IdEaS FacTorY - HaiR
materiality
In my initial research into my allocated material – hair – I thought about what classes as hair, and how it differs from fur. Hair, by definition, is “any of the fine thread-like strands growing from the skin of humans, mammals, and some other animals.” Differentiating it from fur, hair as a material is not attached to skin, and can be regrown. This context plays a large part in the underlying attitudes towards using hair as a material in not only my idea, but the art, design and fashion industry worldwide. I continued to think about hair as this detachable medium, and the most obvious connection to materials we use today would be wool. Moreover, the most common animals to be used for their hair are:
- sheep – wool
- goat – angora/mohair/cashmere
- rabbit – angora
- alpaca – fleece
Jersey City Museum presents Hair Tactics, an exhibition guest curated by Rocío Aranda-Alvarado
Sustainability and demand of source materials
As previously mentioned, it is much more sustainable to use hair than fur, as it grows back naturally. However, how could I – hypothetically – get enough hair to make my intended products? First and foremost, donations sites and hair donors could voluntarily give their hair, whether it be from their brushes or after a haircut. This led me to consider how much hair is thrown away into landfill from hairdressers. I looked into how many hairdressers are in the near radius of CSM archway campus, alone, and there are several as shown in the image. If hairdressers were willing to hygienically keep the hair they cut for the purpose of “webwear” garments, not only would there be enough hair to make a constant flow of products, but the whole process would be reducing landfill and positively contributing to the wellbeing of the planet – something to help conserve future earth.
In my product initial outline, I suggested the product would be disposable for hygiene reasons, as well as biodegradable, considering hair is a natural substance. I discovered that human hair takes between 2 months and 2 years to fully decompose, depending on the environment. With this rate of decomposition in mind, in order to create a fast turn around on collecting and disposing of hair, there could be allocated special drop off locations for used “webwear” hats and garments to dispose of safely and contain the lice, etc. Wool takes around 1-5 years to fully biodegrade, futher arguing why human hair should be used as a material in the future.
https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-decay-decomposition-rate-of-human-hair
https://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/resources/1543-measuring-biodegradability
ethicality
Naturally, using hair instead of fur is much more ethical and compassionate, especially as domesticated long haired animals such as sheep need to be sheered in the warmer months to keep clean and regulated. In my research, it is clear that fur is certainly not fashionable anymore, with major brands such as Gucci and Burberry going fur-free, leading the way in the public domain during fashion week.
In 2016, 8 leading fashion names came together to write to students at Central Saint Martins, urging them not to accept bribes from the fur industry – which often offers students financial incentives to feature animal skins in their collections in a desperate attempt to keep itself visible. They wrote "In order to be a success in the fashion world, you don't need to contribute to the barbaric treatment of animals practised by the fur industry. Humane fabrics have never been in more demand, and the growing number of fur-free designs on international catwalks is a clear indication that you can be daring as well as innovative and rule the runways without harming animals."
With almost 90% of features in London Fashion week completely fur free, I can conclude that there is space for hair as a growing material in the industry. The only obstacle to overcome would be convincing people to wear human hair – something I imagine possible in the near future.
SuSPeNd
suspend
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temporarily prevent from continuing or being in force or effect."work on the dam was suspended"
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hang (something) from somewhere."the light was suspended from the ceiling"
Many spiders use their silk for something called ‘draglines’. This is a rope-like web that helps the spider climb back to safety if they fall. This immediate image of a spider hanging, suspending from above, is what not only strongly links to the process of suspending, but also reminds me of hair as a material in its properties similar to spiders’ silk. Incorporating both hair and suspending in the light of spiders, my initial designs of my idea factory product feature spiderweb patters frequently. I wanted to draw on the fitting connection between web and hair, as well as the core process of suspending, just as spiders do.
process of suspension in terms of the product
As I continued brainstorming ways in which I could incorporate hair, suspension, and later futurism into my idea, I thought about how hats made from hair, although very closely lending to the materiality aspects, don't particularly suspend from your head, but rather sit on top. I knew I wanted to make something wearable after my research into deminishing fur in the fashion industry, and so I thought of garments that typically "suspend" or hang from your body. Immediately, trouser suspenders came to mind. However considering they are not particularly fashionable, and won't be in a futuristic society, my thoughts and visions developed into those of creating dungarees made from hair, perhaps to accompany the hat that I had already invested so much energy into designing.
Dungarees are typically worn casually or as working atire, and so I considered how making them a garment in my "webwear" idea would appeal to everyday people in everyday situations, as well as in the designer domain of fashion, with dungarees/overalls being used and created by many high end brands such as Frame and Trilogy Denim.
FuTuriSM
By definition, "futurism" was an italian art movement that occured in the early twentieth century that aspired to present art that enhanced the dynamic energy of the modern world. Much of this work involved exloring movement and mechanisms, particularly vehicle and human motion.
However, my initial take on futurism is founded on the idea of the unknown future - predictions, imaginary theories and hypothetical situations. Immediate associations with the word "future" for me include: time, history/the past, fortune, continuum, space and the universe, destiny, advancements, dystopian, etc.
I decided to draw on the idea of technological advancements in a kind of ironic sense. Already in the twenty first century we are experiencing warnings of global crisis in terms of the earths environment and the state of the planet in the future. Thus, my idea seems kind of backwards and simple - a solution to head lice that won't be quick, doesn't use chemicals, and is so natural and raw compared to the digital advancements of the future. But this is what I wanted to get at: in order to be able to sustain ourselves in the future, I believe we should be slowing the pace of our race into the future. Although my idea rejects the ideas of futurism in the light of technology, etc. I want my visualisations to lend to the dystopian styled images I have of the future - loss of identity, people in society represented as one body, minimalism and a haunting undertone.
Giacomo Balla & Ernesto Michahelles
Giacomo Balla was a pioneer of the futurist style and movement. Notably he was a painter, however 1914 was the year Giacomo Balla experimented with futurism beyond paintings and sketches. He began designing furniture, as well as futurist “antineutral” clothing. Alongside him was Ernesto Michahelles, who like Balla, was creating clothing in the style of futurism – interestingly, Michahelles designed dungarees and denim overalls, not unlike those of my “webwear” idea!..
These futurist garments were designed as unisex, practical and economical in being made from one piece of cloth, and for every day work and labour. Most iconically, this simple, futurist clothing became a symbol of the working class, and gave people a style, who perhaps didn’t feel comfortable in the clothes and rags they were wearing before. This is what I would like my idea to follow – the concept that “webwear” can allow people to feel fashionable and comfortable, alongside the fact that they have lice.
Moreover, futurist movements progressively used “unconventional materials” such as paper, metal and rubber, deeming it fitting that in this case, hair as an alternative medium is utilised to create my product that not only loosely ties to futuristic ethos’, but also combats issues that we may face in the actual future.
http://www.vogue.it/en/news/encyclo//fashion/f/futurism?refresh_ce=