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Page 1

Why waste?

Exploring the potential of waste as a new

material and method for fashion design.

Master o

f Fine Arts in Fashion Design, Specialised in knitwear. June 2020

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Degree project:


Degree of Master of Fine Arts (Two Years) in Fashion design 
 with a specialisation in knitwear & construction

Title:


Why Waste?


Author:


Nanna Byskov Graversen Supervisor:


Holly McQuillan Examinator:


Clemens Thornquist


Report no:

2020.6.06

The Swedish School of Textiles,
 Borås, Sweden

June 2020


Acknowledgements.

I would like to thank my supervisor, Holly McQuillan PHD researcher at The Swedish School of Textiles, for the support throughout this research. Not only has she contributed with access amounts of helpful knowledge, she has also been an inspiration and instrumental in for the personal shift in mindset which in the end, made this research possible.

I would like to acknowledge how, a demanding degree, requires a strong foundation, to rely on. This has been especially true for this research, as I would not have been able to go through the many hours of work, the stress and lack of sleep, without my family to fall back on. Their motivation and their belief in, that this work is important, has made it possible to follow my dreams, even when I am too deep into the work, to see the bigger picture.

Lastly this has been an exceptional year to finish a practical degree in, during the 2020 Corvid-19 outbreak. This has effected everyone in the world and pushed for new ways of working and finishing this research. Through these tumultuous last months, it has been in large part, thanks to the support of my co-workers at The Swedish School of Textiles, that I have been able to navigate to the finish-line. I hope, that this strong sense of openness, helpfulness and collaboration which has occurred during Corvid-19, both in the distance learning in Borås and internationally will last far past this outbreak.

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a B. Graversen / Why Waste? / Front page

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0 3 3 4 there 12 12 13 15 16 17 18 21 24 25 27 28 THERE 28 29 30 30 31 32 33 35 41 43 44 45

CHAPTER 1 1.1 Abstract 1.2 Keywords 1.3 Design Result CHAPTER 2

2.1 Background

Our Lifetime of Waste Our relationship with Waste

Waste Driven Mindsets For Fashion 2.2 Research Approach

2.3 State of the Art

Waste as a Fibre & Manipulation Waste as a Cut & Sew fabric Waste as a Method

Discussion 2.4 Motive

Why Waste?

2.5 Aim

CHAPTER 3

3.1 Design Program Example 1 Example 2 Example 3 Reflection 3.2 Development

Example 1 - Knit Example 2 - Woven Example 3 - Details 3.3 Reflective Design Practice

Line-ups

50 51 53 55 57 59 61 63 65

67 70

CHAPTER 4

4.1 Result & Analysis Look 1 Look 2 Look 3 Look 4 Look 5 Look 6 Look 7

4.2 Discussion & Conclusion

List of references Image Reference list

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ABSTRACT:

This research explores the scope of waste as a material and methods for fashion design, drawing together an open mindset and sustainable actions for a menswear collection.

Reflective Design Practice is the overlaying methodology used to incorporate a wide variety of textile manipulations and materials.

The research approach is to source waste materials, with a focus on virgin yarns for knitwear, exploring and identifying the

possibilities for individual elements and analyzing through a photographic lineup, repeating for further development.

This emergency, as well as a focus on perfect solutions from the offset, can be a barrier for experimentation. Therefore a change in posture and mindset is necessary. For this thesis, posture, motive, and aesthetic design decisions are embodied in a persona - This persona, delicate, yet rough and in a hurry, as with sustainability, are combined into the Lazy Romantic.

Speculatively this research has the potential to open up for landfills as material sourcing for fashion design or landfills being unnecessary as the word waste is no longer defining the material.

1.2

KEYWORDS:

Material driven fashion design Reflective design practice

Sustainable design Knit- & Menswear

Sustainable Design Futures Waste streams

(Grumpy optimist)

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a B. Graversen / Why Waste? / Abstract

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Page 5 Fig.1, Untitled Graversen (2020)

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a B. Graversen / Why Waste? / Result

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Page 7 Fig.2, Untitled Graversen (2020)

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a B. Graversen / Why Waste? / Result

Fig.3, Untitled Graversen (2020)

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Page 9 Fig.4, Untitled Graversen (2020)

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a B. Graversen / Why Waste? / Result

Fig.5, Untitled Graversen (2020)

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Page 11 Fig.6, Untitled Graversen (2020)

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Page 12 Fig. 9: Figure for pace layering for concepts of change, shows the different speeds of which a healthy society moves. Brand uses this, as a method for creating change;To change fashion, it is necessary to first change the layers below.

anna B. Graversen / Why Waste? / Background

Fig.7, Untitled Graversen (2020)

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2.1

An Introduction To

Our Lifetime Of Waste

Garbage always follows humans around, like a growing shadow. Middens are the small trash piles, left behind by our ancestors. They are what gives archeologists a window into lives lived, at times 140,000 years ago (Hirst, 2019). If you do not produce garbage, to a large extent, you do not exist to historians.

However, the middens of today are in contrast to those before us. New fossil-based materials, how we define waste, results in a garbage pile growing over our heads, creating both wicked issues and new possibilities for designers.

