empÂŚti|ness
Kang Hyun An MA Textile Design Innovation 2014
The state of containing nothing: The quality of lacking meaning or sincerity; meaninglessness: The quality of having no value or purpose; futility:
empÂŚti|ness
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Synopsis
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Project
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Inspiration
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Observation
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Drawing
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Technical Experiments
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Colour
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Project Development
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Analysing & Evaluation
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Selection of Process
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Prototype Design
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Branding
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Collection of Products
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Bibliography
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empÂŚti|ness
out of nothing
something
Synopsis
“Taoism proclaims a spontaneous life without concern for respectability. Nature is not moral in the human sense: it is neither just nor compassionate. It brings us life, but it also brings us death. Its values are very different from human values. The Taoists call to return to Nature thus involves the abandonment of conventional standards.� Burke 2004:158
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An investigation into sustainable textile design with eastern philosophy ‘Taoism’ as high value textile products.
Taoism The wider context of my project encompasses eastern philosophy ‘Taoism’ relating to significant global environmental issue which is sustainability in textile design industry and also its future development. Burke (2004) claims that ‘Tao’ is empty which means it is empty for itself. Also, ‘non-existent’ is stated meaning of the ‘Tao’. There are some examples of expression of emptiness “For a cup to be able to function as a cup it must have an empty, hollowed space within it which can contain liquid. For a painting to be effective, sometimes there must be a space without colour. For a speech
to be effective, the speaker must sometimes pause, there must be silence.” He describes that this demonstrates the nature of ‘Tao’. It could encourage all things because of its emptiness of itself. The Tao is like water which means that water does not try to own, dominate something and to impose artificial form and its own form as against the nature. For these meaning of emptiness, ‘Taoism’ could be considered as a new mindset of sustainability in textile design products. Moreover, sustainable consideration in this project is not only related to selecting environmentalfriendly materials and techniques but also creating multifunctional ways to employ fabrics which support products’ longevity.
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Destination of end-of-life clothing _ WRAP 2012
Sustainability In the textile industry, sustainability, such as manufacturing with environmentally friendly materials using ethical methods of production has been a significant subject in recent years (Tobler-rohr 2012). Sustainable design is also a global issue in the fashion industry and many practical efforts have been tested by designers. For instance, designer Johansen has woven designs for durability by applying zero waste processes in pattern making and toiling. Nurmi Clothing is a company that considers ecological materials and ethical production in their sustainable garments. Moreover, the concept of recyclable design into trendy products has been explored by a number of designers, such as Chanin uses 100 per cent of cotton recycled T-shirts by hand-sewing for her collection. From Somewhere basically collects fabrics from high-end fashion textile waste, pre-consumer waste and swatches, and recreates one-of-kind pieces for fashion (Brown 2010). These practices can be seen as a response to the prolific consumerism promoted by mass fashion production. According WRAP report, 窶連n estimated 1.13 million tonnes of end-of-life clothing are no longer wanted by UK consumers and are either re-used (540,000 tonnes, around 7% of which goes overseas), recycled (160,000 tonnes), incinerated (80,000 tonnes) or go to landfill(350,000 tonnes). However, the focus on sustainability in fashion design is still insufficient to make strong impact and remain at traditional ways of designing; manufacturing textiles and clothing have been magnified (Niinimaki and Hassi 2011).
