Ririka Mizuno (Lili)

Week1- Introduction to sustainability

Zero Waste-

These are what I made using leftover threads. Even small pieces of threads still have a potential to be used as materials and it’s depends on how designer use it and whether use it or not. So I always try ti leave small peaces of yarn to use them later as embroidery and other artworks.

Upcycling-

This is what I produced using a plastic bottle. I believe any waste is reusable in different ways so I changed it into material for textile, cutting small square pieces and sewing them on cloth with beads. When I visited Tate museum, I found there are so many artworks using daily stuffs even if it’s a waste. As a textile designer, we need to think of up-cycling to reduce the amount of waste and the impacts on the environment. So I should try to change waste into any piece of materials that I can use for my creation.

Week 2- Emerging Technologies in Fashion

Through this session, I found out that collaboration between fashion industry and technology can help improve environmental issues that fashion causes. The picture on top is a piece of work that I found in the horniman museum, which is made from plastic waste. Like this example, there are lots of ways that any waste can be renewable as fashion resources by using new technologies. I think using material that are usually supposed to be thrown away is a good way to not only reduce the waste but also prompt technology. The links on top are some of the brands that use natural materials and change them into fashion products. What I can do as textile designer is that thinking about what kind of material I use when making textile and how I make it. The three pictures above is what I produced using apps that enable me to create textile patterns. I firstly drew a face randomly and captured it, after that changed it into pattern then put it in fabric sample. One aspect I found useful was you don’t need to produce physical stuff when using devices and it enables to not produce unnecessory waste as well as save time. Something I can improve this creation is to explore is to think of it from the perspective of embroidery not only for print as an embroiderer. Going forward, I intend to produce new patterns using devices and then think what material I can add in and what techniques I can use.

Week3- Nature

Through today’s session, I found it really complex issues in terms of decreasing trees and animal welfare. There are already some certification marks that prove animal and plants grew healthy as well as fairtrade mark. So, it is one of the ways for each person to select clothes that have proven certificate labels. In order to enable people to be aware of the labels, there has to be a good education about the knowledge of fashion industry issues in their teenager period because fashion is one of the common element for everybody. The picture below is what I found in the Alexander Mcqueen Exhibition. Some brands already have their own certification labels but we have to make sure if it is really reliable resources or not because it might be an greenwash.

The pictures below is an experiment of bioplastic. I used vinegar, cornflour, water and glycerine and heated all after mixing them. When all materials got transparent, I dried them till being hard texture. In this experiment, I use only natural materials so they are biodegradable. I think we need to utilize alternative materials that have less impact on environment.

Week4-Cultural Sustainability

This drawing shows Italian craftsman who making leather products. There are lots of actions taken to preserve local crafts in Italy. Gucci’s Bamboo handbag is one of the products that has been tackling on cultural sustainability by collaborating with craftspeople.

Keeping the handicrafts and community base production lead
the less impact on the environment by small scale production, and enable to
save traditional craftsmanship and brand identities. So from theses
perspective, preservation of craftsmanship is one of the key for sustainability
of fashion industry. As a designer, coming after traditional handicraft is
important according to Miguel(2020)”The employment of talented, highly
skilled and experienced labor force by luxury firms produces a positive social
impact and ensures the preservation of traditions and heritage.”

Miguel Ángel Gardetti, and Ivan Coste-Manière(2020). Sustainable
Luxury And Craftsmanship. S.L.: Springer.)

Gucci Bamboo Bags: An Iconic History

Empathy

https://www.instagram.com/storymfg/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA==

These images are from British brand called Story mfg. They often share their craft making process on instagram and it works effectively in terms of empathy, I suppose. That’s because people can see who made their clothes and how they were made by hands. The factor helps people rethink how much value there is in one clothes and make them feel want to wear it for long.

The things that people can do at first is to know the process till clothes are made and what happening behind your clothes. Then, by changing your choice when buying clothes, you can prompt fashion industry to turn their creation into sustainable ways. My drawings below represents cotton farmer, person who making clothes, wool farmer and dyeing process. I attempted to draw them using differently with my usual drawing style to expand my expression. Something I believe to be a clear strength of mine is the use of colours. So, it would helpful when think of colour combination when making textiles. After completing this illustration, I felt they can be an textile design too reflecting what’s happening in fashion industry. Something I can do to develop my creation is to produce something physically except drawing such as stitching and knitting.