Our consumption of plastics only dates back to ∼1950 (Geyer et al., 2017). Simultaneously, the fashion industry sped up its industrial production and incorporated synthetics. Grasping the consequences of the waste created by fossil-based synthetics is incomprehensible, as it has yet to live through a full lifetime (Bailey, 2017). What happens when the amount of plastic and textile waste threatens our living environment and overflows out of the landfills?

When defining waste, Oxford Dictionary it as "The act of using something carelessly or unnecessarily, causing it to be lost or destroyed." By following this definition, waste is a mindset, with carelessness in regards to how something is treated or used. Therefore when targeting waste, it is essential to question our mindset before assessing the waste as a potential material for fashion design.

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“Whereas in preindustrial times, garbage could be treated as something that would naturally disappear in the course of time, it had now turned into a problematic substance…

The realisation that garbage could not be avoided because it was part of the human condition led to major new insights.

This thought also lay behind the epoch's favourite idea:

recycling. The dream was that everything could be reused,”

(Unverzagt, 1991, p.5)

Our Relationship with

waste

As Unverzagt (1991) suggests, when we realize that garbage cannot be avoided and left out of sight, results and new insights occur - such as reuse or recycling. Even as systems are set in place to collect, sort, and control our waste flows, few are successful. Plastics can be cleaned and recycled without a significant downgrade in strength. However, 90,5% of all plastics ever created have never been recycled, with 79% ending up as scattered trash and landfill (Olson, 2018).

With multiple obstacles, such as a lack of recycling technology and sorting, the fashion industry is even further behind, with less than 3% of materials being recycled back into the industry (Ellen McArthur Foundation, 2017, pg.13). Even with collection points set up for post-consumer recycling, less than one percent of these fibers being reintroduced into textile production (Roos, 2019).

Even with the insights and the possibility of lowering 10% of global emissions, which the textile industry is responsible for (Smee, 2019), Francois (2019) suggests that recycling is not the silver bullet and does the same as the hidden landfills. "In my

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a B. Graversen / Why Waste? / Background

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opinion, recycling in general, when you think about what it does to the human psyche, it allows us to think that things disappear."

Second to recycling, laws, and regulations have been set in place to overcome the expanding trash mound, which today counts 2.1 billion tons of waste per year (UNEP Year Book, 2009). Regulations like The Paris Agreement(United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, 2016) are made on a judicial level while a more radical approach is returning illegally imported plastics (Associated Press, 2019). These initiatives are clear signs of desperation, as the plastic mounds have become a visible eyesore. Although great intentions, these initiatives are scattered and deflects attention from the root of the problem: The definition of waste and the value we put onto the material of waste.

Waste Driven

Mindsets for Fashion Design

The fashion industry is said to be the second-largest polluter in the world (Lenzig Group, 2019), counting for 2 180 000 tonnes of textile waste annually in the Nordic region alone (Roos et al., 2019. p.10). Even with different actions taken through legislation or waste stream infrastructure, the Pace Layering model (Fig. 9) (Brand, S. 1999), argues that it is instead the culture that has to be changed, before anything else. Pace Layering shows nature is the foundation of society and moves the slowest. While what is in fashion is dependant on everything else in society, yet is continually changing at an abnormal pace.

This model suggests that we need to change culture or mindset before being able to challenge the fashion industry and material sourcing.

Different design movements approach to change by altering the mindset or culture surrounding fashion in order to decrease the waste created. While the Design for Longevity method tries to extend the lifetime of a garment, to slow the consumption rate through design, the Cradle2Cradle and

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Circular design methods, reuse and recycle materials for a fully circular industry and thus avoiding landfills altogether.

Another example of responding to our conflict with nature and waste through a change in mindset is the zero-waste movement. Initially, a way to reduce energy consumption by diverging useful materials away from landfills or recycling (Feldman N, 2016), today, it has been developed to include Zero- Waste as a design method. Here, garments are created based on a mindset of reducing waste through placing patterns, so that no material is wasted on the cutting room floor, as seen on McQuillan's (2010) zero-waste layout for a coat (Fig. 10).

As our natural resources deplete earlier each year (McCamy, 2019), it is necessary to rethink the fundamentals of how we approach materials and our understanding of waste. It is said, that 80% of Co2 emissions locks within the design stage (Tan, 2013)(WRAP, 2020), the change in perception is an opportunity for designers to utilize the 92 million tonnes of textile waste created every year (Boston Consulting Group, 2017) this change in perception of waste as a future material, is urgent yet necessary for designers to see the possibilities. This thesis proposes the question; what emerges when we reframe waste as material and method in the fashion design process?

Page 16 Fig. 10: McQuillan, H. (2010) Zero-waste pattern design. Shown is the layout of a pattern, design so that no fabric is wasted, when all of the necessary pattern pieces is laid out on the fabric.

a B. Graversen / Why Waste? / Background

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2.2

Research approach:

The primary objective of this paper is to investigate what emerges when using waste as a material for fashion design.

Initiated by a posture, also referred to as a mindset, to acknowledge the opportunities of waste as a material.

