Bio Snow: The green future of technical outerwear

by Natasha Klobusiak

Abstract

Designers are becoming more conscious of the importance of circular economic design practices to produce ethical and sustainable designs. This research project analyses how effectively the textile industry implements circular design specific to the technical outerwear industry. A ski jacket is fabricated with natural materials and sustainable and zero waste construction methods. Although the technical outerwear industry effectively adopts eco-design practices relative to the product’s life cycle, a closer emphasis on materiality is necessary. Technical outerwear defines garments used under severe weather conditions, shielding the user from the natural elements (Lasselle, 2021) and constructed primarily from petrochemical textiles. Textiles produced from finite resources account for 69% of textiles today (changing markets, 2019). The technical outerwear industry proposes bio plastics as a suitable alternative for petrochemical textiles; however, bio plastics are produced from renewable feedstock, as they undergo a manufacturing process that changes their chemical composition (Devi, 2019).

While many textile sectors are moving away from petrochemical textiles, this is a more significant challenge for technical outerwear manufacturers, as petrochemical textiles are seen to possess properties essential for technical outerwear; primarily, water resistance and breathability. However, petrochemical alternatives are emerging in technical outerwear, but the application is scarce and further research is necessary. In this project, design-led research strategies helped determine how traditional natural textiles and bio-sourced and bio-degradable fibres can entirely replace petrochemicals in technical outerwear, or be fabricated in composition with recycled textiles without compromising performance. The final prototype imagines the future of technical outerwear, emphasising materiality and fabrication, achieved through fabrication of a 2L shell snow jacket made from 100% naturally occurring textiles and coatings. The jacket’s performance is comparable to commercially available high-end snow jackets. The final prototype signifies how outerwear manufacturers can effectively respond to all aspects of the circular economic framework.

Design Intent

Bio Snow investigates how the technical outerwear industry can better implement circular economic design practices by emphasising sustainable materiality and construction solutions, as most of a garment's environmental impact occurs during material sourcing and manufacturing. Technical outerwear is fabricated from petrochemical textiles and, therefore, relies on finite resources. This industry's current 'sustainable' material solution, focused on recycling, is an ineffective long-term solution. The end goal should be to design out waste and the reliance on finite resources, as explored in Jane Penty's book Product Design and Sustainability (2019) and Ellen MacArthur Foundation's circular economic framework. This project was informed by an array of primary and secondary research methods and product life cycle analysis to ensure the outcome optimally implements circular design compared to existing market solutions. This is achieved by creating a natural hydrophobic laminate from silk coated with natural oils and starch. The laminate was fabricated into a ski jacket utilising Zero Waste Patterning to reduce production waste to <1%. This practice represents the urgency to adopt new material strategies within the technical outerwear and broader product design industry. Undertaking a project that bridges fashion and industrial design demonstrates the potential for innovation from interdisciplinary approaches.

Silk was determined as an appropriate alternative to traditional petrochemical textiles as its water resistance, abrasion resistance and breathability outperformed other natural textiles. Silk has better insulation properties than cellulose fibers and tensile strength comparable to polyester (Becker et al, 2021). The silk laminate consists of 2 layers of silk; the membrane layer is coated with soybean oil, lanolin, castor oil and starch and an outer fabric layer with a durable water repellent (DWR) of water soybean oil and linseed oil applied after lamination. The laminate is constructed into a ski jacket utilising zero waste patterning (ZWP) to minimise waste during construction. Due to modern technology, the technical outerwear industry has reduced waste from 10% to 4% over the past decade (Thompson 2023). Implementing zero waste patterning bridges the gap between designer and manufacturer seen in traditional garment manufacturing, where the designer is disassociated from the degree of material waste (Rissanan 2015), thus bringing the industry closer to zero waste. Bio snow demonstrates effective implementation of circular economic design principles into a resolved design solution through the development of a laminate made from natural textiles and coating appropriate for technical outerwear and related industries.

Bio

Natasha is a product design honours graduate from the University of Technology, Sydney. She produces innovative designs informed by an array of primary and secondary research strategies. She aims to produce holistic designs with an emphasis on sustainability, using timely materiality, construction and product life cycle solutions to effectively implement circular economic design practices.

Natasha is an avid ski and outdoor enthusiast, having grown up in the ski industry as a daughter of a ski shop owner. From a young age, Natasha has had the privilege to be closely involved with various brands within the ski industry, demoing products, buying product for the ski shop, and having done work experience with outerwear manufacturers. Although Natasha recognises advances in the implementation of sustainable design practices within the industry, she identifies a greater urgency for manufacturers to adopt a materiality strategy involving natural materials and circular economic design principles, which is explored through her honours project.

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