiring. It's such a creative, fun take on producing new raw materials that I almost forget that it takes a precise, scientific process to reach the end result. After watching a video of the process it's hard to believe that these creations are in fact edible, and I also can't help but wonder how they taste.

Watch the video of the process here:
http://vimeo.com/15801130

References:
-http://emilycrane.co.uk/index.html
-https://vimeo.com/user4956100

Image Sources:
-http://www.fashionblender.com.au/blog/2013/7/31/wearable-food
-http://emilycrane.co.uk/micronutrientcouture.html

Dirty Laundry

A damning report from Greenpeace named 'Dirty Laundry' (2011) highlights the extent of China's poor environmental status, particularly when it comes to water pollution.

"A new investigative report from Greenpeace, 'Dirty Laundry', profiles the problem of toxic water pollution resulting from the release of hazardous chemicals by the textile industry in China. The investigations focuses on two facilities that were found to be discharging a range of hazardous and persistent chemicals with hormone-disrupting properties. These results are indicative of a much wider problem that is posing serious and immediate threats to both our precious ecosystems and to human health. Urgent and transparent action is needed in order to eliminate the use and release of these hazardous chemicals." - Statement from Greenpeace.

Watch the video that investigates the background of the study:



References: 
http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/publications/reports/Dirty-Laundry 

Lecture 4: Sustainability in Textiles.

In our fourth and final lecture of the series, Ros Hibbert discussed sustainability issues relating to the materials industry, minimising waste and life-cycle thinking.

Sustainable Textiles: "Meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs" - UN 1987 Brudland Commission report.

The bottom line here is that interconnectivity needs to be more widely realised,  the design world are beginning to take responsibility, but is that enough? What happens in one part of the world affects another. This is where considerate design comes in; the consideration of the entire life cycle of textile/fashion products.

The Current Environment:
-Retailers are placing larger pressure on manufacturers and suppliers to reduce costs to meet the consumer demands for cheaper prices. 

-Seeing a shift in trade patterns, manufacturers then try to produce a greater number of style variations in smaller quantities. The retail giant Zara are a classic example of a company that produces deft changes and quick turnarounds of collections.

-Corporal social responsibilities are being added to the factors by which companies are judged.

-Product styles are quickly becoming obsolete due to the disposable, throw away culture that we live in; styles are constantly changing with new fashions to replace the old.

"Up to 90% of a product's environmental impact is decided at the design stage."- The Design Council

-Industrial processes and textile design use chemicals heavily in fabric manufacturing and fabric finishing that can be very detrimental to the environment made worse by the fact that it is in conjunction with the extremely high water usage in textile production.

-Monitoring of the supply change is gradually improving, but transparency in this area is difficult in countries that outsource their fabrics.

-Energy and water are used extensively throughout textile production. Intensive cotton agriculture, polyester processing and garment aftercare processes are all very high, and each have a negative effect on the environment.

Environmentally Friendlier Production Alternatives:

-It is possible to reduce the amount of waste that textile production creates by creating seamless products, knitwear and accessories and through 3D printing.

-Using natural dyes, such as vegetable and plant dyes, to colour fibres and textiles. These dyes are recently becoming explored much more in the hopes of reducing the use of chemical dyes in production.

-There are also investigations into building colour into natural fibres, by feeding silkworms coloured powders to create luminescent colours in the silk. Akin to feeding flamingos food that makes them pinker.

-Using new raw materials: Inego is the first melt processable, naturally based polymer. It is produced from a regenerable resource and is biodegradable, offering a sustainable life cycle. It also has built in UV protection and elasticity.

-Spider silk, as has been mentioned in my previous lecture notes, is a potential new fibre with the dragline silk produced by the Golden Orb-Weaving spider can be up to 5x stronger than steel in comparison.

-Bio Processing, as mentioned in an earlier post about Carole Colette's Bio Lace, which is a manufacturing process for textiles that uses living technology. Biomimicry functions are also being explored in an attempt to create evolvable,, adaptive textiles with zero waste.

-Waste reduction saves money, yarn, dyes, chemicals and can reduce production time.

Changes to our garment care routines is another way we can help to reduce our water usage; laundering clothes less frequently, hand-washing, cold water use and line drying are recommended where possible. A 'waterless' washing machine- Xeros- uses 90% less water than the average commercial washing machine and relies on minute nylon beads to absorb stains.

