DESIGN NAME: Tactical
PRIMARY FUNCTION: Haptic Fabric
INSPIRATION: Tactical is inspired by the haptic sensations. The attention to the tactile aspects is of great importance in many fields of design. But when talking about fabrics, especially in the fashion field, tactility is often taken for granted or it is related to the type of material used but it is never the main focus. Therefore the aim for the creation of this textile was to highlight the tactile aspect, by manipulating the screen-printing technique, that is mostly used to create flat surfaces.
UNIQUE PROPERTIES / PROJECT DESCRIPTION: A haptic textile, where the design of the modular pattern is made by groups of small pearls that enlarge and shrink on the surface. This formula creates a three-dimensional effect on the fabric where some zones will be extremely dense, while other completely empty. The strong tactile expression is emphasized by the contrast between the very smooth and shiny textile base, and its slightly rubbery and opaque applied pattern.
OPERATION / FLOW / INTERACTION: Tactical can be applied both for interiors and fashion, however, it has been specially developed for a wearable context, to add a new dimension to the act of dressing. This tactile surface is meant to be positioned in those areas of the body subject to manipulative gestures. Unlike common fabrics, the user can easily recognize the moment in which the interaction happens, because the stimulation of the tactile receptors by the fingers are constantly renewed thanks to the pattern composition.
PROJECT DURATION AND LOCATION: Designed in Boras, Sweden over a period of six months, and exhibited at the international trade fair for fabrics MoOD Brussels in Belgium.
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PRODUCTION / REALIZATION TECHNOLOGY: The pattern of the surface is realized through a parametric 3D software to manipulate and create fading effects on the final surface. To maximize the amount of the coating mixture that can be applied to the fabric, a special screen printing technique has been developed. Once the pattern is transferred on the fabric, it is fixated in the oven where the applied paste starts a small growing process that will give the three-dimensional effect to the final surface.
SPECIFICATIONS / TECHNICAL PROPERTIES: The dimension of the printed fabric is about 70cm x 50cm, since the pattern is modular it can be realized in different sizes for the production of garments or interiors, with any color variation.
TAGS: Textile design, Tactile, Interaction, Coatings, Wearable, Surface, Sensation, Three-dimensional surface, Haptic
RESEARCH ABSTRACT: The research focused on tactility and a way to strongly express it on a textile surface. The exploration included the development of a new screen-printing technique. The final result was applied to the body, by showing its interactive possibilities and rethink the importance of the sense of touch when designing. The experiment's participants claimed that they felt surprisingly more connected with their body and that usually they only focus on the aesthetic or the functionality of a garment.
CHALLENGE: The biggest challenge was to create a tactile expression in terms of texture and volume through the screen-printing, that is more often related to flat surfaces with a strong visual expression. Therefore I had to design a whole new system to realize the screen. Furthermore, it was not easy to imagine how a pattern or a paste would react in combination with a certain material or motif, without many experimentations. Another difficulty was that almost every step was based on manual abilities.
ADDED DATE: 2018-06-22 15:56:04
TEAM MEMBERS (1) :
IMAGE CREDITS: Sofie Christina Di Bartolomeo, 2019
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