Ben Tablada

BioPlastic Sequins (BLT)

Inspiration

After working in the fashion industry, I fully understand how an artform can prove to be a major pollutant. The fashion industry is one of the most polluting industries globally and continues to fuel a cycle that accumulates over time. We learned in class that anything can have negative effects on the environment once it accumulates. Accumulation vs Moderation is an age-old question, with the latter being overlooked far too often in the fashion industry. Fast Fashion continues to be a large contributing factor to water, air, and solid waste pollutant but this problem is something that I cannot tackle alone. My goal for this final project is to try and start changes from the most minute details. “Fashion” is a large umbrella term that encompasses everything from the textile to the thread that it is sewn together with. For my final project, I wanted to focus on embellishments, specifically sequins, as a material to find sustainable substitutes via bioplastics. I wanted to create a bioplastic that can be a potential substitute for the millions of plastic sequins that end up as debris once garments or accessories are discarded. Ideally, I want to lessen the accumulation problem by finding methods in which small things that are often overlooked and gradually pose issues/ threats overtime a more viable solution/substitute. 

Regular Sequins (Plastic): 

Sustainable Sequin Company (Recycled Plastic PET): 

Education for Environmental Issues

Making bioplastic sequins was greatly inspired by my time in China. The new-age consumer market in China is booming with fast fashion and Taobao purchases. With cheap garments so widely accessible, I can only imagine the sequins that are made for dresses, shoes, shirts – you name it, it’s there. Accumulation plays a huge factor in this issue as China is one of the largest waste producers in the world and we often associate plastics with food packaging, plastic bags, and beauty products – but the fashion industry uses it just as much from buttons to sequins (embellishments). I wanted to create the bioplastic sequins as a sustainable substitute but also as a method of educating others about the opportunities to make the world more sustainable in the smallest possible ways. Ideally, this process can be used and implemented in workshops as it can be easily made with accessible household products. I can also see it being mass-produced if a waterproof version can be made. I’m hoping that that the project encourages others to experiment and find discoveries that I was unable to uncover! 

Process 

Recipe: 

Materials/Ingredients: 

• Bowl/Measuring Tools (Gram Scale, Beakers, etc.)
• Hot Plate
• Rose Buds/Petals, Lavander
• Gelatin (150 grams)
• Acrylic Board 
• Glycerol (50 grams)
• Water (750 ml) 

Step-by-Step Process “Cooking”: 

1. Measure out wet and dry ingredients and separate via bowls & beakers
2. Split the water into 2 equal parts (1 is to be boiled, the other is to be kept in room temperature)
3. Create the rose/flower water (dye/fragrance) by boiling water and petals until the desired color is reached
4. Strain the liquid and remove all excess petals
5. Mix the hot rose water with the room temperature water and add gelatin *before gelatin is added*
6. Mix in the gelatin until a thick consistency is reached *try to reach a consistency that has NO clumps/chunks*
7. Heat the pot with the mixture until a white foam/bubbles in the mixture begin to form and accumulate (DO NOT BOIL)
8. Strain the mixture again or use a spoon to remove the white foam/bubbles
9. Pour the mixture onto the flat acrylic sheet *Make sure there are no spots or hols, and try to remove air bubbles if possible (Make sure to lay a protective layer underneath the acrylic – the process is messy and very HOT)

Creation

Digital: 

After unmolding the bioplastic sheets, the next phase of the project was to finally create the individual sequins. From the initial recipe, it was identified that the bioplastic can withstand the heat of the laser cutter.
*Huge thank you to Andy, our amazing Fab Lab Manager for helping us create NYU Shanghai’s first bioplastic setting on the laser cutter. The project could not be done without your help <3* 

To form the single pieces of bioplastic sequins, I created vector images on Illustrator with various traditional and non-traditional sequin shapes. I utilized a variety of shapes, some of which were circular/oblong with soft curves and sloping lines, while others were rigid and more geometric. This gave me a better idea of which sequins held their shapes best. The large more geometric sequins felt a bit more stable or rigid (duh lol), BUT if the goal for the use of the sequin is to look more flowy or mobile, the flat more circular sequins would be STUNNING. 

