3. Circular Open Source Fashion¶

RESEARCH¶

I started my research with designs that I found appealing. I added some examples that I thought could inspire me. For now, I’ve chosen ‘Puzzle’ as the concept name.

Yuima Nakazato- Nakazato was raised in an environment surrounded by modern art and various forms of expression from early childhood. He began making clothes by self-education before entering the Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp's Fashion Department.
Selma Durand - Selma Durand is a French industrial designer based in the US. She is currently designing and developing the next generation of hardware products at Google in California.
David Batchelor - David Batchelor's work is concerned above all things with colour, a sheer delight in the myriad brilliant hues of the urban environment and underlined by a critical concern with how we see and respond to colour in this advanced technological age (https://www.davidbatchelor.co.uk/)
Malgorzata Mozolewska's radiant, almost mystical work entirely changes how we view and understand two terms or two entities: metal, and ornament.(https://www.materialdriven.com/blog/2016/9/15/eye-of-the-light-by-malgorzata-mozolewska-shifting-the-perception-of-metal-and-ornament)

MODULARITY¶

Circular Fashion Model

In modular clothing, pieces can be added or removed, which extends the product’s lifespan. With a zero-waste approach, material waste is minimized during the production process. In the circular fashion model, instead of being discarded after use, products are recycled, renewed, and resold.

Zero Waste - Modular Fashion - Tesselation - Seamless Interlocking

Picture by Zoe Romano

TOOLS¶

-Adobe Illustrator

-Laser Cutter

-2D Modelling

-Felt fabric (45x45) thickness:2 mm color:light blue

EXPLORATION -2D DESIGN¶

Drawing and experimenting with paper

First, I studied the patterns that inspired me.
Then, I started drawing them in Illustrator.
I printed them in A4 size.
Afterwards, I experimented with them on paper.

Early modular and interlocking ideas

Started with paper and contunied esperimental ideas.

Drawing and Hand cut tests, Berrak Zeynep Okyar

Hand cut tests by Berrak Zeynep Okyar

Then I continue to understand how it works for interlocking.

Lasercut with felt fabric¶

After making my drawing by hand, I recreated it from scratch with AI and made sure it was precise. I saved the file as DXF.

Vector pattern, Berrak Zeynep Okyar

Hand cut tests by Berrak Zeynep Okyar

Vector pattern with interlocking, Berrak Zeynep Okyar

Laser Cutting Process¶

Step by Step

Step 1: Defining the Frame

Material: Felt Thickness: 2 mm Dimensions: 45 x 45 cm

The laser machine traces the outer edges of the material using a light beam to check the accuracy of the dimensions. This process ensures the maximum usable cutting area is defined properly.

Step 2: Setting the Origin Point The laser measures the diagonal corners of the material to determine the origin point. This ensures that the design is properly aligned and positioned within the cutting area.

Step 3: Opening the Design File

On the computer, go to the “File” menu and open the design file you want to cut. Make sure the file is in a format compatible with the laser cutting software (e.g., .ai, .dxf, .svg).

Step 4: Adjusting the Laser Focus Distance

The distance between the laser head and the surface of the material must be set to 12 mm. Use a special ruler (focus gauge) to measure and adjust this distance precisely.

Step 5: Closing the Machine Cover

Once all settings and measurements are complete, close the laser machine’s cover. This is important for both safety and accurate laser cutting performance.

Step 6: First Test Cut

Press the “Start” button to begin the cutting process. This is considered a test cut to check whether the laser is properly cutting through the material. If necessary, you can make adjustments at this stage to reduce the risk of errors in future cuts.

Step 7: Monitoring the Cutting Process

While the machine is cutting, monitor the process from the computer. If any issues arise, you can pause the machine by pressing the “Pause” button. In this case, no problems were observed, so we allowed the cut to continue to completion.

Step 8: Completion

The cutting process is complete.

Total duration: 9 minutes and 13 seconds Material: Felt Thickness: 2 mm Dimensions: 45 x 45 cm