Subsequently, introducing a variety of design methodologies, each responding to individual waste materials, while the Reflective Design Practice will be throughout. Collectively, these become a method in their own right, where this research will be alternating between practical design methods, such as construction and textile manipulations and reflective, visual through photographic lineups and conscious decisions supporting the motive.

The scope of the research will be waste within knitwear design, but includes broader terms of waste such as woven deadstock, plastic and reclaimed waste materials. The research is carried out through a menswear collection, responding to the state of climate mess that we are in (Schuessler, J. 2019).

2.3

State of the Art

This section presents a range of designers, which has, in different ways, created a method for using waste as a material. Providing different ways of utilising properties such as shape, texture, color, and performance from alternate waste streams;

however, with this research and examples, the material further builds on a foundational mindset and posture.

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Waste as a fibre and manipulation

Westins’ (2019) recent textile collection, is a combination of traditional textiles, crafted from a modern material: LDPE plastic.

The craftsmanship shines through in lace-like materials where the work, utilizes the plastic qualities to melt smaller areas.

Melting creates textural contrast to the soft crochet.

Unverzagt (2010, p.321) suggests that to rethink strategies against garbage, it is not necessary with a new method but instead rediscovering, reformulating, and reapplying, the ones that already exist. It is inherent in Westin's work that he has reworked a traditional technique, crochet, with a new posture towards waste: utilizing the colors from plastic waste together with different crochet stitches. The qualities of using plastic waste is exceptionally prominent when melting the textile pieces.

The textiles become a caricature of crochet, where graphic, flat outlines define the stitch and plastic colors come through as a pattern from within. This outcome would not have been possible if a traditional material or mindset towards plastic waste used.

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a B. Graversen / Why Waste? / State of the Art

Fig 11. Untitled Westin (2019)

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Bagger (2018) implements scrap yarns, a result of industrially produced skeins as a method for designing her knitwear. The cause of leftover virgin yarn is not just a problem in the hand knitting community, but also a problem within production. Sara Rodriguez explains how the textile industry, bundles yarns onto cones and skeins, forcing the user and production to buy excess amounts. This waste of virgin yarns is a by-product; they can vary slightly in color between the individual dye baths. This way, the consumer will always end up with virgin scrap material while forcing production to buy excess cones in case of color variation.

Bagger's design, as with Westin's, is a way of seeing new material potentials in waste created. The main difficulty with using waste yarns, the difference in color, Bagger uses as the focal point, and an asset to her designs. Her artistic approach takes advantage of the curated randomness of colors, from waste yarns. As a base for her handknit, she uses neutral colorways, letting the scrap yarns be the focal point and the beginning of the design process. Using waste yarns does not limit the shape of the design, where Bagger then creates modern yet basic shapes, allowing the colors to be in focus.

Even her waste yarn knitwear creates small stumps(ends) of yarn waste. These small pieces she donates, for them to be (garter, what is the word for combing yarn) and respun into new

yarns. Here she can rethink her waste streams, which also shows how limiting waste is a fundamental posture for her work, engrained into every aspect.

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Fig 12. Scrap Sweater Lærke Bagger, (2019)

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Botter

(2020) describes the autumn 2020 collection with

"upcycling as a mindset, not a concept" (Botter, 2020). The collection uses new materials as a way to enhance the outdated and end of roll fabrics. Shown are plastic price tags, used as a textile manipulation, scattered across a suit, resembling couture feathers from afar. With an exciting approach to the collection,

"up-cycling as a mindset," the mindset is only changed to a certain extent.

The upcycling element is within the deadstock fabrics, which are being manipulated with new materials, to enhance the collection concept. The deadstock material is of a higher aesthetic value, with the added plastic textile manipulations, creating a modern fabric which would otherwise be a dated pattern and colorway. With this in mind, the mindset with Botter can be viewed concept rather than a mindset. The main element of the textile, the bright blue plastic manipulations are from new, and as a material, out of their ordinary context. This way, the plastic chips, reads as up-cycling, yet it is the deadstock fabric which is recycled. Together they are both a concept and an up- cycled material of higher aesthetic value.

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Fig 13. ‘Gun Tag Embroidery’ 🔫 Botter (2020)

a B. Graversen / Why Waste? / State of the Art

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Waste as a Cut & Sew fabric

Bode

(2018) When 50% of a discarded material is recycled, the effects are ineffi cient, if the waste leading up to that point is disregarded states François Grosse (2011, p.10). Sourcing vintage yet untarnished woven fabrics with a story is how Bode starts her design process. The designer then, quilts, the often embroidered fabrics and uses conventional construction methods. The results are classically shaped menswear pieces, with geometric patterns with stories told through the alternating textile squares. Altogether the lightweight printed fabrics, and graphic patchwork, framed by the clean-cut silhouettes, has an easy-going, country aesthetic.

The method used for designing with existing printed textiles calls for clean lines and silhouettes for the original patterns to stand out. The technique of quilting with smaller patches of patterned textiles is nothing new, but when used in more modern garment archetypes, the new garments have an extended lifetime, enhancing the previous print at the future use.

The cut-and-sew method for reassembling vintage textiles, creates a graphic style, with textiles from all over the world.