Image of AI file:

Lasercutting: 

This process is probably the most terrifying (lol). The drying time for the bioplastic sheet greatly differs on the width (3-5 days) for a thin o.5cm sheet and even greater for something larger. Due to time constraints, we were able to create (2) full sheets and we wanted to keep one for display – in short, we had (1) sheet to work with. The process of laser cutting also took a tremendous amount of time as we had to make sure the settings in the laser cutter was PERFECT. (No room for error!)

Perfect Settings: 
Speed – 100%
Power – 27%
Frequency – 30%

Things to note:

There was ALOT of smoke. Sis, turn the fans ON. Watch out for air bubbles, they were a bit tougher to cut so try and get as much air bubbles out as possible during the pour/drying phase. We also used flowers to organically try and color the dye (it barely worked) but some petals were left in the mixture even after running it through a sieve. The flowers or organic material left in the bioplastic has the risk of burning in the laser cutter, so exercise caution. 

Images of Lasercutting: 

Failures/Successes Links:

Successes:

Final Project Documentation Pt. 1

Week 13 Pt. 1: Final Project Textile Experiment (Gelatin & Rose Water) – BLT

Week14: Experiment#2 BY Kenneth & Ben

Failures:

Chitosan 
https://wp.nyu.edu/remadeinchina/week-13-pt-1-final-project-research-textile-experiment-gelatin-rose-water-blt/

Agar-Agar 
https://wp.nyu.edu/remadeinchina/week-10-findings-from-experiments-1-and-2/

Limitations

Veganism (Animals are Friends): After trying several experiments with all-natural plant-based ingredients to make the bioplastic, they unfortunately failed. The gelatin was the most viable and produced the strongest most plastic-like material. 

Chitosan (Seaweed): The final product was STUNNING in terms of texture. The dried product was as hard as plastic or a literal rock. No, but really, it was so tough it was fantastic. The biggest problem was the way in which it dried. In order to create the sequins I wanted, I first had to create a FLAT textile that I could later cut. The chitosan curls up after drying even after being left with a weighted object and sandwiched between two acrylic boards. If I found a way to keep it flat, I would’ve used this technique. It’s also important to note that the chitosan recipe required a tremendous amount of dried Chitosan(seaweed powder) to create. For the future, I’d love to try what Marcela suggested – to embrace the curling and create a textile or item that highlights or fully utilizes this curl aspect <3. 

Agar-Agar: I’m gonna keep this nice and short. It molds. I tried adding vinegar to prevent the molding and it changed the chemical composition and smelled insane. The final product was also way too thin and less resilient than both chitosan or gelatin. 

Waterproofing: The biggest counter-argument and issue I had with this bioplastic recipe/proof of concept is that unlike regular plastic or metal sequins the lifespan is not long. The bioplastic is not waterproof and will disintegrate when exposed to large quantities of water. Technically, I could’ve coated it with a waterproof coating but it would defeat the purpose of being biodegradable. I also wanted to keep it as organic as I could, even if it was animal-based :(. Oddly enough, I took a piece of the bioplastic with me in the shower (don’t judge lol) to test the waterproofing ability.

Here’s what I learned: The bioplastic takes about 15-30min to show signs of wear in a humid/steam/”wet” environment. When exposed to a direct flow of water, it will be destroyed within 5-10minutes. My partner(my boy Kenneth) made the recipe in larger molds that produced thicker bioplastics that were stronger and more waterproof. His bioplastic recipe/molding process created a byproduct that is most likely (2x) as strong.

Final Presentation Photos:

Future Implementation 

Here’s what I want to see: 

1. BioPlastic as a substitute to small plastic “things” we often don’t think twice about
2. A waterproof bioplastic that is strong and resilient 
3. People to think twice about their purchases and the details within their decisions
4. Support of smaller brands like the Sustainable Sequin Company 
5. For large brands to be trendsetters and invest in innovative solutions to an ongoing problem they have caused\

*Will try to sew onto fabric on an embroidery hoop* To be continued…

IMA Show & Final Presentation

SHOUT OUT TO MARCELA for an amazing course! *YALL COULD NEVER LOOK THIS GOOD (lol)* 

AND MY BOY KENNETH WANG for being a LOVELY partner <3

Final Project Research/Experiment

Recipe Sourced from: https://clara-davis.com/albums/biobags-diy/

Materials/Ingredients: 

• Bowl/Measuring Tools (Gram Scale, Beakers, etc.)
• Hot Plate
• Rose Buds/Petals, Lavander
• Gelatin (150 grams)
• Acrylic Board 
• Glycerol (50 grams)
• Water (750 ml) 

