How do you imagine the future of fashion? One of the latest series available in Netflix called THE FUTURE OF, is a docuseries that consists of short episodes (each around 20 minutes) that revolve around what the future of a particular item or topic will be, including the Future of Fashion. In the future we will all be able to customize and make our own garments and accessories at home. How will this be possible? One of the main critical points of innovation will be the change of mindset from exclusive to inclusive and Open Source, making it possible that everybody can have access to different patterns and designs that each of us can personalize and make at home.
From June 6th to 11th we attended the Fabricademy Bootcamp in Geneva, we had the opportunity to reconnect with the maker community in the European Union and refresh our knowledge on Open Source Modular Design, Vanguard Dyeing, Biomaterials, Wearables, Soft Robotics and Open Source Hardware.
🧩 This project is inspired by one of the most famous iconographies that are present in the main avenues of Barcelona at Paseo de Gracia, where hydraulic tiles are the main protagonists of the streets, which reminds us how Nature was the main source of inspiration for Antoni Gaudí.
🧩 Gaudi’s work is the result of an observation of nature, this being his great teacher. From the bees he adopted the catenary arch that they use in the hive, the hexagonal shapes of their cells and the virtues of collaborative and supportive work of bees.
🧩 Hexagons are one of the most used geometric shapes for very efficient and waste reduction constructions and that’s why I decided to use them to design the garment of the future modernist art lover.
🧩 For this project, I was able to give a second life to a beautiful pink leather that belonged to an old sofa belonging to one of the Onlfait Geneve designers.
🧩Main advantages of using Open-Source Modular Design is that we considerably reduce waste, by using tessellations that interlock and nest perfectly, in such a way that any fashion garment or accessory that we create doesn’t need stitches and become adaptable, customized, and even perfectly interlocked in 3D.
🌱 If you would like to get some more inspiration about how you can start implementing Modular Design in your upcoming fashion projects you can have access to different Open Source Projects by accessing to the following link: https://oscircularfashion.com/ and contacting the closest Fab Lab Node in your community https://fabacademy.org/nodes/
Every regenerative product or service is born from a process of analysis and identification of the type of solution that we intend to offer. Many times, we have stalled along the way, have it not happened to you? What do we do at that time? To help you, I have made a compilation of 10 key aspects to take in consideration, when developing a product or service under a regenerative concept.
1. What’s the problem? What issue have you identified? For example: Excessive consumption of plastics, loss of marine biodiversity, pollution of rivers, etc.
2. What solution can you offer? What kind of solution will you offer with your product or service? What type of regenerative impact are you delivering (social, cultural, environmental, or economic)? Who are the main stakeholders?, being our Planet and Society, the main participants.
3. Who are your clients? Who will be your clients? Here, you must describe in detail the characteristics of your Buyer Persona (Profile of your Target Customer). What are their interests, their concerns? What places do they frequent? What kind of digital tools do they use to choose a product or service, which influencers or references in Regenerative Fashion do they admire?
4. Who are your competitors? With the current globalization, we currently compete with global brands, therefore, the competitive advantage must be closely connected to the regenerative value proposal that you offer. In this link, you can find some key tools to be able to carry out the evaluation of your competition. Take in consideration that a good start will be looking for market research reports like Statista, OMS, World Economic Forum among others related to our now days digital ecosystems.
Remember that in addition to evaluating what fraction of the market they lead, you must analyze how they are managing their strategic, operational and support processes.
“Design creates culture. Culture shapes values. Values determine the future.”
— Robert L. Peters, designer and author
5. Strategy of the Regenerative Product or Service: Here it is important to carry out an evaluation of the environment with a SWOT Analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats), PESTEL (political, economic, social, technological, ecological and legal environment, Porter Force Analysis, analysis of organizational capabilities the 7s and define if we choose to compete in an environment of high competition (RED) or BLUE ocean scenarios (minimal or no competition).
6. Define Key Processes: in the fashion sector are Research and Development, Concept and Storytelling of the product or service, but very essential is prototyping where we can quickly design, manufacture, and test the level of success of the new product or service and in addition to its final cost. One quote that resumes this part is: “Design creates culture. Culture shapes values. Values determine the future.” — Robert L. Peters, designer and author.