When designing, it is clear that Bode designs the pieces to be

sold individually and not thought of as a collection in its entirety.

This way, Bode utilizes the possibilities from waste materials and can create unique pieces where no two pieces are equal, as the source of the material is equally unique.

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Fig 14. Untitled Bode (2018) Fig 15. Untitled Bode (2018)

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Vladimiroffs

(2019) graduate collection, like Westins, focuses on traditional crafted techniques in low-density polyethylene plastic(LDPE) materials. Vladimiroff uses a method of connecting

precious textiles with single-use waste, with a high end, handcrafted embroidery. Connecting the woven heirloom tablecloth with low value materials such as LDPE through embroidery. The handcraft adds an inherent layer of aesthetic value to otherwise disregarded materials.

Vladimiroff demonstrates how to use the quality of the different materials for a coherent final garment. Lightness from the plastic bags comes through the edges, whereas the color and shine embellishes and merges the otherwise contrasting materials, through the rough flower embroidery.

The materials support and contradict the emotional value of her concept. Her works' central concept is to intertwine letters, doodles, and textiles from her grandmother, an emotional value, into a womenswear collection. The plastic sets the concept in a modern context by playing it up against the emotions attached to the plastic bag and the fragility of the environment today. Even as waste as a material is not used as the primary mindset, it cleverly supports the heirloom textiles, by using the emotional values connected to each of the materials.

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Fig 16. Untitled Vladimiroff (2019)

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Marine Serres’ (2018) collection uses the most basic seaming technique to merge recycled jersey garments or silk scarves into new dresses. As shown, the designer utilizes the graphic print from the classic logo t-shirts, while gathering the same color for a coherent and more polished fi nal garment. As a result of layering the new garments, the collection works within the language of streetwear. The metempsychosis into something new extends the use of the original garments. Marine Serre does so, without erasing the history of the material and uses graphically cut logos on display.

 Knitwear and jersey are often found in large masses in

secondhand stores and thus seen as readily available and of low value. The added value comes through the aesthetics in the visible history and the unique nature of the, now designer

garment. This follows the principle which Erich H. Matthus (2013, p.4) suggesting; a garments irreplaceability and, therefore, its perceived value, is not always connected to the qualitative measures of an object.

 In this example, the construction is through a heap of small pattern pieces stitched together. Serre has then used multiple garments to create the final piece. In this way, she can recreate multiple of the same dress even as the material differs from t- shirt to t-shirt. This pattern construction is a result of intelligent

use of a material, where she graphically cuts or even cuts away the parameter which sends the t-shirt to waste in the first place, the graphics on jersey t-shirts. 

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Fig 17. Untitled Marine Serre (2019)

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Material as a method Haos

’ (2018) Collection explores the excessive layering of secondhand sportswear. The reused garments create new volumes to more classic shapes, like the blazer or t-shirt. Hao's work is interesting as it visually shows the dimensions of waste and questions the mounds of information and garments which are available at all times. Through new construction methods, she manages to merge an abundance of used garments. This method of fusing and stitching fl at pieces onto each other allows for the viewer to decode garment-types within the fi nal pieces.

Her shapes are a collection of sportswear, mounded on to tailored and knit-pieces like the blazer.

Hao has designed a unique and delicate aesthetic loaded with graphics and a curation of colors from the reused sportsjerseys. Her work stands on its own by using destinctive and unique materials for the collection.

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Fig19..Untitled Heo (2018)

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Discussion

With 92 million tonnes of textile waste created annually (Kerr, J. and Landry, J. 2017), there are many opportunities for waste as a new material for fashion design, as these designers show. The potential when using waste as a material is duplex.

Initially, it takes away matters that would otherwise be left for landfill or, in worse cases, trashed in our environment. As a result of re-introducing materials into the design process, the lifetime continues. The energy and resources used to create the material are appropriated thoroughly. Secondly, when new designs are created, it is done, restricting the use of non-renewable resources needed and staying within the planetary boundaries.

The collected works show several ways of implementing waste as a method and material. Throughout these, the common denominator is choosing a particular waste stream, determining the characteristics and defining a design method. Bagger and Westin respond to the material, using them as fiber, and finding the strength in their waste. Westin using the heat properties, whereas Bagger explores the color variations within a set frame of her knitwear. Both designs using the material as a yarn, which does not define the shape.

Bode and Serre both use flat pattern construction from material waste. Bode stitches together vintage materials in a quilt-like pattern to create a modern take on the clean-cut linen shirt. The shapes are often streamlined versions of vintage pieces, where the material also adds to the same soft, retro aesthetic of clean vintage. The quilting technique is an aesthetic decision, in contrast to Serre. She is limited by the size of the original t-shirt to use smaller pattern pieces in flat construction but uses this as a design method. Serre uses layering sportswear pieces, to bring forward a modern contrast to the dated t-shirts and lace silhuettes.

Lastly, Heo has managed to create a design method, which is uniquely responding and defined by the material to an extent where it is hard to imagine anything else than secondhand garments in her designs. Heo has moved away from flat pattern construction and uses stitch points, to combine the secondhand garments as is, onto each other. Heo utilizes both as material, color, and graphics, without cutting up the material like Serre, Bode or Vladimiroff. Heo supports her waste-material garments with graphic and tightly fitted, cut, and sew garments. This contrast works nicely to support the visual volume of the other pieces.

