My idea is to construct a product line of furniture using the unused fabric and decorator sample books donated to the Austin Creative Reuse as my main material. The furniture will be made using differing fabric patterns cut and sewn before being draped over reclaimed furniture molds. I will drape the fabric over the molds before applying layers of resin to strengthen the object so that it is suitable to support weight and be used as a functional utilitarian piece of furniture. The epoxy resin I will use will be a plant based bio epoxy resin that is UV and food safe. By using fabric as the main medium I hope to decrease weight, save lumber, and keep the unwanted fabric from ending up in landfills.
The main aspect I will explore in the product is the customizable options available to the customer. The look and style of the furniture is tied to what lies under the fabric and by changing the piece of furniture underneath the fabric I can make a modern chair or a chair in the Queen Anne style.
The ultimate goal of this product line is to explore alternative uses to wood in the production of furniture and to provide the consumer a new and unseen furniture aesthetic. I have yet to come across a designer that has created what I propose and in the form I envision my furniture taking. I first imagined and began my idea by envisioning the furniture as if the owner had placed dust covers over the furniture and then left them covered for many years. The title of my project derives from the idea of the furniture materializing before the viewer. The idea is playful but yet gives reference to the unused and unwanted quality of the material I have chosen to be the building block of my product.
I received my MFA in furniture design and have experimented with a wide and varied selection of materials and techniques. My body of work has focused primarily on using wood as the main component but over the years I have incorporated epoxy resin in many of my pieces of furniture. With my experimentation with epoxy resins, I know the strength and limitations of the material and the alternative materials that can be incorporated in the laminations of fabric and resin. I have also began researching materials that can be incorporated between the layers of fabric to add strength but little weight such as carbon fiber. With my education and experience I know that I will be able to create a successful and aesthectically pleasing product.
The Materialize line of furniture will be formed using left over fabric and fabric samples, sewn into shape and coated with epoxy resin. The product line will employ myself and local artists to sew the material into shape prior to applying multiple layers of resin for strength. The number of employees needed will depend on the success of the product but an increase in sales will directly influence the number of employees needed to produce the furniture.
The skills needed to produce the furniture will be able to be taught to others quickly and also provide marketable skills in furniture construction and design. One of the greatest aspects of my process is that anyone could learn how to make the furniture with a small learning curve.
Unwanted and unused fabric will be diverted from landfills and given a new life as a furniture. By keeping the fabric out of landfills I can minimize the damage caused from toxic dyes and heavy metals used in the production of many fabrics from leaching into the soil. Unless the fabric is 100% cotton or all natural the life span of fabric in a landfill can be as high as 30-40 years for nylon. Eliminating even a small portion of this fabric from entering a landfill, will effectively create a product that saves trees from being used in furniture design and also decrease the environmental footprint created in the textile industry.
Additionally the use of a plant based epoxy resin will decrease the toxicity created in the production process while providing a food safe surface and UV resistant barrier for the pieces. By combining unwanted materials and the support of a sustainable and environmentally friendly resin the furniture will become a green choice to individuals wishing to decrease their environmental footprint. The simple act of creating a product made out of the excess fabric donated to the Austin Creative Reuse will help Austin and local businesses attain the zero waste goal that has been set forth.
The end of life for the furniture is difficult to determine at this time, due to unknown variables that may affect the furniture. Through the application of future layers of epoxy or laminating new textiles onto the form the furniture could have an indefinite life cycle. As with wooden furniture the product could be used for many years to come and the application of a new layer of epoxy would extend the life cycle indefinitely.
By utilizing the fabric and decorator books from Austin Creative Reuse I will develop a line of chairs, tables, & benches that are light but strong with the addition of thin layers of bio epoxy resin. In certain instances I may need to purchase larger sheets of muslin to form the core of the furniture but ideally I will be able source almost all of the material from Austin Creative Reuse and any contacts they may provide. I see the furniture being formed by multiple layers of fabric cut and sewn into furniture shapes before being covered in the layers of epoxy. The best way I can describe the furniture is to imagine Claes Oldenburg’s Soft Sculptures transformed into utilitarian furniture and you will have a quick idea of what I have in mind.
I chose the name of the product line by visualizing the furniture as an ephemeral object able to blow away in the wind and the definition of materialize further enhances this vision:
1. To come into perceptible existence; appear; become actual or real; be realized or carried out.
2. To assume material or bodily form; become corporeal
I am ready to begin making the molds and jigs needed to begin the prototype stage. The prototypes will allow me to determine the number of layers needed to form a stable surface and the amount of fabric and resin needed for extra strength. In time, I will be able to experiment and test various embroidery techniques, and alternative materials to further the surface texture, strength and aesthetic of each individual piece. The materials that will be available may dictate the pieces built but by selecting specific fabrics for color and composition I will be able create a unified and visually pleasing surface of the furniture.
I see the furniture as utilitarian artwork that will be able to function and appeal to both men and women by the use of the fabrics and colors chosen. I've had this idea for a few years and I'm now ready to test this idea out on a small group to see if there is a viable desire for the work. If test research shows there is a desire for fabric furniture I am ready to go into a full production and have a local photographer in line for the product shots.
I feel the market will sustain the effort and time that will need to be invested into each piece of furniture. In time I know that the process will become more streamlined and able to produce a greater range of products. Additionally, input and collaboration between interior designers and customers will allow me to tailor the furniture to the desires of the client. By using various interior furniture frames, I will be able to use my technique to create a range of styles based directly on what lies beneath the fabric. The possibilities are endless and now it's time to see where this idea can go.
