Redirecting Our Practices

If there is a mass population that can minimize over consumption than why not solve the problem? In Contemporary Expression, it states different projects and approaches for design activism. Fuad-Luke thinks that the change needs to start with the designers, he has a point, but I believe that our country’s population can be redirected into a new sustainable path. According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s end-of-2011 estimate the United States will enter 2012 with a population of roughly 312.8 million people. It is critical to have a large scale of impact and positive change. Design activism can either be something that has a positive outcome of practice in your life or academia.

After brainstorming different ways to make the US more sustainable, I began to compare other countries practices versus ours. Germany is considered one of the “greenest” countries in the world because of their environmental laws to reuse and recycle packaging. Italy has instated laws that require the recycling of any items that can be re-used. These laws are now so strict in Italian society that it is just as serious as any other harmful crime, and will be punished as so.  From recycling products to conserving electricity and air conditioning, Italy’s attempt to redirect their practice is transforming perceptions of sustainability worldwide.  My design concept would be directed toward consumers in the United States. Forcing over consumers to reuse and recycle by implementing environmental laws will urgently change their behavior. The law will have to start state by state and then eventually a federal law. This concept is a way to make the United States make positive changes and transform their perceptions of living a sustainable life.

The most important thing that I learned from this course was how consumers and the apparel industry impact our environment. I really enjoyed reading and watching videos to see some of the sustainable ideas that designers are implementing and using today. Now that I know more about what I can do to help just as a consumer and being in this industry. When I do get a job, I can shoot out ideas to maybe help that company be more sustainable in whatever they do. Also, as a consumer stop wasting and reuse things that don’t need to be wasted. I would like to learn more about what other designers are doing to be more sustainable in the apparel industry through their designs or production process.  

Designing for the Future

Imagine the world in which all the things that we consumed gave back to the earth. 

The Cradle-to-Cradle design by McDonough & Braungart is evolving quickly in the apparel industry. Biological metabolism is a design that a persons' "waste" cycles through the ecosystem and in return gives back nutrients for other things. On a large scale, this could produce great things. 

In the article C2CAD, they implemented this approach in knitwear design and production after testing several samples using different techniques. In ­­Textile Futures it states that designers are now using different practices and using digital technology to reprocess textiles, which will ‘resurface’ with a new purpose. These articles inspired me for this weeks design concept.

Staying with the children’s clothing idea from last week, they could add that the fabric be sustainable. No toxins, no nothing. However, children’s clothing is usually bright and dyed several times with printed graphics etc. so I don’t know if that idea would be very successful, but always worth a try. With the children’s wear idea, clothing would be alterable instead of just wasted. When children cannot fit into the “changeable” clothing than it will be easily dissembled and used to create a new product such as stuffed animals for the children. The fabric would be already pure and safe=toxin free and could use the buttons for different features on the animal.  They could also focus on renewable energy in the manufacturing process. Businesses would then be saving recourses, energy and money.