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This work presents a collection, where working with waste in a multitude of definitions, is not inherently visible in the aesthetic and design decisions. Whereas Bode introduces work, which clearly represents a soft spoken aesthetic which enhances the vintage feel of the materials. It is also in contrast to Botter, where waste is literally defined by objects out of context, as with the plastic price chips. Botter though, does at times work with an aesthetic where the waste is more hidden as a material, and is mores seen when looking closer.

The designers have taken a posture of openminded opportunity in order to see past the current definition of waste.

Some chose to design with the waste throughout every garment like Bode. Others are enhancing the aesthetic value of deadstock by adding a new textile manipulation like Botter.

Where Bagger even reuses the waste created from the new materials and, therefore, no longer defining anything within her design process as waste.

2.4

Motive

WHY WASTE?

As mentioned, 92 million tonnes of textile waste is created annually from the fashion industry (Global Fashion Agenda, 2017). The designer can see this as either a horrific statistic or a significant opportunity. Either way, this statistic is increasing and urgent as the designers are the starting point of any product.

The contemporary design examples are methods responding to a single source of waste material. This research proposes a method of exploration of an assortment of materials creating a collection through the Reflective Design Practice. As we are living in a society that promotes overconsumption before the design stage is even to begin, it is necessary to find ways of avoiding landfills, staying within planetary boundaries, and finding methods for designing that challenging the current definition of waste.

Looking back at the definition, it is referring to carelessness in the interaction with waste. Being open to change the interaction with the material is then part of the new mindset of seeing the potentials. This work explores the possibility of

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a B. Graversen / Why Waste? / Motive

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moving away from careless interactions but responding with urgency.

Fletcher (2019) states, “The timeframe of environmental collapse does not permit waiting until perfect solutions are available.” Having this notion in mind allows for making quick decisions and trials without striving for perfection within the first examples. This thesis will recognize this quote as part of both the mindset and the method for working and introducing a sense of urgency, roughness, and an approach to working with textile manipulations and designs responding to each material.

Lastly, this research implements the Reflective Design Practice to visually build a coherency across a whole collection while considering the potential of each material within its lifecycle.

2.5

AIM:

Exploring the potential of waste as a new material and method for fashion design.

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3.1

Design Program

Mindset through previous work.

This degree work was initiated by seeing the potential in waste. It was then further recognizing and working according to the definition of trash. As waste was brought out of its original context, as a material for fashion design, it was with the same approach of carelessness that the exploration was carried out in.

The studies were based on the designer’s previous knowledge as a fashion designer with different textile manipulations. Even so, the results were unsuccessful at the time. The measurement for success and analysis was at the current state, based on being able to fit samples into a ‘normal’ fashion collection. When looking back at previous samples, it is now possible to see many successful explorations, as the posture towards waste and a measurement of success is now clearly defined.

The following images will show a transition, through previous works, of how a posture has been established and a

measure for success defined.

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a B. Graversen / Why Waste? / Design program

Fig.20, Example One Graversen (2019)

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Example 1.

Shown is an image of textile manipulations, exploring fusing of LDPE waste onto different textile qualities to create form. The explorations were hung according to the definition of waste, carelessly. Here, the previous mindset, where the

material was regarded with the same value as the original, made it impossible to measure the success.

Example 2.

The second example shows a more careful treatment of color and knit exploration. The main implication of using waste yarn, the difference in color from dye baths, is thoughtfully solved through different dye treatments of the yarn, and knit bindings.

Even with the different posture towards the waste matter, color exploration is not a success in the broader sense. As waste comes sparingly, it is unlikely to source the accurate color of a material, based on a color study done beforehand. Therefore, defining a color scheme before acknowladging, that waste materials are precious and unique, makes it unnecessarily challenging to work with waste for designing a fashion collection.

Page 29 Fig.21, Example Two Graversen (2019)

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Example 3.

As the question, for previous research was, how can waste be implemented into a fashion collection, the results analyzed through a mindset, where the process and result should compare with previous experience of developing a fashion collection—measuring the success through recognisability in shape and material. As the LDPE material is unusual for fashion design and the form is not of an archetypical garment, these examples were unsuccessful.

The previous mindset also reflects in the roughness of the experiments, still recognizing the material as waste.

If looking at these results today, through a different posture and method of reflection, the potential for further development is there.

Fig.22, Example 3 Graversen (2020)

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Reflection

These examples show the complexity of, on the one hand, creating future scenarios, while on the other, unlearning past ways of viewing. "A significant part of this is to cope with the loss of past lifestyles and world views and unlearning associated habits, ways of relating and thinking about the world (Macy and Johnstone, 2012). The shift from a past posture, to a new mindset, is about unlearning. However, in order to lose past ways of relating and viewing one's work, it is first necessary to recognize that these ways and habits within the designer exist.

Here, the past habit, defining a color scheme at an early stage, needs to be recognized so that it does not hinder the posture for working with waste as a material. The past posture defined the work by asking "How can I implement waste into a fashion collection" whereas recognition of previous habits, change into a posture now asking "what emerges, when using waste as a method, and how can the value be increased as a material for fashion design."