The average lifetime of a garment is approximately 2 years. Innovation in reprocessing textiles, both pre consumer and post consumer waste, is improving assisted by the price rises in raw materials. Discarded polyethylene fishing nets are extremely hazardous to the ocean environment and can take hundreds of years to biodegrade. However, they are now being collected by plastic recyclers and turned into reusable polymers. Although it must be noted that the lack of cost effective disassembly techniques has held up the development of textile reuse.

- The WEAR-2 system, developed in the UK, allows items such as zips, buttons and trims that contaminate recycled material to be removed.

-The Trash to Trend website is both a database for designers to see where textile waste is available, but to also showcase their own second use products.

Composting fabrics is another alternative to final disposal, bearing in mind that the product must be an organic natural fibre containing no chemicals or toxins. Any non biodegradable elements such as metal or synthetic thread will still remain after composting.

Challenges Ahead:

- We are all recycling more than we ever have before, but there is still a growth in our waste creation.

- The second use of a 'down cycled' product is of lower commercial value than the original, as the fibres are always weaker and have a shorter life span than its first incarnation.

- 'Upcycling' limits the quantity that can be created and also produces irregular sizes of fabric, causing designers to be unable to produce large commercial runs.

- Some consider recycling as merely delaying the arrival of a product to landfill. But surely that's the whole point of recycling? To reuse a product as many times as you can before it can be used no more?

In 2012 it was estimated that the world consumed a total of 60 million tons of fibre, which is 12 million tons more than in 2001. This is set to rise as the population increases.

As a student of textile design I always feel really quite guilty when I hear about the damaging effects that the textile industry has on the environment. However, this lecture given me hope that the industry is ever changing and trying to adapt to a more environmentally friendly method of production.  In the spring term I will be given a project brief that focuses primarily in creating textiles through sustainable production methods and I know that I can go into that project inspired to try and find new and exciting ways to produce textiles ethically.

Image Sources:http://www.innovationintextiles.com/sustainability-in-textiles-clothing-why-should-we-care/

http://fashionbombdaily.com/2012/11/13/fashion-discussion-zara-is-the-worlds-largest-fashion-retailer-is-it-your-favorite/

http://www.ecouterre.com/swedish-student-turns-toxic-textile-effluent-into-clean-dye-free-water/polluted-river-dyes/

http://www.pure-tinctoria.com/

http://creationrevolution.com/2012/07/secrets-of-spider-silk/

http://trash-to-trend.myshopify.com/collections/katrina-kaubi/products/starlet

Light Art by Maggie Orth

Pile Blocks (2008).

 'By touching the woven pile squares (the grey conductive areas) light is transmitted through the woven textile to reveal hidden colour and pattern. Touching the different pile sensors creates different animated lighting patterns, which move over the surface of the piece.

Patterns interact with each other like ripples in a pond.A single piece of fabric combining both double weave and pile textile structures creates the conductive sensors and light transmitting effects. When white, LED light passes through the double weave fabric, the colored weaving on the back is revealed. Software explores a variety of regular patterns and randomly generated sequences.' 

'Firefly' dress and necklace.

Maggie Orth uses electronics frequently within her textile pieces to create interesting, quite interactive effects. I think the 'Pile Blocks' piece is quite lovely as it is almost as though the fabric has the ability to come alive alive as it can react to your touch and completely reinvent itself simply by using a different lighting pattern. I prefer it to her 'firefly' dress due to it's abstract nature and I could see the design being used as a repeat print in fashion textiles.

Luminous Lace by Loop.pH

 Loop.pH installed this illuminated lace at the entrance to Kensington Palace.

'Inspired by the ceremonial lace that has been worn by the British royal family for centuries, the light installation is made from over 4 kilometres of electroluminescent wire and is decorated with Swarovski crystals.'

A beautiful example of electroluminescence, which was discussed in our most recent lecture. I always find the use of light energy really inspiring in works of art and I'm not entirely sure why that is. Perhaps I'm easily effected by light energy and find myself comforted by their glow, I don't know. But I do know is that  these installation pieces by Loop.pH. are gorgeous.

References: http://www.dezeen.com/2012/03/23/designed-in-hackney-luminous-lace-by-loop-ph/

Lecture 3: Finishing and Function of Fabrics.

Our third lecture provided us with lots of information in relation to the different functions and technologies that can be applied to textiles, and also highlighted the possibilities of future functionality in textiles.

In synthetic raw materials, function is frequently added at the polymer stage via micro-encapsulation, which makes these functions very durable. For natural raw materials, function is added at the yarn or fabric production stage where coatings, laminates and prints etc. are applied, which is less durable than if it were added at the polymer stage as it is merely on the surface of the fabric as opposed to being imbedded within it.

