Ingeo

INGEO by Designtex, New York, NY.

HINT: Corn fiber!

"In a notable departure from petroleum-based textiles, Ingeo derives its fiber from corn, an annually renewable resource. Bacterial fermentation is used to convert corn from a starch to a sugar and then to polylactic acid, which in turn is processed like most thermoplastics into fiber. Ingeo is a closed loop sustainable product: the natural origins of the polymer allow it to be safely biodegraded at the end of its useful life."*

*from www.transmaterial.net

Cell

CELL by Yvonne Laurysen and Erik Mantel for LAMA Concept (Amsterdam).

HINT: Alternative method of fabricating carpets.

"Unlike conventional carpets, Cell is not produced with a loom, knitting machine, tufting technique, or textile printing. Cell carpet is made of 100 percent industrial wool felt that is pressed and cut into strips. Wool felt is a natural product that is nonflammable, water repellent, breathable, and acoustically absorptive. Cell strips are offered in thirty-two colors, and individual strips may be ordered as replacements. Cell carpet is also offered with integrated LED lights as well as light reflecting Swarovski stones."*

*from www.transmaterial.net

Nani Marquina

Nani Marquina, Barcelona-based designer by TEXTILE DESIGNERS.

HINT: From traditional rug design to new tactile heights.

"Marquina's textured designs are characterized by the striking depth of the materials she uses. Ranging from softly tufted low-pile reliefs to long strands of fluffy wool fibres, her carpets seem ready to embrace the whole body, rather than just cushion the feet. 'Textures are a way of representing the union of two feelings: view and touch'. Many of her textures are inspired by nature and she readily accepts the challenge of recreating the beauty of the natural world in the fibre form."*

*from the book TEXTILE DESIGNERS, at the cutting edge. By Bradley Quinn.

Kate Goldsworthy

Kate Goldsworthy, British designer by TEXTILE DESIGNERS.

HINT: Sustainable textiles for decorative applications.

"Kate Goldsworthy is something out of the ordinary, not only because she has passion for sustainable design , but also because she venartes the materials that most textile designers shy away from. 'The materials I use are, in themselves, completely unremarkable; in fact, it is actually their extreme ordinariness that I find so appealing'. "

"The processes I'm developing are inspired by the traditions of lace making, apliqué and marquetry, but also the hi-tech polymer recycling technologies that use experimental surface treatments to 'upgrade' samples mixed-fibre waste."*

*from the book TEXTILE DESIGNERS, at the cutting edge. By Bradley Quinn.