7. Design and Concept: At this stage of the development of the concept and idea, agile and systematic ideation tools such as Brainstorming and Mind Maps come into play, as for the product development phase, tools such as Design Thinking, Design Tools such as Rhinoceros, Adobe XD, Sketch, Fusion 360 and others. Also type of digital technology that will be used for its fabrication such as laser cutting and engraving, 3D printing, milling, embroidery and digital fabric are used for prototyping and final manufacturing.
Finally, once the prototype has been validated, the production and marketing of the product proceeds. It should be noted that in this last part the marketing channels are today online, and marketing goes hand in hand with the development of a Digital Marketing strategy.
8. Selection of Technologies and Materials: This process is key because it will define the level of quality and alignment of the final product or service with the needs of the consumer. On the other hand, it will define the level of environmental, social, and cultural impact of the same. In this process, we will ask ourselves the following questions: Is the final product compostable? Is it biodegradable? What is the average lifetime of the product? What is the carbon footprint of your production? Estimated production time? Machine Hours, Man Hours; etc.
“Every great design begins with an even better story.”
– Lorinda Mamo, designer
9. Costing, Financing and Production: After carrying out a detailed costing of the materials, labor, marketing and distribution expenses, production and administration, the correct thing to do is to carry out an economic and financial analysis of the product or service generated under 3 scenarios: the optimist, conservative and pessimist. Very important, define the percentage that can be financed with own resources and the percentage that will have to be financed by incubators, financial entities or subsidized by the State, if applicable.
10. Control and Monitoring: Here we analyze the results through an analysis of financial indicators, sales, production, quality, sustainability, social responsibility and very important the results of the surveys of our clients, because in the end it is about to determine whether our value proposition is meaningful to our customers and why.
It should be noted that aspects 1 to 6 generally correspond to the strategic processes during the generation of products and services, and that processes 6 to 10 correspond to the operational and support ones.
Conclusion, if you are in the process of developing a new product or service, the starting point is the problem or “pain point” identified (the need) and once the proposed solution has been validated through the prototyping process, you will be able to make your proposal of value is scalable through the development of steps 7 to 10. Another aspect to consider is that not all tools work for all projects, so the journey consists of identifying which ones really complement and will accompany you on your journey as a creator, researcher, bio manufacturer or/and entrepreneur.
The main (bio)material we used for our latest Bio Uncu Maker is based on Agar agar, a gelatinous substance made with an extract of red algae abundant on the Pacific coast of Peru and Chile.
Did you know that this biomaterial is biocompatible with human skin? And the fact that this considerably reduces the probability of an allergic reaction occurring?
Another amazing fact is that Agar agar bioplastics affect touch capacitive screens! Amazing, right?!
Our research and development process began with the generation of the biomaterial, which brought us many lessons learned that we want to share with our future bio makers:
Tip 1: Agar agar’s Powder form dissolves faster and more evenly
Agar is available in three different formats (bars, granules, and powder). Because agar needs to be heated to 90°C to dissolve properly in liquid, the powdered form is easiest to work with. If you are using bars or flakes, we suggest you break them into a powder first, using a coffee or spice grinder. The powder form dissolves faster and more evenly.
An additional thing to know is that a bioplastic made with Agar agar may ‘sweat’ when in humid weather. To prevent this, you may add a little bit of corn starch (corn flour) with Agar agar into the liquid that you are cooking it in.
There are many recipes, but you start your journey with those ingredients that you can find in your community or closest ecosystem, but also keep in mind what type of possible applications of your new biomaterial you can explore and validate further.
Tip 3: Check Ph of liquids vehicle and natural dyes
If you’re going to add some natural dyes, the best way to include them in your recipe is to add them at the end of the cooking process. In addition, it is very important that you monitor the level of pH of the liquid solution because Agar agar is sensible to acid pH levels and to the concentration of Calcium in the solution. Therefore for all your liquid ingredients make sure you always use filtered water.
Take in consideration that some natural colors can be thermosensitive (Spiruline and beet for example), therefore you must add them at the very end of your cooking process to prevent any fading.
