Shaw, A., 2010.

'SEAMLESS' International Creative Pattern Design Competition, China Academy of Art

ICPDC was an international, inter-disciplinary design competition. The theme was ‘EARTH & LIFE’:

‘We only have one Earth, one life we should cherish life, protect the Earth & live in harmony. We should think about the meaning of life on Earth, aware of the damages to human life caused by todays over production. Promote good design, helping maintain our life on Earth sustainable and in harmony’.

Sustainability has become a ‘given’ within all areas of design. As the principle becomes more embedded in the development of products and ideas, designers are presenting increasingly nuanced proposals for new sustainability, beyond early approaches such as recycling.
‘Seamless’ examines through design practice the implications and future design potential of seamless knitting technology, developed to improve mass production. The research uses an experimental approach to generate ideas for knitwear, which ‘craft the technological’. Individual mass-produced units were crafted, transformed and invested with narratives in order to develop emotional connections between designer, wearer and garment. This relates to mass-customisation and the concepts of ‘Pro-sumerism’ and Co-design. The research examines attitudes towards the consumption of cheap mass-produced clothes and offers ideas for clothes designed to facilitate engagement between design and wearer. The emotional connection means that clothes are more likely to be cared for, mended and passed on thus reducing consumption.
These ideas were distilled visually on to 6 digitally printed banners and shown at a nationally significant trade fair: The China cultural and creative industry EXPO. The associated seminar (18/10/10) discussed how China can move forward from manufacturing for the world, copying and replicating ideas and products towards producing its own designers, who can develop design for internal Chinese markets and beyond. Participants included Margareta van Den Bosch (H&M), Patrick de Muynck (RCA Antwerp) & Guanzhong Lui (Tsinghua University).
Awarded 2 competition prizes: ‘Honourable award’ & ‘National award’