Previous research is deeply rooted in frustration with the wastefulness of the fashion industry and an understanding of the urgency. Nonetheless, the work has been explored with rigor to

find a designdriven method of sustainably using materials for fashion design. As Fletcher (p.31, 2019) suggests, it is about staying with the trouble, which leads to solutions and a change in mindset. Therefore the central determinant, for this thesis research, has been about creating samples, through old ways of exploring and viewing, to ultimately unlearn past ways. Basing work on a fundament of changing wicked issues and understanding the urgency can lead to an obstruction in working in new ways. However, acknowledging that there is no time for perfectionism, also allows for trials and exploration.

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The pressing timeframe of environmental collapse does not permit waiting until

perfect solutions are available and until we are perfectly prepared. This is a time for accepting good enough, again with robustness arising from commitment to purpose (earth first)”

Fletcher (p.40, 2019)

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3.2.

Method of

Exploration and development

Persona Embodying Motive

With Fletchers' (2019) quote in mind, a persona was created in order to create samples, equating to the posture in sustainability. The persona has a roughness in the interaction, quick and hurried actions, yet a certain amount of fragility in both the material, color, and shape combinations. Additionally, the fragility refers back to the sustainable crisis, which is at a delicate tipping point, where we each year exploit nature's resources. This persona, delicate, yet rough and in a hurry, as with sustainability, are combined into the Lazy Romantic. The pictures represent daily life, which creates the mood for the collection, yet the cautiously balancing flower on a plastic bottle, with a heightened value into a vase. This persona, is a way of working, defined as a fundament for design decisions, while working with waste as a material.

Page 32 Fig.23, Persona Graversen (2020)

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Examples of development

The following are examples of developments through an array of methods. As every waste material is different, it is necessary to respond individually and reflect on a whole for the samples' to fit into a collection as final pieces. These samples should be viewed as an excerpt of methods, to develop using waste, while not a comprehensive guide, on every solution possible. The first example is of knitwear, which has been a focus for this thesis. Followed by a method for shape experimentations for woven deadstock and secondhand.

Page 33 Fig.24, Untitled Graversen (2020)

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1. Knit

Waste yarn to whole garment knitwear.

After acquiring a range of waste virgin yarns from industrial production, the intention was to investigate why this material is regarded as waste in the first place by creating a whole garment sweater on an industrial flatbed knit machine, and observing the difficulties. The design is a conventional cable knitted binding to replicate production and to create a structured material for the collection. Samples are necessary to program the binding, measure shrinkage, and sizing, solving the different implications along the way:

Whole garment

With an intention, to not create more waste, making a whole garment knit piece, would be the best option. Knitting whole garment, (fig. 2.1) means knitting in circles, and attaching each piece to itself along the way. This way, a fully knitted garment comes out at the end. Knitting circularly, and separately knitting on the front and back beds means the needles carry an extensive weight individually, compared to using front and back for the same weight. The same binding is, therefore, not

possible, as a cable knit is substantial in itself. Another sample, for an alternate binding, was made, where less weight is on each needle, and the structure is also less visible.

Page 34 Fig.25, Untitled Graversen (2020)

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Color

Yarn is dyed in batches but can vary in color between each section. If a company buys the same color of yarn, at two different times, the dye batches will be different with a variation in color. Therefore the companies buys excessive amounts of yarn, avoid the difference, or waste the excess when buying from a new batch later. The different shades of white yarn are the material for this exploration. By collecting the variations of thin white yarns, it is possible to create a uniform color when adding in one yarn of color, turquoise. Within this piece, there were approximately 13 yarns in each feeder. Even as the yarns run out, it is possible to change the white threads without changing the overall color of the garment. As the turquoise yarns are from different dye batches, there is a slight variation in nuance. The difference is highlighted, with a knitted band between the change in turquoise yarns for a graphic design element. (fig. 27)

Page 35 Fig.26, Industrial knit Graversen (2020)

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Page 36 Fig.27, Look 4 Graversen (2020)

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Binding

With many smaller yarns, it is harder for each needle to catch all of them. Yarns dropped significantly more when knitting a fully fashioned garment. As the needles need to knit in a circle and separate the back- and front beds when knitting, more loops are dropped. The dropped stitches made for an added structure of loose threads. Adding in two strands of polyamide supports the garment by adding in strength and shrinkage, to not unravel the whole garment. Adding this and adjusting the binding accordingly, it was possible to knit fully fashioned, yet it was hard on the machine.

Strength

After knitting a few samples, it became apparent that the yarns were too weak. This weakness was due to dryness, from age. To solve this, one of the wool yarns was re-waxed, which could then support the other weaker yarns, without any alteration to them.

Time

As with production, there is a time limitation for sampling and experimentation. Within this work, a set amount of days for experimentation on the industrial knit machines was available.

The sampling with the different implications took more time than expected. Based on the previous samples, where it was not possible to create as structured a knit binding with whole garment, and with the time constraints, knitting a fully fashioned sweater (Fig. 26.2) would be better. This way, the pieces are knitted to the appropriate size, but stitched together by hand.

