Dignity of materials

Description

Research on the aesthetics of eco design raises concern for the dignity of materials. Ecological materials were not considered “worthy” of design and were consequently adapted to conventional aesthetics. Has our perception of them changed with the growing awareness of sustainability? This project is dedicated to materials as carriers of information. By curating a collection of materials, both the potential and the limitations of undyed, ecological fibres as a design principle were investigated. The collection and design work were based on clear criteria: not dyed, not printed, and above all, organic, recycled, resource-saving and local. The elimination of wet processes saves vast amounts of water, energy and chemicals and avoids polluting sewage. Textiles of recyclable mono-fibre, of biodegradable recycling fibre and of separable constructions complement the material collection and offer a reinterpretation of an honest, ecological aesthetic.