INNOVATION

the act or process of inventing or introducing something new

University of Rhode Island  
Textiles, Fashion Merchandising and Design

TMD 402-I - Innovation 

"Recognize, Renovate, Recycle" Danielle Leimbach

"Innovation in Architextiles" Mathew DeLaire

Summary by Nancy Tong

"Recognize, Renovate, Recycle"  Danielle Leimbach

As one of the world’s largest and most wasteful industries, the textile industry is "going green". By developing innovative techniques to reuse waste scraps from production as well as disregarded items post-use, many companies are claiming responsibility to chemically and mechanically recycle goods. Increased awareness about sustainable fabrics has boosted consumer demand for innovative products. Plastic bottles, made from 100% PET fibers, can be recycled through a process of melting PET chips and producing a polymer to be extruded as PET fibers. This form of recycling reduces the use of water and soil contamination. Patagonia, a specialty textile firm, was the first company to manufacture recycled fleece in 1993. Nylon can also be recycled and is collected in the form of old fishing nets and cords. It is comparable to regular nylon and Honeywell has developed a program to recycle nylon 6.6. Honeywell took initiative to aid in reducing the waste of old carpets in landfills. Bulky carpets are difficult to compress and often damage equipment used in landfills. Honeywell’s program will aid by cutting up carpets and extruding the nylon 6.6 through a closed loop process of depolymerization. Natural fibers can also be recycled. Danielle spoke of wool and cotton being gathered at manufacturing factories (wool shoddy fibers and sock clippings) and in old garments or other textiles. Natural fibers can be mixed with other fibers to achieve enhanced performance qualities and colors. Recycling natural fibers decreases the use of water and potential fertilizers needed to grow new fibers. Challenges in the textile industry include the consumer perception that recycled fibers are of low quality, the financial cost to efficiently and safely recycle, lack of color readiness, and inconsistent quality (if blends are recycled). Many firms within the textile industry have incorporated initiatives to reduce their impact on the environment and continue to develop innovative recycling programs to benefit our future.
Visit http://www.ecocircle.jp/index_e.html to see Teijin's eco-circle story (click on the English link)

"Innovation in Architextiles"  Mathew DeLaire

"Architextiles" is a hybrid term between fashion and building construction used in Post-Modern architecture to describe any material resembling a textile whether woven, knitted or nonwoven, in creating an encapsulating space. Influences for this increasingly common form of design include Islamic, African, and Asian cultures as well as knotting techniques used in Western cultures. The intertwining of lattice-work often seen in architextiles incorporates a new form of urbanism and layers. An example of network grids used is the Eiffel Tower. The structures are often made from lightweight support and can be hard or flexible. The design of a structure involves a team of specialists, designers and civil engineers. Computer programs like CAD are used to design graphic models of the structures. Correctly executing the space involves choosing the right materials. Structures can be created from hybrids (fibers which are coated or blended with other fibers to improve performance), glass, metal, and aramids. Textile engineering techniques to piece together the structures include ultra sonic welding, electrospinning, laser cutting, and thermoplastic setting. Many architextiles have symbolic and metaphoric significance; Christo and Jeanne-Claude have continued to create esthetically pleasing and inspiring temporary installations which reflect their view of society. The fashion industry’s transient quality has begun to impact the architextile movement. Veiled, impermanent structures and spaces are popular for events and have been installed in Tokyo, Los Angeles, and Dubai. This trend is caused by the increasing demand for large scale event spaces and the process of reusable space that can be transformed into different environments. The future of architextiles depends on society’s ever-changing view of space and environment as well as the innovation of CAD, building materials, and construction techniques.