Wireless technologies, sensors are material world fashion a n c e s
On Active Materials Rachel Wingfield
Textiles and Technology
communication microprocessors and embedded in our everyday in mobile devices and accessories, home appliand architecture.
It is a challenge for a designer and crafts person to skillfully weave together the animate and inanimate, the mat erial and the immaterial to create a new paradigm and design practice. The role of the textile designer is becoming increasingly demanding. It is important to view technology and computation simply as another set of materials to be skillfully manipulated in a similar way to the more familiar textiles, yarns and filaments. At the same time, textiles have a long history that should not be forgotten. I seek to build on the heritage and innate qualities of textiles for meaningful products and objects that can respond to human needs on an emotive and sensual level.
redefining craftsper materials on a
Technological advances have historically played a significant role in the development of the textile industry, from the invention of the Jacquard loom – the precursor and inspiration for the modern day computer – to the development of geotextiles and synthetic fibres. Textile designers were employed in the time of the silicon boom to design the intricate patterns on microchips. Today the relationship between textiles and technology is becoming increasingly important.
Craft
The creative practice within traditional crafts relies on a combination of extensive training, hands-on experience and knowledge about materials. Through a wide range of emergent technologies, the process of creation in the textiles field is becoming increasingly virtual and mechanised.
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