Despite these efforts from designers, it is seemed that sustainable textile design is still under researched. The aim is to promote sustainability by clothing and textile industries, and using environmental-friendly materials; and to shed light on ethical issues in production which have linked to significant factors for change. However, current business models are primarily linked to profit of operation and large production volumes (Ibid). It is assumed that the main reasons for this environmental burden are the low quality of products, short-term use, frequent clothing consumption and mounting textile waste. Clothing and textile waste reached up to 1.5 to 2 million tonnes annually and it was the fastest growing waste sector between the years 2005 and 2010 in Britain (DEFRA 2007). The influence of the fast fashion industry and amount of clothing and textile waste are increasing enormously in the UK. On average, 30kg of clothing and textile waste are sent to landfill by UK consumer per capita each year (Allwood Allwood, et al, 2006). H&M, Topshop and Inditex are the best examples of fast fashion, providing low priced products which are changing every two weeks through fast supply chains. Consumers are tempted to buy more often and quantities of items pile up every year (Ibid). Moreover, the clothing and textile products are essentially based on the fast changing trends to make profits rather than manufactured by consumer needs and sustainability (Niinimaki and Hassi 2011). Therefore, the most prominent issue in sustainability is connected to use clothes and textile products until the end of their life span. However, based on fast turnover of trend cycles, cloth and textile products are often discarded before the products are degraded in fast fashion (Allwood, et al, 2006).
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Slow Design In order to change this, we should be aware of these differences and consider more flexible and intelligent designs. Moreover, we must be careful to produce cloth and textile products using values, skills and carefully produced fibres (Fletcher 2008). One of the approaches is a ‘Slow Design’. This approach aims to extend the products’ life and to increase the satisfaction of products. Slow fashion is designed to be used for long periods of time, and is made of high quality and highly ethical values. It is made of durable and sustainable materials. The design aims to bring long lasting satisfaction and through use of non-trendy styles and colours, it encourages product longevity. This affects ‘aesthetic longevity’ (Ibid). As Chapman (2009) describes, if products are comfortably customised or personalised, these could offer the opportunity to perform an emotionally connecting link between customer and product. Moreover, considerable understanding of consumer needs and values for the purpose of empathic and emotionally durable design could have a potential to lengthen product’s life span. This tendency in high quality and ethical values of fashion and textile is researched by many designers. Such as, Shoto Banerji who is a weaver from India considers value of traditional handloom weaving into contemporary fashion with carefully selected materials.
Also, Van Markoviec is inspired by the ‘’slow fashion movement’ by considering responsibility for garment production. Van Markoviec endeavours to design within crafting a fashionable and sustainable collection under the motto ‘Quality is luxury’. Moreover, Alexandra Faro who is an artist who combines fashion, fine art and painting to create sustainable high fashion by minimising the waste of manufacturing and drawing attention to the ethical concerns of the fashion industry. The sustainable focus with eastern philosophy ‘Taoism’ in this project should not only relate to selecting environmentally friendly materials and techniques but also to create multifunctional ways to employ fabrics which support the products’ longevity. The investigation seeks to find better ways to enhance sustainability by providing high value textile products with double-cloth hand weaving.
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“The choice is ours. Great fashion like great art, always ‘reflects the times’. And it’s truly a time for great fashion to appear. But time itself is of the essence. And what is at stake is our race.” B.Small 2010
Inspiration
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“Young designers find their way to the looms to develop outstanding and avant-garde matter in order to help fashion to develop new visual language with a humanistic quality. People are yearning for the authentic and the original with an urge that is growing every day, collecting one of a kind works of creation.� Trend Union 2013
Observation