Step-by-Step Process: 

1. Measure out wet and dry ingredients and separate via bowls & beakers
2. Split the water into 2 equal parts (1 is to be boiled, the other is to be kept in room temperature)
3. Create the rose/flower water (dye/fragrance) by boiling water and petals until the desired color is reached
4. Strain the liquid and remove all excess petals
5. Mix the hot rose water with the room temperature water and add gelatin *before gelatin is added*
6. Mix in the gelatin until a thick consistency is reached *try to reach a consistency that has NO clumps/chunks*
7. Heat the pot with the mixture until a white foam/bubbles in the mixture begin to form and accumulate (DO NOT BOIL)
8. Strain the mixture again or use a spoon to remove the white foam/bubbles
9. Pour the mixture onto the flat acrylic sheet *Make sure there are no spots or hols, and try to remove air bubbles if possible (Make sure to lay a protective layer underneath the acrylic – the process is messy and very HOT)

Photographs & Results: 

*Full Final Project documentation to be posted after the Final*

Experiment #2 

Chitosan Recipe
*The recipe was cut in half for experimental purposes & to save material*

• 100ml – Lukewarm Water
• 10ml – White Vinegar 
• 12 grams – Chitosan
• 2.5 grams – Glycerol
• 2 grams – Paint Pigment (Water-based)

Materials

• Acrylic Board
• A weighted object (glass bowl)
• Beakers
• Blender
• Spoon
• Weight/Gram Scale
• Mold/Container 
• Plastic Sheet (for texture)

Steps Taken 

1. Measure the ingredients 
2. Mix the liquid materials and coloring in a blender first
3. Slowly incorporate the chitosan into the liquid mixture 
4. Blend for 3-5min until the mixture thickens into a pancake batter-like consistency 
5. Pour the mixture into a flat sheet/container that is with/without a plastic liner 
6. Wait 20-30min for it to solidify a bit
7. Place an acrylic sheet on top of the mixture to flatten and create an even surface (this step prevents the mixture from curling upwards during the drying process
8. Leave in a well-ventilated area for the next 2-3 days to dry 

Images: 

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https://www.materialdriven.com/home/2018/5/9/the-future-of-embellishmentthe-sustainable-sequin-company

The Sustainable Sequin Company is a huge inspiration for my final project! They are currently reimagining the future of embellishments and are making a big difference in the tiniest ways possible. The company is creating sequins using recycled PET plastic and are experimenting with bioplastics as an alternative material. 

It’s very interesting to see that something as tiny as sequins have such detrimental effects on the environment – especially when they begin to accumulate. The full lifecycle of sequins is something that fashion designers often overlook, and although they add a certain level of pizzaz to a garment its disposal comes with a great cost. 

Here are some examples of the company’s work/products below: 

These sequins are either made from recycled PET plastic or bioplastic materials. For my project, in particular, I will be focusing on bioplastics as a primary textile. I’ve been experimenting with various bioplastic recipes(Agar-Agar, Chitosan, Etc,) and I have yet to find one that gives me the right elasticity, strength, and color/sheen. 

My goal is to create sequins and create a wearable showcasing how these bioplastics sequins can be used as a viable alternative to plastic sequins (wish me luck!). The article listed above has great insight into the thought processes of the designers and how they intend to use their core product. I do, however, wish that there was more information regarding the recipes and techniques that they used to create them. Otherwise, I still love the company, its product, and its approach is a great framework for my own independent project. 

BLT (11/27/19) 

• Cradle to Cradle – A Question of Design
   
  • After reading the article, I learned that the industrial revolution had a TON of drawbacks. Although it allowed cities to grow, the paradigm shift from traditional methods of design, trade, and economic development had a tremendous negative impact on the environment. During the industrial revolution, the mindset of people took a sharp turn. After the creation of mechanized systems that revolutionized transportation, garment manufacturing, and etc. the “optimism and faith in the development of humankind” continued to grow. As mechanization continued to both bridge and increase the gap between the middle class and poor citizens, its adverse effects on the environment continued to equally increase. The negative effects of the industrial revolution is actually an inspiration for me. It’s a lesson on design principles and on the moral values that people need to have when creating “innovative” solutions to better the lives of others.  The things we create to ‘enhance’ our growing society should not be detrimental to the environment or for future generations. I want my kids to see the world as it was, polar bears included (period). 
     
