Look around you. What’s on your back? What are you sitting on? What’s hanging in the windows? You guessed it – textiles. They are all around us. But the textile industry has a significant impact on our environment. “What if we use our textiles in a more interactive way. Would we use them longer?” wonders design researcher Alice Buso.
For her PhD work at the TU Delft | Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering, Alice Buso sought to create deeper connections with textiles, by encouraging different actions and interactions with them. These insights could change the way we look at textiles, which could ultimately extend their lifespan, lowering the environmental impact of the industry.
Alice conducted two experiments to test how we interact with different forms of textile.
“I found inspiration with the work of researcher Holly McQuillan. Holly is developing a new way to create garments, a 3D weaving technique.” For her first experiment Alice created three dimensional textiles which are foldable, compressible, deployable. Each form invites a different kind of action. To fold, to bend, to stretch. The textiles were connected to a lamp, and could be used to switch it on and off using different actions.
People were hesitant when interacting with unusual forms of textile, but they also got creative.
Looking at people’s engagements, Alice realised that we aren’t used to interacting with unusual forms of textile. “People were hesitant, but they also got creative. They played around with the textile forms in ways we did not expect. Especially the forms that were less familiar, they generated interest and some people could not stop playing with them.”
A multipurpose tea cloth
For her second experiment, Alice developed a tea towel and gave it to eight households for them to use. But contrary to your “standard” towel, this one was ‘animated’. Its form and appearance changes. For example, it shrinks when it comes in contact with water. And when washed in the washing machine, it becomes three times longer.
“How will people react when the towel drastically changes shape? Could they find new ways to use it? Could they find a new function for it? Or is the threshold too high? In general, people reacted surprised and excited to the changes, but sometimes also disappointed. Did they ‘misuse’ it? Did they put it to the side and stop using it? Some did find new uses – as a blanket, a shawl, a toy for their child, or a bath mat for example.”
Some people claim they do find other uses for old t-shirts. For example, as a cleaning cloth. But it is a downgrade.
For Alice it was more confirmation that we are not used to thinking about interacting with textiles in different ways. “My work was displayed at Dutch Design Week 2024. Some people claimed they find other uses for old t-shirts. For example, as a cleaning cloth. This is the best we can hope for at the moment, but it is a downgrade.”
Calling out designers and lawmakers
“Designers can make a difference. Let us design textiles with multiple uses, and move away from thinking about textile as a specific product, or with a precise purpose. This way we, as consumers, can get creative and find different uses and interactions for it. Maybe this way we will get more attached to our textiles, which might extend their life span.”
Let us design textiles with multiple uses, and move away from thinking about textile as a specific product, or with a precise purpose.
“I would also like to call on law makers. A product is categorised very strictly. For example, if a t-shirt would have the potential to change into a shopping bag, it would be categorised as unsustainable. This is because it does not keep its first form and initial function. We need legislative flexibility to offer textiles a longer life.”