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“Try to draw and make something new. There is no rule, just try and feel the experiments. It will bring you in different way.� Nicol 2013
Drawing
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Embroidery Laser cut Surface technical printing Toile making
Technical Experiments
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“It looks flat however it is uneven because of layers. It has not only one colour even if I used one colour. Come closer and look carefully, you can feel that various tones in white. In the movement of colour, undrawn line exposes and space appears. Without colour, focusing on quality, surfaces are more simplified. Simplifying could help you to see its’ nature. “ Chung 2014
Colour
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“Crafts continue to inspire society with its noble and humble made-by-hand aesthetic. …… its own innate beauty, derived from variations in colouring and motif, depending on the mood of the artisan. Thus hardship or happiness of the artisan is embedded in the texture of an object, making it come alive, transforming it into a fetish.” Trend Union 2013
Project Development
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“The concept of fashion is one of change, and the process of change generally produces waste. You may feel fashionable one day, and the next week you desire a change, a new colour of silhouette, something to replace what you wore.� Hethorn 2008
Analysing & Evaluation
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Selection of Processes
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Prototype Design
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Branding
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Sustainability Communication Multiple-cloth weaving Products’ longevity Aesthetic quality A new sense of design direction
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“A ‘Slow design’ approach aims to extend the products’ life and to increase the satisfaction of products. Slow fashion is designed to be used for long period of time, and is made of high quality and high ethical values.” Flecher 2008
Collection of Products
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01 2/60 Ecru-white Silk
01 _ 50*180cm_Single cloth
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02 2/60 Ecru-white Silk
02 _ 50*180cm_Single cloth
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03 2/60 Ecru-white Silk
03 _ 90*90cm_Single cloth
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04 2/60 Ecru-white Silk
04 _ 75*75cm_Single cloth
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05 2/60 Ecru-white Silk
05 _ 75*75cm_Single cloth
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06 2/60 Ecru-white Silk
06 _ 25*180cm_Double cloth
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07/08 2/60 Ecru-white Silk & Black Wool
07 _ 90*90cm_Single cloth 08 _ 90*90cm_Single cloth
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Design by Kang Hyun An
www.kanghyunan.com kkangttang@gmail.com
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Bibliography
Book ALLWOOD, J.M., LAURSEN, S.E., RODRIGUEZ, C.M., and BOCKEN, N.M., 2006. Well dressed?. Cambridge: University of Cambridge. BROWN, S., 2010. Eco Fashion. London: Laurence King Publishing Ltd BURKE, T.P., 2004. The major religions. 2nd ed. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing. CHAPMAN, J., 2005. Emotionally durable design: Objects, Experiences & empathy. London: Earthscan. CARTWRIGHT, W., FROSTELL, H., HAWKINS, M., PEEBLES, L., 2007. Weave Handmade Style. Millers Point: Murdoch Books. EDELKOORT, L., 2013. TREND UNION SUMMER 2015. Paris: Trend Union FLETCHER, K., 2008. Sustainable fashion & textile: Design journey. London: Earthscan. FLETCHER, K., and GROSE, L., 2012. Fashion & Sustainability: Design for change. London: Laurence King Pulishing. SELBY, M., 2011. Colour and Textures in Weaving: 150 Contemporary Design. London: A QUARTO BOOK TOBLER-ROHR, M.I., 2011. Handbook of sustainable textile production. Cambridge: Woodhead Publishing. WILSON, A., 2011. Anne Wilson: Wind/Rewind/Weave. Knoxville: Whitewall.
Exhibition BEIRENDONCK, W. V., 2013/2014. HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR ACADEMIE 50 YEARS FASHION DEPARTMENT, Exhibition held at Mode Museum, Antwerp, 8 September 2013 – 16 January 2014[Exhibition catalogue]. BODET, F., 2013/2014. CIRCUITS BIJOUX, Les Arts Decoratifs, Paris, 20 September 2013 - 2 March 2014. SAGMEISTER, S., 2013/2014. THE HAPPY SHOW, La Gaite Lyrique, Paris, 28 November 2013 – 9 March 2014. PREMIERE VISION, 2014. Premier Vision, Parc d’Expositions, Paris, 18-20 February 2014. HERPEN, I. V., 2013/2014. Lace Effects1, Lace Museum, Calais, 6 October 2013 – 18 May 2014.