Leaving more freedom when it comes to shaping the garment afterward, while not creating as much waste, as with cut and sew (Fig. 26.3).

Shape

In the assembly of fully fashioned pieces, there is an opportunity to explore shaping, more so than with whole

garment. Draping the pattern pieces, with openings in the sleeve and side, creating a gather around the sleeve hole. The ribbing was extended around the hem, and almost draped off the edge of the backpiece. For added roughness in the assembly,

handstitching highlights certain areas, such as the sleeve gathering. Lastly, highlighting the graphic change in yarn color as a placement print on the back (fig 27.)

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Samples

Different implications meant many explorations and samples to get the desired structure. This garment was not created as cut and sew, but still left material, with unique bindings and color nuances. The samples created a second (Fig.

28, left) and third garment (Fig. 28 right). The whole garment samples, with their size and tubular shape, made them perfect for creating a sleeve with the color gradient visible from different shades of waste yarn (Fig. 28, left). The fully fashioned samples were combined with alternate samples from different explorations, to drape a vest (Fig. 28, right). This vest is possible, as the pieces are small, and therefore easy to combine for the desired garment shape.

Samples as a material.

The idea of using samples as a material, was investigated In fig. 30, a trouser design, with an extended crease. The samples from previous explorations, are inserted into the extended crease design, to highlight and exaggerate the oversized nature of the trouser. The development of shape for this piece, is explained further in

Page 38 Fig.28, Untitled Graversen (2020)

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Page 39 Fig.24, Look X Graversen (2020)

Fig.29, Untitled Graversen (2020) Fig.30, Untitled Graversen (2020)

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2. woven

Shape experimentation for deadstock

This work explores the shape of outdated menswear as a wasted aspect and a method for designing shape. Redefining shapes, by highlighting different aspects of the garment, which would fit with how a lazy romantic would wear it: Quickly put on, asymmetric and too long or too big, yet pinned in place by a belt, to get out the door. It also introduces a less tangible form of waste, a shape or style of garment. Even as this waste does not end up in landfill literally, the idea of an outdated shape, suggests that garments are not a circular value, but will expire at some point.

Trousers

The exploration is through draping, combining reused menswear and textile manipulations. Draping, for example, the classic trouser allows for new ways of seeing the shape and enhancing different features of the garment for new designs.

Fig.29 shows how one of these details, the crease, is explored and enlarged for a new shape (Fig. 30). Where in the final garment, the length is also increased enhancing the crease.

Repeating the same steps to design different variations, which would apply to how the persona would wear the garment.

Seen on the left is different variations on the draping exploration. The top piece has enhanced the oversized waistline as a design element, while the crease wraps around the leg. On the bottom is a variation of the same oversized design, but with a striped satin, the focus is the element oversized pyjama pants.

Page 40 Fig.31, Untitled Graversen (2020)

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Shirt

The same steps are repeated based on draping the menswear shirt. Through a process of in-action subconscious drapings, and conscious reflection through images, the final design is made. The piece is an asymmetric shirt, referring back to the persona in a hurry. The material is deadstock satin fabric with a muted sunflower print. To further enhance the hurry, that the persona is in, the seams are right side out, overlocked, and with contrasting trim and color. The construction around the sleeves is to enhance the shrug-like gesture from the first images (Fig. 32). This gesture is also combined with a shibori pleating on the top half of the shirt, as if the persona just picked it up off of the floor, buttoned it incorrectly, in a hurry, out the door.

Sleeves

Methods for constructing sleeves are introduced through draping and assessing shapes with secondhand garments. As mentioned, in some cases the original garments are altered and introduced into the collection, where as In other examples, it is the shape that is introduced. Even as a silhouette is not a tangible material it contributes to the mindset of waste. In order for a greater shift in mindset, garments and shapes should not

Page 41 Fig.32, Untitled Graversen (2020)

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be seen as “in style”, as it immediately labels all of the

sorrounding, “out of style” garments as lower value. This work is suggesting, value can be achieved in any material, with no initial hierarchy. Seen here is the initial draping, with a tank top, the shoulder seems being re-introduced as construction for sleeves in other garments.

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3. Details

Deadstock trimmings & space dyed waste yarn

Page 43 Fig.32, Untitled Graversen (2020)

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3.3

Reflective Design Practice

Methods of evaluating design decisions

Working with the reflective design practice, a contrast to Schön's (1983) concept of Reflection-in-Action, is the basis for the design rationale. The reflective design practice, asks the designer to take a step back, and while out of action, making the design decisions. (Currano, et al. 2011) Meaning that the in- action design decisions are subconscious, however not letting go of the persona and the constant material evaluation.

Persona embodying motive

As the persona, is strongly related to the motive, it is undoubtedly the reasoning for most of the design decisions made within this research. The persona is, in its essence, defining the posture towards sustainability as a necessity to take action rather than new solutions. So even as the work reflects on aesthetic design decisions, they go back to embody the motive and the posture in regards to sustainability

Subconscious & in Action

The persona, as with the motive, highlights the need for action rather than new and perfect solutions. This approach is the subconscious rationale for inaction design decisions.

