1) What is your project idea and why do you want to make it? Describe how this design/object/idea will specifically help YOU (make sure it is designed for you, not someone else, or an anonymous user) be more resilient and navigate environmental change over the next 50 years.
My project will be the “ two in one” garment. First, it can be worn by two persons, my boyfriend and me. and Secondly, it can be worn by both of the sides. Because if I design a garment for myself, I hope the garment can carry more stories and memories from me, besides the aesthetic respective.
And the techniques included are some solutions I’m putting my efforts on to solve the fashion industry pollution caused by fabric waste and over-consumption. The multi-function and unisex concept will be the resilient design which reflects back to the sustainable thesis.
2) Describe your work plan for the next month.
Since it’s a garment for my boyfriend and me. I’ll first research on the garments we have now. So I know which kind of piece should I design. It can be a T-shirt or a coat, depending on the research. Second, I’ll do the patterning-making. Then I’ll do the muslin version of that for testing. Then I’ll go to get the real fabric I want to use. And finally, do the final real fabric version and fitting.
3) How will you source materials?
satin and cotton. I see there are some extra fabric “free to take” events happening recently, I’ll check if I can get something I want from there. Otherwise, I need to go for fabric stores.
4) How does your project specifically encourage resiliency or use resilient materials?
My “two in one” project is encouraging people to cherish or value more on the garments they have. Because, one, the garment carries lots of personal memories and experiences. And two, the garment is multi-utilities for the multiple wearing occasions and unisex.
5) How will it be repaired?
I’m planning to use weaving technique to involve some extra fabric in case of repairing. Or I can simply use the patch to sew on it.
1)What was the most interesting visual that you found (photograph, diagram etc.) and why was it so powerful to you? Include the image and the link in your post.
It shows the effect of global warming in such a powerful way. Nothing is more effective and shocking than the reality. It shows the “nuisance flooding” happened on a highway near Grand Isle, La. The flooding has been extending to the edge of highway road. While you can still see the weeds all over the background. I never imagine the picture of the deteriorated situation in a very specific way. I thought we can fix it before it worse. But it actually has happened which shocks me a lot.
What the Climate Report Says About the Impact of Global Warming
2) Given what you learned in this article, how different do you think the planet be 50 years from now?
It shows all the predicted impacts in 2014 assessment forecast have materialized. There are “nuisance flooding” events happened during high tides in those years. The air quality causes the atmospheric circulation getting worse and affects not only the air pollution but also weather conditions. However, most of the coastal cities are trying to adapt to the sea rising situation by doing buffers or changing the city development plans. I saw a news related to this article, which shows an organization in French is encouraging people to change to the LED lamp bulb to stop more carbon dioxide produced by the traditional incandescent lights. They ask people to collect their incandescent ones and use that to exchange to the new LED bulb, and it’s free. I think if we can be more aware of the global warming and really take action, we can change the picture in this article in next 50 years. It will have more hi-tech in our life, but all the hi-tech devices will work for creating a better planet. I don’t want people to think of the shining, neat and industry vision when we talk about future or hi-tech. I think it can be green and nature prevented by the hi-tech. I don’t think we should try to back to the primitive society, but find a way to make all the design more related or be aware of the environment.
3) In what ways do you think these realities will impact your work and life 50 years from now?
I think the material will change a lot. It might develop in two directions. One is resilience design which is trying to adapt to the changeable and extreme weather situation. So I guess more waterproof fabric will be invented and might have the multi-function garments, which you can wear in any situations both indoors and outdoors. Another is trendy for the fabric done by traditional methods. Because there are tons of pollutions during the fashion industry processes, people will consider more about where the fabric comes from. By the traditional methods, like natural dying or using the traditional weaving devices, we can actually reduce the amount of pollution and make people cherish and value every piece of the garments, which can lead less over-consumption happened.
4) How might your Long Life Design final project address, acknowledge and/or work with such climate-related changes over the next 50 years?
Because it’s a zero-waste design, so it reduces the waste of fabric at the very beginning. And second, I want to explore a new method to treat the hem. The hem treatment is one of the reasons of using more fabric than plan. Third, it’s a garment for two persons which can increase the utilities and make we cherish and take care of the garment better. So it has a longer life in this way.