• Accumulation: The Material Politics of Plastic Plastic and the work of the biodegradable (Pages 208 – 225)

• • The problem faced in the article is the process of accumulation. Plastic pollution was used as a framework to describe the severity of the issue regarding microplastics in our ocean. These small scale fragments create problems as they continue to amass in the environment. As plastics are exposed to light, they photodegrade and turn into smaller pieces of waste that accumulate over time. A prime example is the Pacific Garbage Patch – contrary to popular belief that is an island of floating garbage, the PGP is actually a ’storm’ of microplastics that are swirling around the ocean. These microplastics often interfere with the habitats of varying marine life and disrupt their dietary patterns. A similar anecdote is mentioned in the article that parallel to the Industrial Revolution discussed in the first reading. The accumulated microplastic pollution is a result of human invention and intervention. A lack of proper disposal or the creation of products that do not take into account its full lifecycle has detrimental effects on the environment. It is important to keep in mind how the design and creation of human inventions can degrade over time and its overall effects in the natural order. Change and action need to happen NOW, and it can only occur with a careful and innovative mindset. Ex: Nike and Adidas have begun to take microplastics and use them throughout their supply chain, repurposing excess waste as materials and textiles in their core products. 

1. Make a step-by-step list of what you will do in the next weeks to test your hypothesis.

   1. BioPlastic 
      1. Research companies that are creating bioplastics (Ex: Bolt Threads, Modern Meadows, etc.)
      2. Find a way to mimic some of these techniques without the R&D and high tech equipment that these companies are using (lol) 
      3. After finding more feasible methods of creation, experiment with bioplastic recipes
      4. Phase 1 – Find recipes to try and molds to make 
      5. Phase 2 – See what recipes yield the best result
      6. Phase 3 – “Mass Produce” the recipes to create a textile of sorts via molds that I create/source
      7. Create design solutions using the bioplastic material (wearable)
      8. User testing/Presentation
      9. Document the process so that other people can do it 
      10. Make it shareable within a community so that it raises awareness! 
           

2. Make a list of items or machines that you will need to perform the experiments.

   1. Bioplastic Ingredients (Chitosan, Agar-Agar, etc.) 
   2. Organic Material (plant or food-based)
   3. Conduction Burner
   4. Beakers, Measuring Tools, Containers 
   5. Blender 
   6. Thermometer 
   7. Molds (Created via 3D modeling OR sourced)
   8. Dryers (Oven, Heat gun)
   9. Sewing Machine (if needed)
   10. Glue/Connector of sorts (Hot glue, tape, etc.) 

Design Solutions | New Materials 

My goal for the final project is to create new materials or processes that will help other artists create something new or shine light upon issues regarding sustainability in a creative/artistic fashion. 

Inspiration: BioPlastic Textile 

So after doing some digging, I found a few companies that are currently revolutionizing the textile and fashion industry. Their work within this sector can be implemented on a global framework but issues within R&D, Scalability, and funding are all elements that they continue to struggle with. 

Bolt Threads: BoltThreads is a sustainable textile manufacturing company that utilizes science and innovative processes ti create materials/textiles out of natural materials. The company began its venture in 2009 after a partnership between 3 scientists and an idea to take spider silk and integrate its natural and strong properties(durability, flexibility, softness, elasticity) in textile manufacturing. They have since expanded their product line from Microsilk (spider silk), Mylo (mushroom leather), B-Silk Protein (Silkworm Cocoons) for skincare purposes. 

Modern Meadow: Similar to Bolt Threads, Modern Meadow is a manufacturing company that utilizes natural materials without the use of animal agriculture – hoping to reduce the need for animal dependency in various industries. Their core product is known as Zoa, is derived from collagen-producing micro-organisms to create a leather-like textile. They are also working on projects to use spider silk, mushrooms, and bacteria bricks as a means to create natural fibers/textiles. 

Proposal: 

Although I don’t have access to the incredible R&D or equipment that these large companies have, I really want to create my own textile that is naturally sourced. My goal is very similar to these companies’ mission statements for reducing the environmental impact of the fashion industry. By creating my own organic textiles, I can reduce the amount of excess textile waste and the dependency on animal agriculture in the creation of materials like leather. 

