Abstract

The textile industry is currently facing significant socio-environmental challenges. This research-creation aims to identify the sustainable practices available and their applicability for the designers from the Montreal area who specialize in clothing and home living.

As the designers, Kate Fletcher and Lynda Grose (2102) mention, I believe that we, the designers, have the privilege to communicate to educate and to intervene actively in promoting sustainable textile consumption practices.

The complexity behind the textile industry was studied through three approaches: a study on 25 fibres was conducted, to better understand the textile as a material; professionals from the fashion and accessories design industry were met in their workplaces, to grasp the contexts of their creative process; a workshop series was held in a university setting to share the information, gathered during the interviews, with future professional artists and designers. From our discussion and by utilizing textile waste, the participants created projects showing the socio-environmental impacts of our textile consumption and reflecting on responsible alternatives.

Based on the historical references to the evolution of the human–object relationship, the textile fibre development, and the designer context in the Montreal area, this thesis suggests an approach based on mindfulness. The results of the research supporting this three-part project demonstrate that the application of sustainable practices still requires a lot of individual responsibilities from textile product designers. Our society based on economic growth works against the collaboration and accountability needed for the changes required by human beings in order to reharmonize with Earth.