Tip 4: Documentation and Registration of your Bioplastic Journey
This is key for documenting all the lessons learned during your bio-making journey. Excel sheets can help at the beginning for effectively following up a sample’s progress. Don’t forget to include photos. All the morphological transformations will be key for identifying each resulting biomaterial’s possible applications: rugosity, transparency, brightness, flexibility, hardness and density.
Biomaterial Follow Up Chart by Mashua Project
Tip 5: Natural dyes preparation
Colour’s selection depends on the concept of your bio project. But here you can find some very useful guidelines for preparing your natural dyes. For example, for our Bio Uncu project we decided to go for an Andean Palette of Colours made with Purple Corn and Annatto.
Tip 6: Bubbling control and heating
Having in mind Agar agar bioplastics cool quickly, it is very important to control bubbling before pouring the mixture into the molds. You can stir the bubbles with a spoon or pass the hot mixture through a colander. If you want to remove them in a professional manner, there is specialized equipment for it called Vacuum Bubble Removers.
Another very important method is by controlling the temperature of your preparation, just make sure it does not exceed the 90-95 Celsius degrees.
Tip 7: Surfaces of molds
Ideal surfaces for Agar agar bioplastics are glass, textiles with high thread counts of 250 or more and high-density textiles. It will depend on the type of transparency and texture you would like to accomplish.
Tip 8: Cooking Time and Volume
Cooking time will depend on the volume of your mixture. For samples between 300ml to 500ml the cooking time over moderate heat is approximately 30min and for volumes greater than 500ml the ideal cooking time is 40 to 45min. Do not forget to control the temperature and shake the mixture continuously to avoid the formation of lumps.
Tip 9: How to make an Agar agar bioplastic stronger
Researchers at Tuskegee University in Alabama found that adding nanoparticles made of eggshells to bioplastic increases the strength and flexibility of the material, potentially making it more attractive for use in the packaging industry.
You may experiment with adding other additives (fibers, organic waste; etc) that will make your samples more tough and resistant.
Tip 10: The drying and testing process
Agar agar bioplastics shrink a lot in size and thickness over time, and if left in a mold where it’s connected to wooden edges, will form cracks in the center. So, make sure to cut the agar free from the edges of the mold after the first 24 hours of setting.
Wait and dry, typically 2-4 days before you remove your samples from the mold. The morphologic and biomechanical tests of your samples must be done after the second week though.
One very important thing is to let the samples dry in a well ventilated, insulated and dry environment to prevent the samples from mold.
Given that collaboration is crucial, how do we pick the right collaborators, and how can you make the collaboration work in the best possible way? This question came to my mind since currently as a regenerative designer I am involved in a few research and development projects and, keeping in mind my ups and downs, I wanted to share with you these simple rules that I believe will help our maker community to choose wisely in which collab projects they should get in or not.
Here are my ten simple rules based on our experience that I hope will help you. Keep in mind that these rules are for both you and your collaborators.
Always remember to treat your collaborators as you would want to be treated yourself and that empathy is the key.
Rule 1: Do Not Be Lured into Just Any Collaboration
Learn to say “No”, even if it is to an attractive grant that would involve a significant amount of money and/or if it is a collaboration with someone more established and well-known. It is easier to say “no” at the beginning—the longer an ill-fated collaboration drags on, the harder it is to sever, and the worse it will be in the end.
Ask yourself, will this collaboration really make a difference in my research? Does this grant constitute a valid motivation to seek out that collaboration? Do I have the expertise required to tackle the proposed tasks? What priority will this teamwork have for me? Will I be able to deliver on time? If the answer is “no” for even one of these questions, the collaboration could be ill-fated.
ENTER A COLLABORATION BECAUSE OF A SHARED PASSION FOR THE SCIENCE . . .
Rule 2: Decide at the Beginning Who Will Work on Which Tasks
Carefully establishing the purpose of the collaboration and delegating responsibilities is priceless. Often the collaboration will be defined by a grant. In that case, revisit the specific aims regularly and be sure the respective responsibilities are being met.
Once given the delegation of tasks, It is very important to discuss expectations for authorship early in the work. New ideas will arise. Have a mutual understanding up-front that these ideas can be embraced as an extension of the original collaboration. Discuss adjustments to the timelines and the order of authors on the final published paper, prototype, or product accordingly. In any case, be comfortable with the anticipated credit you will get from the work.
