Bio-invasive Textile Library

Video

Description

The Bio-Invasive Textile Library is a win-win solution for both ecology and fashion worlds, realized entirely using invasive plants and fashion technology innovations. Its project uses LISI (London’s) invasive plants as raw materials for fibers and dyes to physically prevent the loss of biodiversity in the region and the inhumane treatment of animals.
Its bio-invasive furs are explored to achieve zero waste dyeing and technical production processes. By exploiting the textiles wasted during dyeing and technology development, further develop related ancillary bio-invasive materials. In the technical part, new textiles are created by innovating diverse technologies such as “implanting”, “felting” and “spinning”, providing fashion designers with solutions in the form of “library.”

Story

The study utilized the abundant invasive plant resources found in the N1C area as a designated experimental site. By conducting a comprehensive inventory of invasive plants in London and comparing it to the local resources, a map of invasive plant distribution was created. The project exclusively employed invasive plants from the region for all dyeing procedures, thereby making a significant contribution to invasive plant management and the mitigation of biodiversity loss in the area.

Regarding the dyeing process, a distinctive approach was adopted in contrast to the conventional practice of incorporating chemical components. Instead, clubmoss was employed as a substitute for chemical mordants, and various invaisve plants were utilized for multiple dyeing sessions, resulting in a diverse range of colors. Additionally, the fiber component of the project incorporated invaisve plant-based materials such as ramie fiber and nettle fiber.

The craftsmanship aspect involved the utilization of innovative machines, namely the "Implanting" machine and the "Flocking" machine. The Implanting machine represents a groundbreaking technology capable of integrating any type of fiber into any fabric, employing a mechanical structure inspired by the process of hair transplant surgery. The needle mechanism, simulating crochet patterns, enables the precise placement of fibers at the back of the fabric. Notably, this portable machine permits the implementation of various patterns and designs, facilitating versatility in fiber implantation.

The Flocking machine, on the other hand, is a modified device that has undergone redesigning of the needle ，specifically tailored to accommodate the unique characteristics of nettle and ramie fibers. This modification allows the transformation of nettle and ramie fibers into felts akin to woolen coat fabrics. By combining these two machine technologies with knitting and spinning techniques, as well as employing a regenerative production process, the project successfully realizes the amalgamation of diverse fabric forms.

Link

• https://www.chensure.net/about-2

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Judge’s Comments

Kosuke Kinoshita

FabCafe Kyoto MTRL Marketing and Production

Nuisance to Coexistence Prize

The approach of coexisting with non-native plant species instead of eradicating them is something I found to be hugely refreshing. Rather than try to force the use of an invasive species in a particular product, the attitude here is to rethink these plants as unique resources and utilize them in that way. The result is a library of textile resources that can be accessed by designers and manufacturers. I can see the potential here for a wide range of applications.