I recently conducted an experiment using the Bioplastic Agar Mixture. In this experiment, I wanted to incorporate more ‘natural’ materials by incorporating plants into the recipe. I added dried green tea leaves as a binding agent and I want to run more experiments with other plant life such as like flowers, stems, and etc. 

I plan on creating thin layers that are transparent, hoping to take two pieces of the textile and ‘sandwiching’ organic plant matter between them. I originally got this idea from laminated flowers, but instead of using plastic or vinyl an organic material will be used. After creating this textile, a garment will be created to show its potential as a fabric substitute (hopefully) OR I can try to take this material and use it mimic/replace an already existing art form. I want to make a statement piece this time (maybe) LOL. 

Hypothesis: 
Is it possible to create a bioplastic material that will hold other organic matter in it? 
Can I create a textile that doesn’t look like horrendous? 
How can a bioplastic material be used to create/replicate/showcase an art form that has been done for centuries? 

Design Solutions | New Materials 

Inspiration: 

After several workshops using melted plastic as a primary material, I wanted to create something using this technique and was relevant to China. I was really inspired by the workshop that was hosted by Adele, and during the workshop, she created flat plastic sheets that were malleable and stood out to me. It looked like the beginning of something or parts of something bigger. Maybe I’ve been spending way too long in Art/History museums that these flat discs resembled like part of armor to me. 

China is known for these metal armors that were used in battle or plays and are an integral part of Chinese history. I’ve attached some photos below as a reference. 

Photos:

Ideally, I want to take plastic sheets that I make and create something similar. I wanted to create a piece that juxtaposes China’s history and its consumption of plastic and the country’s waste management as a whole. To do this, I would create several plastic sheets of uniform sizes (I can try) and create a similar armor made entirely out of plastic. I would be utilizing the techniques learned in class and experimenting with various types of plastics (acrylic, P1, P2), and silhouettes. 

The plastic sheets would ideally be made within this form factor and attached together to form a final piece. My goal is to show people that plastic has just as much history as the one’s their country (China) celebrates. It’s important to note that these ancient relics have been preserved for generations, but plastic has a longer lifespan than the metal itself. I want more people to understand the drawbacks of plastic in a visual display that is integrated within Chinese culture.

Plastic:

Hypothesis:

Can plastic be used to create an armor-like silhouette?
Can plastic be used as a means to shed light upon issues ingrained within a country’s cultural perspective?

Experiment 1

 Coffee | Agar | Alginate Co01

Team: Cassie, Kenneth, and Ben 

Ingredients: 

Agar-Agar 15ml (increased to about 16 later on)
Glycerol 5ml (increased to about 6ml later on)
Water 250ml (increased by 50ml)
Alginate 5ml (increased to about 6ml later)
Coffee Grounds 0.5 Cups (unchanged) 

Step 1: The first in the process was to mix all of our ingredients together. This step was probably the one that took the most time as we ended up changing the number of materials. The coffee felt like it was too much for the amount of liquid and powder ingredients, so in order to create a more solid structure, we increased the others. 

Step 2: The heating process also took quite some time but was enjoyable. Working with coffee was great because it smelled great in comparison to the other group’s experiments. We did find it difficult to find the right temperature and consistency for the ‘batter’ to be poured into the mold.

Step 3: We used two stainless steel bowls and applied vaseline on all sides to prevent the material from sticking once it was dried. The last step was to wait for the coffee mixture to dry and create a bowl-like shape. As a result of its size, the bowl took quite a bit of time to dry and was later placed in the oven on a low temperature to cool and solidify. 

Photos: 

Experiment 2

Agar Bioplastic (Heated) + Dried Green Tea

By: Ben

Ingredients:

4gr Agar Agar (Adjusted to 5g)
2.5ml (Glycerol Adjusted to 3ml)
420 ml Water (Adjusted to 400ml)
Green Tea 5g (beaker measured)

Step 1: The first step in this experiment was to measure out all my ingredients. I adjusted the measurements because I added a new ingredient – green tea. I wanted the tea to act as a binding agent, to add color, and as a textural feature. The tea might’ve needed more ingredients to meld the materials together to form a solid structure.

Step 2: Step two was mixing all of the ingredients together via the blender. The blender allows for an even mixture and to crush the tea into smaller more manageable pieces.

