3. Circular Open Source Fashion¶

Research & Ideation¶

During the lecture, I was inspired by the idea of creating a seamless pattern, and my thoughts immediately went to chain mail. I wanted to explore the concept of integrating chain mail into my design, and as part of my research, I looked into the work of Paco Rabanne. His innovative use of chain mail in fashion, blending futuristic design with traditional techniques, sparked ideas for how I could incorporate a similar approach into my project. I plan to build on this by experimenting with both the structure and fluidity of chain mail, potentially developing a pattern inspired by the concept.

get inspired!

0-waste modular dress - Stephanie Johnsons - TextileLab Amsterdam
Modular balaclava - Mina Mayo Smith - FabLab Kamakura
Assembly instructions & embedded message - Jessica Stanley - TextileLab Amsterdam

References & Inspiration¶

For this week's project, I was particularly inspired by the natural patterns found in scales, especially those of dragons, crocodiles, and reptiles. I had been working on a digital model of a dragon in the previous week, which guided my focus on scales. My design aims to incorporate scale mail, mimicking the layered structure of reptilian scales, and translating that into a functional and aesthetic form for my project.

Paco Rabanne Unwearable dresses

Image reference

Tools¶

Process and workflow¶

I did some research to find a way to create chain mail without having to assemble many individual parts. I found inspiration from I found inspiration from Cosplay tutorial armor EVA foam, or 3d printed chainmail, which showed an alternative method. that looked le it was inspired by a knitting loop

Design & paper prototyping¶

I started designing different scales in Illustrator, experimenting with various shapes and layouts. After finalizing a few designs, I printed them to prototype on paper, allowing me to visualize how they would come together.

Paper proto

After testing, I realized the initial design was too small and fragile. I returned to Illustrator to adjust the nesting and create scales of different sizes.

Material Testing¶

Next, I explored sustainable textile options. The FabLab suggested using leather, but I wanted to work with something more sustainable. I thought of Impuzu, a fabric we use at work, which aligns with my values around sustainability. This will also give the project a personal and unique touch.

I initially tested Impuzu, a sustainable fabric made from the bark of Ficus thonningii. Impuzu is treated by stripping the bark, soaking it in water, pounding it to soften, and drying it to create a fabric-like texture. This process ensures minimal environmental impact, making it an eco-friendly material.

Challenges with Impuzu:

Thicker pieces of 0.9 mm burned when using many passes but didn’t cut with fewer passes. Thinner pieces (0.3mm thick) could be cut at 100% speed, 9% power, and 5 passes, but the resulting scales were too fragile and broke during assembly.

Switching to Leather¶

Due to the issues with Impuzu, I opted for leather, which was 1.2 mm thick. I combined three different colored leathers into a single 24x36-inch sheet for the laser cutter. After cutting, I assembled the pieces to form a cohesive mini skirt.

Laser Cutter Setup:

Prepared the materials by securing them flat onto the laser cutter bed. Adjusted the focus and performed a test cut to optimize settings for each material. Monitored the cutting process to prevent burning or missed cuts. Final Assembly:

Assembled the laser-cut leather scales to create a mini skirt, combining durability and modular aesthetics.

Laser Cutting Parameters Table:¶

Material	Thickness	Speed	Power	Passes	Outcome
Impuzu (Thick)	~1.5mm	100%	9%	5	Burned or didn’t cut through.
Impuzu (Thin)	~1mm	100%	9%	5	Cut successfully, but pieces were too fragile.
Leather	~2.5-3mm	100%	20%	3	Cut cleanly, providing durable and stable pieces for assembly.