10. Textile Scaffold

Research

Image courtesy of Isobel Jo Leonard from Fabricademy

Textile scaffold is a term used in material science, bioengineering, and advanced fashion/tech design. It refers to a fabric-based structure engineered to support, shape, or grow something else. Depending on the field, it has two major meanings:

1. Textile Scaffold in Tissue Engineering (Biotechnology) In biomedical science, a textile scaffold is a woven, knitted, braided, or nonwoven fabric structure designed to help human cells grow. Scientists use textile scaffolds as artificial support systems for building or repairing biological tissues. The purpose of this type of scaffold is (1) Allow cells to attach and multiply, (2) Guide tissue formation (skin, cartilage, tendons, blood vessels), (3) Provide strength + flexibility, and (4) Eventually biodegrade as natural tissue replaces it. Common materials used are: • Collagen • Silk fibroin • PLA, PGA (biodegradable polymers) • Gelatin • Electrospun nanofibers Which can be used in regenerative medicine, wound healing, artificial organs, and biomanufacturing research.

2. Textile Scaffold in Fashion & Material Design In fashion, avant-garde design, and soft robotics, a textile scaffold refers to a fabric-based framework that provides structure, shape, or function to an engineered garment. It’s like the “skeleton” or “architecture” of an advanced textile system. This type of scaffold (1) Maintain shape, (2) Guide air flow or expansion, (3) Support movement, and (4) Allow integration of sensors, electronics, or biomaterials. Textile Scaffold in Fashion and Material Design can be used in: • Inflatable garments (air channels rely on textile scaffolds) • Soft robotic clothing • 3D-printed-on-textile hybrids • Shape-changing garments • Biofabricated or grown materials • Experimental couture (with designers such Iris van Herpen, Neri Oxman)

References & Inspiration

There was a lot of inspiration with the textile scaffold. I am instantly gravated towards the leather molding but using the leather as some sort of origami because you can create the mold of itself. This can be a great technique because the leather folds develop structural memory due to molding and the folds become stronger, architectural, and self-supporting.

Reference: Image: via plieproject Reference: Image: via plieproject

Crystals have long symbolized transformation, clarity, and creativity—and DIY borax crystals bring that magic into an accessible, hands-on design experience. When paired with jewelry-making techniques, borax crystals become shimmering, sculptural elements that elevate even the simplest designs. Crystals at home using borax/alum/epson salt/sugar, hot water, and pipe cleaners, watching as geometric forms slowly emerge overnight. These handmade crystals can then be wire-wrapped, turned into pendants, attached to chains, or embedded in resin to create unique, personalized accessories. The beauty of DIY borax crystals is their unpredictability—each piece forms a different shape, texture, and sparkle, mirroring the individuality of every designer. By combining the natural-looking crystalline structures with the limitless possibilities of borax crystal growth, students are encouraged to explore material alchemy, embrace experimentation, and transform everyday ingredients into wearable art. This fusion of science and style not only introduces students to jewelry design, but also ignites curiosity, confidence, and creativity.

Image courtesy Doja Cat in British Vogue

Process and workflow

My first step was to create crystals from Alum and Borax.....

DIY Crystals

Prepare this recipe [^1] by collecting the ingredients necessary, to be found in the list below:

=== "ingredients"

    * 40 gr of Alum
    * 100 ml of H2O 
    * pipe cleaner
    * popsicle stick
    * string
    * tape

40 grams of Alum was water that was simmering but not boiling. The Alum was added a little at a time until it became cloudy. The mixture was extruded through a coffee filter. I like to create personalized products; therefore, I used a pipe cleaner to create my daughter's initial, which is a N. I added the pipe cleaner to a string and tape it on a popsicle stick to be placed across the jar with a coffee filter on top to prevent any contamination in the jar. The solution sat overnight. The next day crystals were formed and was use to create an earring for my daughter Navy.

=== "ingredients"

    * 4 tablespoon of Borax 
    * 2 cups of H2O
    * pipe cleaners
    * popsicle stick
    * string
    * tape

4 tablespoon of Borax was added to 2 cups of simmering not boiling water. The Borax was added one tablespoon at a time until the solution was saturated and no longer clear. The solution was filtered through a coffee filter. I used a series of pipe cleaners to make a name plate for my daughter Navy. The letters were formed and put together by string. The string was taped on a popsicle stick and sat overnight with a coffee filter on top of the jar.

Leather Molding

The Process:

1. A piece of brown leather was used for to determine if it can be mold in an origami form within itself.
2. I took the leather and placed it in a clear container of warm water for 30 minutes until it became soft and pliable.
3. After 30 minutes, the leather was sqeeze between a towel to remove excess water.
4. Next, I started working on the shape of the leather by creating v-shape folding.

RESULTS

CNC Milling

A CNC Milling machine is in the lab and this was my first time using it. I wanted to make a wooden mold to create a bracelet. I upload an image of the bracelet in Adobe Illustrator and saved as an svg file. The software that was used was called Aspire. Aspire is a professional CNC design and machining software created by Vectric, used for designing and generating toolpaths for CNC routers, mills, and carving machines. It is widely used in woodworking, sign-making, prototyping, furniture design, and sculptural fabrication.

After the image was uploaded, the ShopBot began to cut the wood. The wood was 5.5 inches wide by 9 inches long.

The end result was a fail and think it may have been due to the wood being made out of particle board.

As a last ditch effort of creating a type of mold. I used a picture of an African mask that was created on the milling machine.

I wanted to use the leather molding technique on the mask. A piece of leather with a shimmer was placed in warm water for 45 minutes. Excess water was taken out of the piece and wrapped around the wooden mask. Next the mask was placed under a heat press overnight.

The results are below...

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