Step 3: I needed to heat the mixture to an approximate 90 degrees Celcius. This process was the most time-consuming – I heated the mixture in a beaker over the hot plate, so next time the best plan might be to heat it in a pan over the conduction stove. 

Step 4: After reaching the optimal temperature (90degrees Celcius), I poured the mixture into various circular molds – with each mold having a different ratio of liquid to solid green tea leaves. I wanted to experiment with the end result of transparency, color, and texture. I will now wait 1-2 days for the drying process to occur. 

Photos:

Part 1:

Chinese Woodblock (Plastic Block) Printing 

I’ve taken Foundations of Printmaking with Professor Monika Lin almost two years ago, and a traditional Chinese design methodology we learned was Chinese Wood Block Printing. Usually, the artist would carve wood and the impressions left on the block would later be run under a press – leaving behind a print via ink on paper. 

Ideally, I want to recreate these ‘wood’ block prints out of recycled/melted plastic. I would make a mold that already had prints on them or creating a print on the mold so that the plastic block would leave behind impressions on paper.

I think this would be a unique way to repurpose old plastic to create something new, as we often see recycled plastic as pots, cups, or other very utilitarian items. I wanted to create a tool that would be used for other artistic practices while removing the need/use of organic materials like wood. 

References/Examples: 

Part 2: Design Solutions 

From a Fashion Perspective – based on the frameworks presented in:

• Bio-Thinking: The Total Beauty of Sustainable Products

1.) Cyclic Minded – Adidas & Nike

Adidas 

Marine pollution is caused primarily by plastic trash that often photodegrades into smaller microscopic pollutants that kill the ocean’s inhabitants. Adidas currently has a partnership with Parley for the Oceans – taking plastic waste from coasts and creating new threads and fibers from this excess waste. Similarly, Nike, with the creation of its fly-knit sneaker, utilizes recycled plastic waste and integrated sustainable practices within its own supply chain to mitigate the degree of pollution created from sneaker manufacturing. Flyknit sneakers are made by sewing recycled plastic thread onto a single sole to create a sock-like feel. Not only did these partnerships create better environmental effects, but it also strengthened the company’s core product. 

2.) Substitute Materials -Buffy

Buffy is a new startup that focuses on the comforter market. Realizing that their core product can be better, they have also integrated sustainable practices to bolster their product offerings. Comforters are usually stuffed with cotton or polyester to give users a cloud-like feeling and warmth. What gives Buffy’s product its uniqueness is that the stuffing is actually made from recycled plastic bottles. The bottles are processed to become an airy, comfortable, and cotton-like material – becoming a more sustainable substitute that cotton or polyester. The company has ‘reclaimed more than 750,000 plastic bottles’ since its inception. 

3.) Communication – Everlane 

Everlane is currently spearheading its product offerings by using recycled plastic as part of its ReNew Collection. Everlane has been known in the industry for its sustainable practices, high-quality, and willingness to integrate new strategies into its business model. The company aims to increase communication within the company culture and supply chain, eliminating all virgin plastics from their manufacturing by 2021. They’ve also reduced 50% of single-use plastic consumption within all offices in 2019, created new polyester alternatives back in 2018, and are shipping all products in recycled consumer plastics in 2019. Everlane has also created an internal sustainability audit team to keep its production lines, staff, and competitors on their toes about sustainable practices and has partnered with the New York Times to raise awareness about climate change and sustainability. 

“Reclaim” 

“Reclaim” is a 3-piece garment created entirely out of recycled materials that were cut, sewn, and embroidered. It serves as a sustainable commentary, bringing to light the negative effects of the plastic and fashion industry. The pieces were created with the goal of maintaining the integrity and original elements of the recycled materials and to share a particular narrative. “Reclaim” juxtaposes the idea that plants are now taking over plastic, represented by the embroidery of native Chinese plants throughout the garment. Nature is now “reclaiming” an environment that was once theirs. 

Materials: Synthetic Fibers and Plastic Packaging (Food and Delivery Bags), Recycled Blinds, Thread (Sewing & Embroidery Machines), Glue

Artist: Benjamin Tablada II, IMB & Fashion Studies 

Deconstruction: Sourcing my materials were ironically NOT the most difficult part, but deconstructing the materials to create a usable’textile’  proved to be the most difficult. I started the process by taking the synthetic bags and removing the previous stitches. In doing so, I was able to scavenge quite a few pieces of materials from zippers, large plastic ‘textile’, straps, rope/string. I didn’t want using other materials aside from the ones I sourced, so instead of looking at this as a limitation – I challenged myself to create something from the pieces I was presented with. 

