Biodegradable swatch
Adjustable form to suit any environment - From garment to furniture to art.
Starting point
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Starting point .
My proposed swatch final revolves around the Environment and how a quadrant can embody/ dress furniture, be viewed as Art or can be worn as a cape like garment.
To expand this concept, I aimed to draw from my material samples that included Natural dye techniques, pin-tucking and Boro stitching.
Preliminary sketch of quadrant design, based off the Issey Miyake pattern with additional volume surrounding the “neck line” and straps for wearers use. Volume puffs would be filled with Grass and Mulch to create a natural volume outcome that could biodegrade with wear and age.
Step by step process of germinating seeds in cotton textile, without securing with stitching - Paulina 2021
My preliminary research stems from the following artists, architects and designers:
Antoni Gaudi, Alexandra Kehayoglou, Lucy & Bart, Alexandra Bricken , Ernesto Neto.
The common thread that links these practitioners in my relationship to ‘ENVIRONMENT’ as my key focus, is due to their individual approach to space, materiality and “flux” - what it means to make and display work that may be for a prolonged period of time; or remain ephemeral to the space and moment displayed.
The state of Flux in a body of work also communicates the need for passive change that positively influences the space, narrative or in this case, the literal and physical environment.
Previous research for Garment Design in 2021, lead me to explore volume by embedding and growing seedlings in cotton and denim swatches, from this exploration, I was able to gather the outcome that cotton as the encasing textile, allows and provides the perfect hydrophilic environment for seedlings to thrive and grow from. This has also informed the research and development of this swatch.
Wadding & Puff - Material Swatches
Pillow stuffing (Polyfil), used to recreate the wadding exercise in class was not the correct type of fibre and resulted in a soft and disjointed curve that did not retain it’s shape
Stuffed bulbs embedded into the cotton quadrant 1/2 scale - FRONT
Stuffed bulbs embedded into the cotton quadrant 1/2 scale - SIDE
Stuffed bulbs stitched onto the cotton quadrant 1/2 scale - SIDE
Stuffed bulbs stitched onto the cotton quadrant 1/2 scale - FRONT
Both swatches toiled onto existing T-shirt and shirt collars - overlay effect recreates Boro aesthetic without running stitches; uses pre-existing material/ remnants that can be biodegradable as all materials are cotton: Poly-fill could be swapped out for cotton wadding?
Pillow stuffing (Polyfil), used to recreate the wadding exercise in class was not the correct type of fibre and resulted in a soft and disjointed curve that did not retain it’s shape
“Material driven designer, researcher and textile artist. Her practice blurs the boundaries between materials, technology and biology, proposing new perspectives on biocentric design” - Campos created her own methodology behind the knitted and woven garments that germinated seedlings from within the wool yarn, creating an 100% biodegradable garment that also serves as a co2, Clean indoor air by absorbing toxins, increasing humidity, and producing oxygen.
Kitting exploration: Repurposed T-shirts
Reusing post consumer cotton T-shirts, sliced, pulled and rolled into T-shirt yarn, each strip has been tied to one another. Using the v neck collared shirt or T shirt ribbed hole as the base of this swatch to explore the placement and possibility of this outcome
T-shirt yarn kitted sample
T-shirt yarn sample attached to original shirt neckline - to be attached by hand stitching with cotton thread - 100% biodegradable as all materials are cotton.
T-shirt yarn and ribbed T-shirt neckline, outcome could be undone and knitted into a new product, this also includes the neckline that can be turned into yarn.
‘Plant root weaving’ growing material Talking Textiles Conference, 2020. Scherer is a multidisciplinary Artist that focuses her practise on nurture studies, root studies relating to yarn visual similarities - learning to ‘weave’ the root system. Scherer directs grass roots to weave itself underground with templates that form part of the ‘collaborative’ aspect of her practise.
Taking inspiration from Scherer and her symbiotic practise with grass root weaving, I wanted to draw out the voluminous and biodegradable aspect of grassroots and “templates” that can be re-contextualised in pattern making/ encasing seedlings rather than leading them on a growth template, I can change the environment they grow in and challenge the resilience of the grass by encapsulating the seedlings in sugarcane mulch (retains water and moisture, perfect for seedling growth environment) and stuffed into my puffed quadrant. Resulting in a 100% biodegradable outcome that becomes an ephemeral work that requires to be watered.
Swatch development & Process
From preliminary sketch & Pattern conceptualising to fully realised pockets, squares and final 1x1 swatch
Taking inspiration from Diana Scherer, I wanted to focus on the geometric aspect of encapsulating the growth of "volume" in a square that could act as a body cover, a physical work of art that melds into it's environment and a intricate addition to furniture.
Square pattern 20x20cm with a 10x10cm void
Further pattern making of the 20x20xm squares. The internal void will act as the pockets for the grass seedlings
Petal design from preliminary drawings will act as additional "templates" for the growth of volume.
Mock up of square pattern for neckline opening 1/2 scale
Natural fibre fabrics, 100% biodegradable
Mulch - Sugarcane to be used as wadding/ stuffing and moisture retention for seedling growth & All purpose lawn seeds
"seed paper" concept is reiterated by Bunnings pamphlet Seedlings are placed in this paper to assure the correct planting distance between seedlings for optimal growth
My personal scrap pile of natural fibre fabrics
Pin tucking the leaf design
Left: Calico, Middle: plain cotton twill weave & basket weave detail, Right: Cotton Duck
Square: plain weave cotton
seedlings in pocket
Seedling pocket closure
x4 Seedling triangle pockets
20 x 20cm square with pin ticked diagonals and stuffed with grass seedlings, ready to be closed and stuffed with mulch
Cord loops made out of calico remnants
Square base and puffed square attachments
Swatch statement.
To create this final swatch, I wanted to focus on the element of form and volume. How to create and expand the original material swatches into a dynamic and freeform swatch that moulds and grows itself into its environment. The environmental outcome of this swatch is 100% biodegradable, as all textiles, threads and stuffing (sugarcane and grass) is 100% natural. Allowing the final form of the swatch to be ever evolving. until it’s final stage of life. All material used for this swatch was remnant or off cut fabric that was preowned or purchased, allowing the final swatch to be a recycled outcome that originated from “waste”.
The final outcome can be worn on the body in any way that suits the wearer due to its adjustable nature. It can also be draped over furniture or be hung on the wall as a piece of art. The swatch embodies the use or the concept of fashion and materiality as an ephemeral experience that comes from nature and back to nature.