The project investigates the possibility of reuse in pattern design. New patterns are printed on top of a waste textile's existing design, thus giving the old textile an updated expression while highlighting its existing value.
The developed method consists of four steps. First, waste textiles are collected and the existing design, such as colours, motifs and scale, is analysed. The textile can be considered waste due to small stains, tears, outdated design or washed-out colours. In the second step, new patterns are designed. Then, the waste material is paired with one of the newly designed patterns in the third step. To cover stains and to give new life to washed-out colours, the new pattern is adjusted in colour and scale to match the old pattern. In the fourth step, the new pattern is printed on top of the existing design with screen print and a re-designed pattern is born.
An inspiration for the design method is the notion of time. Waste textiles do not only have an existing design but also carry traces of time. With time comes history and with history comes stories. Between the old and the new pattern, a meeting occurs that not only tells the history of the old textile but also open up for new stories to be created. In this meeting, old patterns can be broken and re-designed into sustainable patterns for the future. The collection shows how a re-design method can contribute to creating new possibilities by celebrating materials that bear traces of time.