Protective Properties: 

-UV Protection. Sunburn prevention can be a big priority when producing contemporary textiles, for example it is mandatory in Australia to have SPF protection in school uniforms and swimwear.  SPF factors can be incorporated into fibres, fabric dyes and laundry detergents. Tighter weaves and heavier weights of fabric offer more protection than loose knits or light fabrics. Polyester, some bast fibres and ceramic good natural protection within them.

-Fire and Spark Resistance. This is imperiteive for the emergency services, military and industrial clothing and nightwear for children. Carpets and upholstery must also be fire resistant. Aramid, glass, carbon and wool fibres all hold some natural resistance, with branded aramid fibres such as Cordura and Kevlar leading the way commercially. Fire resistant finishes can also be applied to natural fibres, as well as using metal coatings to protect. There are also new 'smart' responses such as heat shielding that are becoming more prevalent in the industry.
-Impact Resistance. Impact and abrasion resistance is used within active sportswear and upholstery to help prevent the wear and tear of the fabrics. More importantly it is used in the military and emergency services predominantly in bullet proofing and stab resistant clothing. Stab resistant fabrics use a special coating that allows the fabric to 'heal' itself to prevent the wearer from coming to harm.

Weather Proofing: This is expected in everyday clothing and essential for outdoor sports clothing and equipment. Intelligent solutions and nano-technology play a part, for example the brand Gore-tex create laminates that are lightweight and breathable, yet still remain waterproof. 100% cotton and pure wool can be naturally waterproof. 'Ventile' is a 100% cotton fabric dating back to WW2 and was created to reduce soldiers losing their lives due to the harsh weather conditions. It was made from long staple cotton fibres in a very tight plain weave construction.

Moisture Management: Engineered polyester fibres such as Coolmax and layered membrane protection is designed to keep skin dry and comfortable and is used in sportswear, underwear, socks/shoes, bed linen and sports equipment. It is engineered to draw moisture away from the skin so it can evaporate more easily over a wider surface area.

Temperature Regulation: Fabrics created for NASA such as 'Airvantage' use air chambers within the garment to regulate the temperature of the wearer, as these fabrics are so expensive to produce there are no plans to release this to a commercial market. However cooling jackets using 'Aerogel' take inspiration from astronauts clothing using phase change technology developed for aerospace, which can now be used in sportswear, workwear and bedding. It works by using paraffin wax which is embedded in the textile fibres, when the wearer becomes too warm the wax will melt slightly to absorb the heat and regulate the temperature.

Buoyancy and Inflatables: Air trapping areas can be integrated into garments for sailing and riding and most well recognisable in life vests, inflatable rafts and buoyancy aids. These can be automatically activated by sudden movements and impact, for instance the air bags in a car, to aid human life.


Antistatic: Static electricity causes minor discomfort at best, and fires and explosions at worse. Adding a mental content to a fabric, or the use of a protective finish reduces the danger of this happening. However there are still some safety issues involved as this can be known to cause other problems such as releasing harmful emissions.

Reflective Textiles: Important for safety at night, accessories for cyclists and young children, sportswear/equipment, on industrial sites and for the emergency services. Embedded glass beads or mini reflector dishes reflect light for up to 200 metres, and even works under water on diving suits/equipment. There are explorations for the use of reflective textiles on car doors at night, for added safety.


Refractive Textiles: A biometric colour shift originally found in the hogberry plant. It is where multiple layers of cells interfere with light waves producing an effect akin to a soap bubble, a rainbow. Morpho butterfly wings were an inspiration for fabrics that show colour via the use of phototronics as seen in the company Tejin's 'Morphotex' fabrics. There is a potential use of refractive textiles in sportswear, as they could potentially show visually changes in response to muscle tension, pressure or heat.

Phosphorence: Fibres trap and store light energy and emit it as a glow. 'Permalight' uses zinc sulphate to do so and is available as a printing ink. Electroluminescence uses trapped phosphor powder which is then excited by an electric current. There is a Marmot jacket that uses electroluminescent panels to illuminate areas of the jacket for safety. Interestingly, certain coloured lights are beneficial to health and are actually used in the medical world.

Chromatic Properties: Certain dyes have the ability to change their colour in response to heat, water or UV light. Fabrics that are used in the military and emergency services and also in wound dressing use this dying technology, these textiles can display a warning for extreme heat, danger or infection. There are also personal products that can indicate hormonal changes in the body, such as underwear that can determine if a woman is ovulating. Which I just find really interesting.