Research and Creative Design are such that every answered question begs a number of new questions to be answered. Do not digress into these new questions without first discussing them with your collaborators. Do not change your initial plans without discussing the change with your collaborators. Thinking they will be pleased with your new approach or innovation is often misplaced and can lead to conflict.
As designers, our main responsibility is to conceptualize and design future products and services by always keeping in mind their impact into the wellbeing of natural and human made ecosystems. Therefore, our solutions should be tested prior to delivering our final products and services.
Some very useful tools for this creative and prototyping process are Design Thinking, Business Model Canvas, among others. For more complex and challenging contexts, Scrum. In regards to technologies and equipment we can mention a few: Laser Cut and Engraving Machines, Digital Milling Machines, 3D Printing, CAD CAM; Sublimation Printing, Digital Ink/Stitch etc.
Rule 4: Be Open and Honest
By using the project and design management tools in Rules 2 and 3, share design drafts, references, data, protocols, materials, etc., and make papers accessible prior to its product / service delivery, paper, magazine and book publication. Remain available. A trusting relationship is important for the collaborative understanding of the problem (that is being solved) and for the subsequent joint thinking throughout the evolution of the collaboration.
Rule 5: Feel Respect, Get Respect
If you do not have respect for the creative, scientific or technical work of your collaborators, you should definitely not be collaborating. Respect here especially means playing by Rules 2–4. If you do not respect your collaborators, it will show. Likewise, if they don’t respect you. Look for the signs. The signs will depend on the personality of your collaborators and range from being aggressive to being passive–aggressive. For example, getting your tasks done in a timely manner should be your priority.
Showing respect would be to inform your collaborator when you cannot make a previously agreed-upon deadline, so that other arrangements can be made.
Rule 6: Communicate, Communicate, and Communicate
Consistent communication with your collaborators is the best way to make sure the partnership is going in the planned direction. Nothing new here, it is the same as for friendship, marriage or any other significant relationship. Communication is always better face-to-face if possible, for example by traveling to meet your collaborators, or by scheduling discussion related to your collaborations during conferences that the people involved will attend.
Synchronous communication by telephone or video teleconferencing is preferred over asynchronous collaboration by e-mail (data could be exchanged by email prior to a call so that everyone can refer to the data while talking).
The excitement of a new collaboration can often quickly dissipate as the first hurdles to new projects appear. The direct consequence can be a progressive lack of interest and focus to get the job done. After all, your collaborators could just be having a difficult time for reasons outside of their control and unanticipated at the time the collaboration started. After three chances, if it feels like the collaboration cannot be saved, move on. You may still need to deal with the co-authorship, but hopefully for one paper only!
Rule 7: Protect Yourself from a Collaboration That Turns Sour
Rule 8: Always Acknowledge and Cite Your Collaborators
This applies as soon as you mention preliminary results. Be clear on who undertook what aspect of the work being reported. Additionally, citing your collaborators can reveal your dynamism and your skills at developing prosperous professional relationships. This skill will be valued by your peers throughout your career.
Even though you may not encounter severe difficulties that would result in the failure of the partnership, each collaboration will come with a particular set of challenges. To overcome these obstacles, interact with colleagues not involved in the work, such as your former advisors or professors in your department who have probably been through all kinds of collaborations. They will offer insightful advice that will help you move beyond the current crisis. Remember, however, that a crisis can occasionally lead to a breakthrough. Do not, therefore, give up on the collaboration too easily.
Rule 9: Seek Advice from Experienced Designers, Scientists and ProTechs
Rule 10: If Your Collaboration Satisfies You, Keep It Going
Ever wondered why a pair of authors, creators, designers has published so many papers together? Well, it is like any good recipe: when you find one that works, you cook it again and again. Successful teamwork will tend to keep flourishing—the first project, research paper, product will stimulate deeper and/or broader collaboration projects that will in turn lead to more projects. As you get to know your collaborators, you begin to understand work habits, strengths but also weaknesses, as well as respective areas of knowledge.
Accepting these things and working together can make the work advance rapidly, but do not hurry: it takes time and effort from both sides to get to this point.
Is sustainable design enough nowadays, is it a part of the solution? Or a part of the main misconception problem?