Questioning, how would this shirt look, if quickly worn yet, adding value to the material. This subconscious and inaction approach is used within draping, construction, and textile manipulations

Conscious & Out-of-Action

Working with Reflective Design Practice means looking back, reflecting, and evaluating the work consciously. Creating lineups with the different drapings and textile manipulations to understand the work as a whole, from afar, was a method for reflection for this thesis.

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Line-ups

Through lineups, design decisions were easier to make.

Fig. 33.1, is an initial lineup, with a combination of toiles, textile manipulations, secondhand garments, and sourced waste material, with different variations to see the direction of the collection. From there, a consciously selecting successful examples out-of-action. It is also possible to see the overall coherency of the collection. Fig. 33.2 is a dark lineup, with a repetition of the trousers, within the same color. Fig 34.1 then shows the narrowed selection according to persona, and a reflection on where the material comes through in a new context. The last lineup, fig 33.5 shows a sketched lineup, implementing the different waste material to lighten the lineup and respond to the persona. A more specific example is how the addition of deadstock satin (Fig. 33.3) adds a new layer of shine

in the material, which lineup (Fig. 33.1 & 33.2) is lacking. The satin supports the lazy romantic persona, with references to both the satin pyjamas and the silk shirt. However, 'aesthetic' decisions, still support motive with the lightness in material and color as the balance between nature and a need for sustainable action, with eagerness, and in a hurry.

These lineups represent a sketch and guideline for in- action decisions. As most of the garments in the lineup are drapings of textile samples, details and shapes can vary when working with the garments in-action. This out-of-action method, the lineup, was necessary for implementing a new material as sourcing waste is in smaller amounts and at different times.

Looking through a suggested lineup, one can see where to include the material, so that it is added value and out of its usual context.


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Page 46 Fig.33, Untitled Graversen (2020) 1. Sketched lineup

2. Sketched lineup

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Page 47 1. Sketched lineup

3. Sketched lineup

5. Sketched lineup

Fig.33, Untitled Graversen (2020)

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Page 48 6. Sketched lineup

8. Sketched lineup

Fig.33, Untitled Graversen (2020)

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Page 49 Fig.36, Untitled Graversen (2020)

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4.1.

Why Waste?

Results & Analysis

The results in this investigation are not only a collection of six outfits (Fig. 36) but a suggestion on how to use a posture towards sustainability and material, as a design method. These outfits act as a way of approaching waste material, while

motivated by sustainable action.

Working with waste has initial implications if the posture and methods is an archetypical approach to fashion design.

Suggested by Fletcher (2019), the most challenging part of working with a nature first approach in fashion is unlearning the habits and ways of viewing. The work is, therefore, a result of a long process of unlearning and learning a new mindset.

Page 50 Fig.37, Untitled Graversen (2020)

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Persona

Samples in different nuances add a softness to the oversized mens trouser. The enhanced crease adds a softness curving around the leg. Handbeading is added to the waste yarn, plastic bag. Handbeading adds value and exclusivity to the material.

Top:

Material

Waste yarns, including wool, cotton, polyamide

Method

Knit samples, with different bindings and shades.

Details

Hand stitched together with contrasting waste yarn

Bottom:

Material

Deadstock polyester Method

Draping exploration from reused form

Details

Belt from deadstock trimmings.

Details:

Bag

Material

Waste yarn and recycled plastic bag

Method

Dubied hand knit, stretched and fused together. Hand beaded

Socks Material Waste yarn, Method

Space dye, to enhance the difference in yarn color.

Page 51 Fig.38, Untitled Graversen (2020)

Look 1.

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Page 52 Fig.39, Untitled Graversen (2020)

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Persona

Deadstock, barcode fabric balance the deadstock graphic trimming in the trench. Layered with a soft knit and oversized trouser, with highlighted

creased. The added length and creasing adds soft folds

around the hem.

Top

Material

Waste yarns, deadstock barcode fabric

Method

Dubied handknit sweater.

Adding waste colors in stripes.

Trench based on blazer pattern with asymmetric collar.

Details

Deadstock graphic trim used for pocket and details

Bottom:

Material

Deadstock knit cotton, knitted samples

Method

Draping exploration from reused form.

Details

Belt from deadstock trimmings

Details:

Socks Material Waste yarn, Method

Space dye, to enhance the difference in yarn color.

Page 53 Fig.40, Untitled Graversen (2020)

Look 2.

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Page 54 Fig.41, Untitled Graversen (2020)

Look 2.

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Persona

Assymetrical blazer, draped to enhance a slight shrug and as if buttoned or put on in a hurry.

Hand stitching and delicate beading adds value to what was regarded as waste

Top

Material

Secondhand garment, dubied hand knit vest in wool.

Method

Dubied handknit sweater.

Fused in place by an inner layer of LDPD. Draped blazer from previous form

experiments.

Details

Handstitched detailing and fragile beading, to add value to the material.

Bottom:

Material

Deadstock linen Method

Support garment, Details

Deadstock trimmings

Details:

Socks Material Waste yarn knit Method Transfer print


Page 55 Fig.42, Untitled Graversen (2020)

Look 3.

References

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