Woven Textile Design

This chapter considers woven fabrics, their formation, properties and applications. It explains the principles of weaving, details the basic constructions, and common weaving terminology in use. Design approaches to woven fabric design are detailed, along with the role that technology plays to create and communicate ideas. Advances in woven fabric construction, design and weaves relationship to other processes are other key topics covered. Key Words Weave design and manufacture; sustainability and weave as a traditional craft; computer aided design and the global textile market; fabric performance and advances in woven technology

Looking Out, Looking In: Contemporary Artists from Morocco

This is the catalogue of the exhibition "Looking Out, Looking In: Contemporary Artists from Morocco" held at Faye G., Jo, and James Stone Gallery 855 Commonwealth Avenue from February 8, 2019 – March 31, 2019. The exhibition is curated by Cynthia Becker, Associate Professor of African Art, Boston University Department of History of Art and Architecture and Nadia Sabri, Professor of Art History and curator, Faculty of Education Sciences, University of Mohammed V in Rabat, Morocco. Participating artists are Hassan Darsi, Wiame Haddad, Hassan Hajjaj, Randa Maroufi, Safaa Mazirh, Lamia Naji, and Nour Eddine Tilsaghani.Looking Out, Looking In: Contemporary Artists from Morocco brings together seven diverse Moroccan photographers and videographers for the first time. Each works in a unique style and comes from a different background, but what links them is their exploration of how seeing is not always equated with knowing. They recognize that the process of looking is a political act and seek to emphasize the ambiguity of meaning contained within the visual. Some artists consider how Moroccan society is looked at by outsiders and confront the historical biases inherent in the colonial gaze. Others imagine a world without borders, making sense of the boundaries that divide nation-states. Some consider aspects of Moroccan culture hidden from public view due to political oppression. Each uses their art to contemplate the moral and emotional experiences of looking in at oneself in response to looking out at the complex social issues that impact Morocco today.The exhibition is co-sponsored with Boston University’s African Studies Center, the Boston University Arts Initiative, the Institute for the Study of Muslim Societies & Civilizations, the Department of History of Art & Architecture. The Boston University Art Galleries programs are supported in part through a grant from the Boston Cultural Council and administered by the Mayor’s Office of Arts and Culture

The development of a high-speed patterning system for a narrow-fabric weaving machine

The development of a high-speed patterning system for a narrow-fabric weaving machin

Improving Sustainability and Encouraging Innovation in Traditional Craft Sectors:the Case of Sri Lankan Handloom Industry

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to assess sustainability across the handloom industry in Sri Lanka and identify opportunities for sustainable innovations supporting new markets, development of SMEs and growth in the Sri Lankan craft sector Design/Methodology/Approach – Using a multiple case studies methodology 10 case studies and 37 semi-structured interviews were analysed in conjunction with the triple-layered business model canvas. Findings- The study reveals the handloom industry to be fundamentally sustainable but with structural barriers hindering innovation and growth. The environmentally conscious production process and social inclusion within weaving communities are the key driving forces of sustainability in the sector but the structure of the industry and lack of access to markets and information act as barriers to innovation and growth. The incorporation of design interventions, closed-loop manufacturing strategies and the encouragement of community-based entrepreneurship would support sustainability orientated business innovation in the handloom industry. Originality/Value - The rapidly increasing market share for high-quality, hand-made goods indicates the potential of the creative industries to accelerate socio-economic growth. Handloom textiles is attracting growing interest in fashion markets, due to increasing concern about exploitation in production encouraging interest in the economic benefits of fairly traded, high quality materials, but also the potential contribution of handloom to sustainability in the fashion industry. The findings of this study will support the handloom industry and policy makers in developing support for sustainable innovation in the handloom industry

ICS Materials. Towards a re-Interpretation of material qualities through interactive, connected, and smart materials.

The domain of materials for design is changing under the influence of an increased technological advancement, miniaturization and democratization. Materials are becoming connected, augmented, computational, interactive, active, responsive, and dynamic. These are ICS Materials, an acronym that stands for Interactive, Connected and Smart. While labs around the world are experimenting with these new materials, there is the need to reflect on their potentials and impact on design. This paper is a first step in this direction: to interpret and describe the qualities of ICS materials, considering their experiential pattern, their expressive sensorial dimension, and their aesthetic of interaction. Through case studies, we analyse and classify these emerging ICS Materials and identified common characteristics, and challenges, e.g. the ability to change over time or their programmability by the designers and users. On that basis, we argue there is the need to reframe and redesign existing models to describe ICS materials, making their qualities emerge