Easy Care: Treatments that assist in keeping a textile clean. Certain nanotechnologies and Teflon treatments impart stain resistant qualities. There is also the use of non-iron easy care in shirting and bed lined textiles which prevents creases to a certain extent.

Comfort and Ease: Lycra and Dow XLA are branded elastic fibres that are used heavily in sportswear and underwear as they provide comfort and the feeling of fluidity with the body. Mechanically crimped yarns from synthetic fibres provide a gentler comfort stretch. This is also important in medical applications as it can assist the blood flow and reduce burn scarring.

Aromatic Agents: Scented textiles release aroma when agitated or warmed. Microencapsulation traps the scented particles, aromatherapy elements can also be used, creating multi-sensory textiles and clothing.

Anti-Bacterial Protection: For fibres that assist in protecting the health of the user. Used within garment production, cosmetics, washing powders, underwear, bedding, footwear, sportswear, catering and medical products. Natural antibacterial functions can be found in silver, tea tree, aloe vera and crustacean shells. Some say that antibacterial textiles could reduce the amount we'd need to launder our clothes, however there is a high possibility that the germs would eventually mutate and therefore become resistant to the antibacterial substance.

Insect Repellence: Fabric treatments can assist in reducing the harmful insects that can live in textiles such as dust mites, particularly in bedding, which can be detrimental to the health of asthma sufferers and those with respiratory problems. This is also important to protect young babies before their immune systems develop as they would very easy pick up allergies and develop childhood asthma.

Catalystic Clothing: A relatively new exploration. Can potentially assist in reducing the harmful effects of air pollution, using nanotechnology that can be applied to the fabric through the laundry process. Effectively when the active agent in the fabric is activated by a catalyst (in this case, air pollution) it will get to work to purify the surrounding air.

Health and Cosmetic Benefits: There are coatings that can be applied to fabrics that are called pollen protection as they have a smooth surface which helps them to shed pollen easily, helping to reduce the effects of hay fever. For a standard t-shirt weighing 200mgs a vitamin C content can be imparted that equals the equivalent of 2 lemons. There are treatments applied to textiles to assist in moisturising skin and delivering active health benefits by trapping moisturising capsules within the fibres. Claims have been made by the likes of Victoria's Secret and Miss Sixty that wearing their moisture enriched underwear can actively reduce the look and feel of cellulite. How much truth lies in these claims I don't know.


Conductivity: This is an essential element in interactive textiles. Conductivity can be imparted by the use of metal fibres/content, or with special coatings and printing ink, depending on the product's use and desired functionality. In conductive gloves fine copper thread in used to complete the electric circuit between skin and screen. Conductive power sources are lightweight and flexible and it is also essential for them to be washable, however solar power elements can be woven into the garment as a back-up power source. Gorix is a branded, carbonised fibre with electrical conductive properties used for heated car sets, motorbike clothing and heated diving suits.

Soft Interfaces: using textiles as a carrier, the development of 'ambient technology' plans to create products for the home that are soft and tactile. Furniture that can 'memorise' personal preferences and then adapt accordingly.

Monitoring and Health: The Lifeshirt can record the wearer's vital signs and record it as data via sensors within the garment. This same technology can be used to also monitor emergency workers. it is also used in sport to monitor training, it allows realtime interaction during activity and also provides direct feedback. Can also be used as personal protection via GPS and garments that can shock an attacker. The GPS technology could also track the location of those with health issues in case they come into danger.

Optical camouflage: is also under development, to create camouflage that has an instinctive chameleon effect. Intelligent camouflage built using nanotechnology have the possible ability to divert light wavelengths, to change light from positive to negative refraction, rendering the object invisible.



Image Sources:
http://www.saftechinc.com/
http://www.embracethechange.com/articles/supplier-info/coolmax-and-climarelle-bedding
http://leslieinvancan.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/l-is-for-life-preserver.html
http://www.fashioningtech.com/profiles/blog/list?user=306sf06eygkoc&month=10&year=2009
http://sites.moca.org/thecurve/category/the-geffen-contemporary-at-moca/page/2/
http://qinglianchen.blogspot.co.uk/2010/05/space-of-production.html
http://www.dhgate.com/product/japan-anti-cellulite-bur-fat-slimming-pants/113634694.html
http://silvergroup.asia/blog/remote-patient-monitoring-worth-us8-billion-by-2012/