How can we bring worn objects back to life?
Research/material development project by Hilde Strijdveen (Fashion Design) & Maartje Eggink (Lifestyle Transformation Design)
Our project has began with exploring the possibilities of recycling. We wanted to start a recycling process with the intention to make a new material. Recycling has a negative sound in the fashion industry, yet it is very important that we either find new raw materials to satisfy the needs of fast fashion or change the current system. Our challenge was "How can we both make an aesthetically interesting project with recycled materials?"
Together we have developed a garment made out of recycled 90-ies shoe soles. The soles were shredded, fused and melted back together to create this new garment. The new material has the look and feel of leather. We have designed a suit with details that originated from shoe design.
A mix of rubber, leather, polyurethane and PVC compounds made the soles flexible and solid. But because rubber is an electrical insulation the connection between human and earth is broken, the activity called “earthing” has stopped.
For us this garment symbolises the reincarnation of souls as well as re-connecting with the Earth.
