Arts Thread

The project ‘Fragments of Growth’ explores the lifespan of artificially modified nature through a collection of knitted textiles for fashion. The project originates from everyday observations of controlled and discarded organic matter, including trimmed bushes, overripe food, and cultivated landscapes. In this project, cycles of growth, decay, and regeneration become visually and conceptually intertwined. These forms are translated into tactile surfaces that evoke mutation, erosion, and emergence. Positioned within the conscious high-end fashion context, the project responds critically to the ongoing environmental impact of the textile industry. Despite increasing awareness, material production rarely achieves full sustainability. In response, this work prioritizes the use of deadstock yarns and pre-existing waste materials, embracing their limitations as a generative design constraint. Through upcycling, the project redefines value by transforming discarded resources into refined, limited-edition textile pieces. Technically, the collection combines domestic and industrial machine knitting, including Dubied across multiple gauges and Shima Seiki. Digital tool such as ApexFiz simulations are integrated into the development process, enabling the exploration of complex structures and hybrid material behaviors. By combining yarns of varied thickness, fibre composition, and texture, the work produces layered surfaces that reflect instability and transformation. The final outcome consists of a curated series of knitted fashion textiles alongside an extensive body of sample development. Presented through physical artifacts, the project communicates a narrative of material afterlife and renewal. Fragments of Growth ultimately proposes a design approach that embraces imperfection and temporality, positioning sustainability not as an ideal state, but as an ongoing process of negotiation and reinvention.

This project is a knitted textiles for fashion and accessories collection designed for Lydia Bolton. It explores the sustainability aspects of upcycling and recycling in the textile industry.     I chose sustainable fashion designer Lydia Bolton as my client, focusing on how she uses donated materials to create garments and accessories. Many of her designs are one-of-a-kind and made to order. For example, she gets scrap fabric from fashion brands, designs, and makes them into garments. She also produces unique knitwear items sourced from charity shops. In technical aspects, she uses a lot of patchwork and add-ons.    Thus, the materials I use for this project are generally ‘second-hand’. This includes donated materials to WSA of end-of-line yarns from the knit room shelf, and woven fabric waste from the local silk mill (@Sudbury Silk Mill on Instagram). A smaller percentage of yarn is from a dead-stock yarn blind box I bought earlier in 2025. I also used leftover yarn from my previous projects, collected cast-on waste yarn from Dubied practicing, and yarns collected from waste yarn bags in the knit room.    Initially inspired by the Pinatex yarn made of agricultural waste from pineapple leaves, I wanted to know more about the raw materials of the innovative or sustainable fibers in the textile industry. I further researched mycelium leather and orange yarn.   I was also drawn to the approaches of fashion and textile designers to create sustainable collections. I researched the fashion brand Yan Yan. Their materials are sourced from dead-stock yarn from all over the world, and their collections are all limited editions.   The final outcome will include 12 final samples, including 10 knitted and 2 digitally stimulated on ApexFiz. The visualized collection of this project will be a lifestyle collection, featuring some garments and various fashion accessories, including bags and scarves. 

Broken Romance is an industry project with Preen by Thornton Bregazzi. The project was inspired by Gothic churches, medieval and modern love potions, and love potion ingredients. It also draws on local poisonous mushrooms and scientific images of organs from 1930s-1940s. The samples were mainly produced using domestic knitting machines and a ribber. I also experimented with crochet and 8gg Dubied knitting machines. Many of the yarns used in this project are donated deadstock.