Textiles for Disassembly
To achieve efficient recovery and recycling of textiles, resources must be used according to the criteria of distinct technical and biological cycles. However, blended materials which make up a large proportion of textiles combine these two cycles in ways that make the recovery of either resource economically and environmentally unsustainable.
This ongoing research project ‘Textiles for Disassembly: how can design practice create models for disassembly for textiles in the circular economy?’ explores the role of design practice, and specifically making, in developing alternatives to non-recyclable blends. Taking on a pro-active approach to circular design, this project aims at redesigning blends with end-of-life in mind form the outset by allowing the mono-material resources to be recovered through disassembly.
Drawing on sources from various fields, the designer acts as a translator regarding both the assessment of the issues and the existing approaches to solutions. This approach is first explored in an ‘understanding’ phase. To make the information regarding blends and recycling flows available to a design-led approach, various takes on information visualisation and understanding through making were explored. This was then followed by studio-based material experimentation in which the tacit knowledge inherent to textile design is made apparent and available for assessment.
Laetitia Forst