SUMMARY
I transformed eco-grief caused by the effects of the textile industry to action because I believe we are capable of developing systems to utilize the natural resources available to us more effectively. I teamed up with Laura and Lynn, to create this design challenge. Lynn will provide students with her inventory of tanned sheepskins which they will transform using the different natural dye, sewing, and mending techniques they will have learned in Laura’s course. Selected final projects will have the opportunity to be put into production and sold by Dashing Star Farm, and those students will receive compensation for their work.
challenge
The fashion industry has become a mass producer synthetic dyes and fibers that pose a threat to human health and our environment. I spoke with farmers who expressed their frustration with the global textile industry because many designers source fabric from other countries, meanwhile they have a vast inventory of quality fiber. I found that designers who are looking to use natural fiber often find it difficult to source the material for their projects, due to the spatial distance of Manhattan and farms in upstate New York. Here lies an opportunity to find more efficient channels to exchange goods and connect stakeholders.
Outcome
We submitted a proposal to the New York State Fashion Innovation Center Pilot Grant for Current and New Businesses, to be able to fund Project Sheepskin. If we receive the grant, we will move forward by implementing the Design Challenge and sustaining the initiative at the farm. This project will connect students with a NY farm and provide them will natural, climate beneficial, and regionally sourced fiber for them to transform. We hope to plant a seed of knowledge within the education of these emerging designers that will hopefully grow as they continue their careers and possibly lead them to advocate for change in the textile industry.
