Excitement buzzed from the MuseLab in Kent State University’s Design Innovation Hub as students learned firsthand about sustainability opportunities in the fashion industry.
After a short demonstration, students chose among fabric options such as T-shirts and canvas bags, moving on to a section of multicolored filaments that stemmed from the waste of 3D printing projects. Laying the filaments on their chosen fabric, the students created unique designs before fusing them together with a heat press.
Camila Cordeiro Valle, a graduate student in the Master of Fashion Industry Studies program, led demonstration sessions during the co-creative workshop as part of her thesis research in exploring sustainable fashion products.
“We’re exploring 3D print waste and how it can be fused or weaved into fabric to create print texture,” Cordeiro Valle said. “I’ve been partnering with the makerspaces to get the waste and start exploring how something that is not initially fashion can be used in fashion with a longer life cycle.”
The focus of Cordeiro Valle’s project was for participants to enjoy the experience while also discovering uses for waste in the fashion industry.
“We need to start using waste and thinking about our production methods,” Cordeiro Valle said. “My goal is for people to have a great time and be creative. Hopefully, that will give me new ideas for my creative process.”
Cordeiro Valle said a second round of sessions will be held on Nov. 17.
“I’m going to do an analysis of how the first sessions worked out and see if anything needs changing,” Cordeiro Valle said. “And people get free stuff!”
For more information about the second round of workshops, visit www.kent.edu/designinnovation/event/co-creative-workshops-explore-3d-print-waste-0.
For more information about design innovation, visit www.kent.edu/designinnovation.
For more information about the School of Fashion, visit www.kent.edu/fashion.