While aSustainable Design seeks to reduce negative impacts of the environment, and the health and safety of building occupants, thereby improving building performance. The basic objectives of sustainability are to reduce consumption of non-renewable resources, minimise waste, and create healthy, productive environments. Its main approach is to eliminate and reduce potential negative impacts in the future of society and the environment.
The term “regenerative” describes processes that restore, renew or revitalise their own sources of energy and materials (ecosystems). Regenerative design uses whole systems thinking to create resilient and equitable systems that integrate the needs of society with the integrity of nature.
Therefore, any technical, social and perceptual innovation can be achieved by applying a Regenerative Design approach, because it is more integral and responds to our nowadays needs which not only look for eliminating and reducing negative impacts, but for restoring all existing damages too.
Regenerative Tourism at Millpu’s Natural Pools in Ayacucho Peru. Photo by Alex Azabache on Pexels.com
A new generation of designers are applying ecologically inspired design to fashion and beauty, agriculture, architecture, community planning, cities, enterprises, economics and ecosystem regeneration. They use the resilient models observed in systems ecology in their design process and recognise that ecosystems are resilient largely because they operate enclosed loop systems. Great examples are: The Principles of Bio design, Biomimicry and Circular Economy Principles. Using this model regenerative design seeks feedback at every stage of the design process. Feedback loops are an integral to regenerative systems.
Do you want some examples of Regenerative Design? Here are some applied into different sectors:
Calguerxo, an example of a Regenerative Home Renovation Project.
Patagonia, an example of a Regenerative Casual Sportswear Fashion Brand.
Conscious Travel, a great example of Regenerative Tourism Consultancy.
vation, a result of a co-creation project where designers propose projects with food scraps using artisanal techniques and digital fabrication. They collaborate with agents from Poblenou’s neighbourhood in Barcelona to promote a local circular economy ecosystem.
What is Regenerative Tourism? How is connected with Regenerative Fashion?
It is always good to disconnect, unlearn to continue learning, reconnect with nature, but above all to observe and respect her, because she is the best teacher.
Tourism has been one of the sectors most affected by the current Pandemic, but you know what? Regenerative Tourism (Textile Routes, Gastronomic Routes, Yoga and Meditation Retreats, Rural and Community Tourism for example) can be the key to economic reactivation with a positive and exponential impact.
Do you know what is Regenerative Tourism? How can we get together tourism and fashion for developing a Regeneerative Tourism Experience?
1. According the New York Times article called: “Move Over, Sustainable Travel. Regenerative Travel Has Arrived” Regenerative Travel/Tourism is “leaving a place better than you found it.”
2. Sustainable Tourism aims to counterbalance the social and environmental impacts associated with travel. But any Regenerative Tourism Initiative aims for socio-economic, cultural and environmental wellfare.
3. Regenerative Tourism is a group of economic or recreational activities that we do in a Regenerative Fashion.
4. Regenerative Fashion Experiences are part of a regenerative culture, where ancestral good practices of farming, weaving, embroidery, pottery, painting, dying among other artistic expressions are learned, respected and preserved, while its ecosystem of development is well maintained and culturally, socially, economically and environmentally regenerated.
Regenerative Tourism is a group of economic or recreational activities that we do in a Regenerative Fashion.
– – Mashua Project
5- Three characteristics of a Regenerative Tourism Experience will be:
Awareness Tour Groups must be managed properly to make sure that Regenerative Awareness is guaranteed.
Educational and Collab Experiences, instead of visiting attractions in a certain natural area, make sure all stakeholders involved (authorities, tour operators, communities, tourists and others) understand the importance of preserving and regenerating those natural areas by generating activities where tourist are introduced into the best ancestral practices of farming, arts and crafts, medicine and why not cooking.
Effective, clear and concise Waste Management, Eco Efficiency and HSE Procedures.
So, Tell Us, how can you start a Regenerative Toursim Initiative in your community? How can we monitor a Regenerative Fashion Innovation Impact then?
Sources: – What is regenerative tourism? And how should we deliver it? https://bit.ly/3ijkbav – In Bali, locals are turning from tourism to seaweed farming | UpLink https://bit.ly/3wJ4JJL
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