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More than scraps

Projects | February 1, 2017 | By:

A new exhibit at the Cooper Hewitt, the only museum in the U.S. devoted exclusively to historic and contemporary design, features designers who reuse textiles and other resources in innovative ways, recalling the practices of local craft traditions. Photos: Matt Flynn © 2016 Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum.
A new exhibit at the Cooper Hewitt,
the only museum in the U.S. devoted exclusively to historic and
contemporary design, features
designers who reuse textiles and other
resources in innovative ways, recalling
the practices of local craft traditions.
Photos: Matt Flynn © 2016 Cooper
Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum.

The centuries-old tradition of handiwork—making a patchwork quilt, darning socks, patching jeans—is explored through the lens of sustainability at an exhibit at the Cooper Hewitt Museum in New York. Scraps: Fashion, Textiles and Creative Reuse seeks to draw attention to the environmental impact of industrial textile practices that fill up landfills with remnants from yarn, textile and clothing production instead of reusing these materials.

Running through April 16, 2017, the exhibit features the work of three designers from three continents who are known for incorporating sustainability into their work: Luisa Cevese, founder of Milan-based design studio Riedizioni; Christina Kim, founder of Los Angeles-based brand dosa; and Reiko Sudo, cofounder of Tokyo textile design firm Nuno.

“Scraps” explores practices that at one time were second nature to homemakers and craftspeople, including efficient use of materials and resources, the preservation of local craft traditions and the integration of new technologies in the recycling process.

Scraps_Installation_17Visitors can view more than 40 works, including tabletop accessories and handbags refashioned from silk selvage scraps by Cevese, appliquéd panels produced from recycled jamdani saris by Kim, and a variety of fabrics woven from kibiso, a luxury fiber Sudo developed using discarded parts of the silk cocoon.

Educational programs tailored to students, children and adults, and a panel discussion with the designers is also part of the exhibit. For more information, visit www.cooperhewitt.org.

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