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Journal Articles DEFRA(Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs), 2007. Sustainable Clothing Roadmap: Meeting Briefing Note. Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. September 2007, pp.1-17. Available at: http://webarchive.nationalarchives. gov.uk/20130123162956/http:/www.defra.gov.uk/environment/consumerprod/pdf/clothing-briefing-note.pdf [Accessed: 7 December 2013]. EMBLEMSVAG, J., and BRAS, B., 2000. Process thinking – a new paradigm for science and engineering. Futures, Futures 32(2000), pp.635-654. LO, C.K.Y., YEUNG, A.C.L., and CHENG, T.C.E., 2012. The Impact of Environmental Management Systems on Financial Performance in Fashion and Textiles Industries, International Journal of Production Economics, Volume135 Issue 2, pp.561-567. MENIL, S.M., RENNER, M., RUELLE, N., SEBBAN, J., and WEIGEL, M., 2005. Research report n°4. Six-monthly publication, Research report n°4, pp.1-26. NIINIMAKI, K., and HASSI, L., 2011. Emerging design strategies in sustainable production and consumption of textiles and clothing. Journal of Cleaner production, Journal of Cleaner production xxx(2011), pp.1-8. VERELLEN, F., 1995. Taoism. The Journal of Asian Studies, Vol.54, NO.2, pp.322-346. VERHERTSEL, T., POMBO, F., and HEYNEN, H., 2013. Emptiness as Potential: Different Conceptions of the Sober Interior. Architectoni.ca, Vol.2, pp.30-41. WARP, 2012. The true cost of how we design, use and dispose of clothing in UK, Valuing our cloth: the evidence base, pp. 1-34.
Online Sources AMBE, N., 2007. Artist. [Online] Available at: http://www.norikoambe.com/ [Last accessed: 14 December 2013]. CREATION BAUMANN, 2013. High quality textiles and interior fabrics. [Online]. Available at: http://www.creationbaumann.com/ [Last accessed: 14 December 2013]. Hwa, C. S., 2013. On Time and Labour.[Article]. Available at: http://artandwriting1.wordpress.com/ [Last accessed: 25 June 2014]
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FONTANA, L., 1951. Neon Structure for the IX Triennale of Milan.[Installation]. Milan [Online]. Available at: http://www.hirshhorn. si.edu/collection/lucio-fontana/#collection=lucio-fontana&detail=http%3A//www.hirshhorn.si.edu/bio/suprasensorial-luciofontana-installation-shot/&title=Suprasensorial%3A+Lucio+Fontana+Installation+Shot [Last accessed: 14 December 2013]. HECHIZOO ATELIER, 2013. Voyages/Explorations. [Textile]. Cristina Grajales Gallery, New York [Online]. Available at: http://www. wallpaper.com/design/textile-atelier-hechizoo-presents-voyagesexplorations-at-new-yorks-cristina-grajales-gallery/6949 [Last accessed: 14 December 2013]. HILLARD, A., 2008. Traces. [Installation]. Mission Gallery, Swansea [Online]. Available at: http://www.ainsleyhillard.com/ [Last accessed 7 December 2013.] HIROKO DAKEDA, 2013. Exquisite Textile Design. [Online]. Available at: http://www.hirokotakeda.com/ [Last accessed: 14 December 2013]. NAKAMURA, R., 2008. Catenarhythm: white ribbons installation project. [Installation]. Living Design Gallery, Tokyo [Online] Available at: http://www.shearyadi.com/myworld/catenarhythm-white-ribbons-installation-project-by-ryuji-nakamura-architect/ [Last accessed: 14 December 2013]. NYA NORDISKA, 2013. Textile design for interior [Online] Available at: http://www.nya.com/en [Last accessed: 14 December 2013]. STUDIO_01, 2013. Slack Circuit. [Installation]. Tokyo Designers Week, Tokyo [Online]. Available at: http://vimeo.com/studiozeroichi [Last accessed: 14 December 2013]. SUDO, R., 2012. Tanabata lace. [Installation]. The Gas Hall, Birmingham [Online] Available at: http://katewarddesign.blogspot. co.uk/2012_02_01_archive.html [Last accessed: 14 December 2013]. ZIEK, B., 2013. Rain. [Jacquard Textile]. Surface Design Association Conference, San Antonio [Online]. Available at: http://timetobeinspired.ca/2013/07/04/tour-day/ [Last accessed: 14 December 2013].