Beginning with the bodes, I didn’t want to use a pre-existing pattern and wanted to create something new and innovative. This meant that I cut the Waimai bags and draped it on the mannequin multiple times to find a silhouette that I was happy with. After pinning it on the mannequin and finding the right shape, I then cut the plastic accordingly, making sure to add room for an inseam and excess material for tailoring later on. 

Production Phase I: 

I was quite picky about the choice of materials that I used, making sure to integrate waste that I created most often. For me, this personal collection effort garnered tons and tons of Waimai bags and other plastic synthetic fiber bags from shopping on Taobao. I was also quite selective with the choice of materials in the sense that I wanted source 90-100% of my garment from these waste items. The only new aspect I wanted to integrate was the use of digital fabrication machines like the sewing and embroidery machine (thread, glue, etc.) and any other interesting material that would otherwise be thrown out. I was also able to find a pair of broken synthetic IKEA blinds that were being thrown out from the IMA studio. This would later be integrated into the garment. 

My process of creation begins with experimenting with the materials I’ve sourced. I wanted the materials to speak for themselves, making sure to cut and tailor the pieces based on how the material would lay.

Mistakes!! 

My biggest mistake during the creation process ended up helping me out in the end! 

Heat: Plastic is quite a tricky material to use. Certain plastics have different melting points, and after trying to iron the textiles that I sourced – some of them ended up burning. It wasn’t a massive burn, but the plastic melted and ended up distorting the plastic. My perfectionist side kicked in and I ended up finding other materials to use which were better than I expected. The new material was more heat resistant and I applied heat more carefully – making sure to not damage the plastic. 

Sewing: My greatest fear was being unable to sew through the plastic. My greatest fear came true, the material I used to create the bodes was extremely difficult to sew. I ended up breaking a sewing needle on the machine after trying to sew it. Instead of sewing a finishing seam for the raw ends, I ended up cutting pieces of plastic and physically gluing it to mimic the appearance of a closing seam. 

Production Phase II: 

Sleeves: I knew that I wanted to make bell sleeves, but finding the right material and manipulation would be difficult. I repurposed the blinds to create the sleeves. I first cut the blinds, 32cm to be exact, and created drawstring sleeves by folding and sewing over a 1 1/2ich open seam and running a plastic strip through it. I then pulled the sleeves to create a “pulling” effect and wrapped it around the model’s arms. 

Skirt: The skirt was created by taking (2) pieces of the deconstructed plastic bag that my comforter came in (lol). I decided to keep the original elements of the handles as design elements and placed the panels with the text along the hips. The skirt was then sewn together and around the model. I used the same techniques as the sleeves, creating a 1 1/2inch open seam along the waistline to create a wrap skirt. Since I couldn’t use the zippers from the bag, I ran the long zippers along the waistline for the “wrap” part of the skirt. This would then be wrapped along the waist of the model to keep the skirt on the body. 

Fittings:

Digital Fabrication/Research: 

In order to share the narrative that I wanted, I decided to digitally fabricate the skirt via an embroidery machine. I created digital vector files of native Chinese plants on illustrator, converting them into artboards to create stitches, then finally running it through the embroidery machine (Singer Software) to create the designs on the skirt. This process was probably the most time consuming, with each embroidery consisting of almost 6,000 to 9,000 stitches each. The embroidery machine was also quite finicky and needed troubleshooting a few times, otherwise, the process was well worth it. The research phase was mostly used to identify if the synthetic bags I used were sewable! I also had to identify native Chinese plants and which ones to embroider on the garment.

Final Presentation/Reflection: 

Overall, I genuinely enjoyed the project!! I really like the challenge of putting together a garment that was 99% made of recycled materials. It made me more wary of the amount of excess waste that I create, but it also forced me to look at materials in a different sense. I had to think creatively and resourcefully, making sure that the end product was still beautiful and wearable – while maintaining its integrity. I decided to keep several aspects of the materials in their original forms like prints and handles. The project was only frustrating during the fabrication phase because it took so much time to finish and I’m VERY impatient. Otherwise, the project was still so much fun and I’d love to incorporate it into my portfolio. 

Final Product: 

VIDEOS:

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