Picking Natural Textiles

Pick Natural Headquarters in San Francisco, California

Picking Natural

For an experience that was a complementary mix of fashion, technical design, and environmentalism, I worked at a sustainable textile company in San Francisco. It turned out to be a great experience for not only learning all about the industry of organic textile development, I also met a bunch of sustainable designers in the process. Yet, the scientist in me loved learning about technical side of textile development: all the different types of fibers that are available (ie. regenerated fibers from certified raw materials which are non-GMO, from post-consumer waste! ), the different types of fabrics (i.e. hemp fleece, cotton poplin, yak cashmere knit, etc.), and the entire organic production process. The founder, Dawn Pickering (Chinese native married to an American), founded the company some 10+ years ago, so she was pretty much a stretch ahead of the curve in terms of the development of the sustainable fashion industry. In her early 30’s, she even traveled to China to set up a farm specifically for hemp cultivation and hemp textile manufacturing, all with proper Organic certification. Since then, she has created over 200 unique products ranging from organic cotton and hemp silks to even recycled soy-waste knits (which seemed to be very popular among the yogis).

Notes on the organic textile production process in China (2014).

the production process

This is a sketch pulled from one of my notebooks that I kept during my time at the textile company. I was thinking of recreating this into a digital format, but I kind of like the rough sketch — it just a reminder of simpler times when I just started exploring all possibilities of sustainable fashion as a (temporarily?) retired lab-rat. Here we have the supply chain for organic agriculture for textile production — most of it is done in the northeast regions of China since that’s where most of the flat, non-polluted areas of land are (most of the industrial factories are located in Southern China, hence the higher rates of pollution).

Farmers harvesting flax plants for retting. ph. by Dawn Pickering.

MANUAL ORGANIC

It was surprising to find out that most of the harvesting process is done manually to maintain the structure of the fiber — longer fibers lend to the strength of fabrics. The plants also are put through a retting process that allows for a natural decompensation for added flexibility. Here is a photo of one of the company's farms in China during harvest season — I believe these involve linen production from the flax plant.

Separately packaged organic fibers to prevent cross-contamination with other non-organic materials. ph. by Dawn Pickering.

NO CONTAMINATION

All stages through the supply chain must be established to ensure that organic and conventional fibers are not commingled and that organic fibers and GOTS Goods are not contaminated by contact with prohibited substances. All organic raw materials must be clearly labeled and identified as such at all stages of the supply chain to prevent cross-contamination with any prohibited materials (i.e. pesticides and herbicides; GMO particulates; unqualified sizing and bleaching agents, etc.).

Final processing stage for soy viscose fabric in natural. ph. by Dawn Pickering.

The web with a weaver

Here we have an individual batch of fabric going through one of the final treatment stages. This fabric here actually soy fabric, which is made through a similar biochemical process as any viscose fabric, which is a semi-synthetic fabric made from reconstituted cellulose from plants, which is similar to rayon (a synthetic fiber). Viscose production however was designed to be less a wasteful process, which involves the use of less harsh chemicals (like caustic soda, what’s used in soap making) to breakdown the complex chains of cellulose so that it can be extruded into a nozzle to form the individual fibers, and 75-90% of the chemicals and water can be recycled.

Bolts of remnants at Pick Natural headquarters in San Francisco, CA. ph by me.

The REMNANTS

The founder was so cleverly conservative that she makes sure she sold every piece down to the final yard and this is required very meticulous manual accounting (considering that each batch was prepared on a bolt of fabric with 200+ yards). I’ll probably create another post describing all the different properties of the fibers and fabrics that are available, but in the meantime, here is a collection of possibilities for sustainably colorful accouterments.

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Bio-Designing Our Future

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Diversifying Design
with Nature

feat. Ross Lovegrove


 

Late 90s Shinkansen trains based of Kingfisher bill by Eiji Nakatsu

Design informed by nature is a disposition that I find to be a necessary element for the form and functionality of the products we create in our current economic climate. Since coming across musings of Janine Benyus, designer and author of Biomimicry, and innovations of this design-perspective as compiled by William Myers in Biodesign- it has become more apparent where science fiction can emerge into reality without the having to rely on the colonization of Mars as our saving grace from our destructive demands on limited resources. Additional literature reveals many other descriptors of this philosophy - green build, sustainable, whole system, integrative, ecological, biofabrication and regenerative just to name a few. Yet our current narratives behind consumption seem to be quite conflicting to the finite characteristics of the primordial planet that we evolved in.

 

15th Century design of the "Flying Machine" by Leonardo da Vinci

beauty from the beast

Observation of our natural environments reveals to us models to solutions for design, business, and life that have emerged from over 3.4 billion years of research and development in the oldest laboratory - nature! One particularly curious case of continuous involvement in our ontological creativity is observed through birds, which so happens to be among the few remaining descendants of dinosaurs. Their long-standing history of inspiring humanity's upward motility started with 15th-century Italian painter Leonardo da Vinci's emulation of his "flying machine". And followed the inception of Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection, to the reduction of the sonic boom effect in Japan's Tokaido Shinkansen high-speed-rail. This "emerging field" continues to be cultivated for high innovation potential and societal impact in consumer, medical, and technology industries. It seems the historical prose of nature renders the rules of engagement for not only surviving but thriving on this planet.

 

A Grove of Green Design

During my visit to Paris last summer, I had the fantastic opportunity of meeting the "Captain Organic" of design, Ross Lovegrove — one of the most visible figures of the biodesign movement. Upon close tactile discrimination of his creations, I sensed a nostalgic familiarity to elements in his design which I could identify from my evolving career in sciences. It wasn't just the form that exposed this biodesign sensibility, but how the thought processes and the dynamic composition of the designs that emerged like cellular processes in embryonic, DNA replicating fashion (see the photo of wind-generator below). What I appreciated most was that his thoughtful emphasis on conservation through careful form and material selection rather than just biomimicry for an aesthetic appeal.  As someone drawing an understanding of design from a scientific perspective, casual rapport with this inquisitive mind allowed me to detect the parallels in thought processes behind someone approaching a scientific perspective through design - chatting with Ross was like joking with an old friend. I think to find like-minded guides are always a positive indicator of progress in your journey of figuring out your place in the dichotomy between science and creativity, or whatever passion you are pursuing. Here are a few of my favorite pieces from this biodesigner’s collection:

 

OPTICAL ILLUSION

This digital camera design concept had been proposed to the Olympus Optical Company in Japan. It’s meant to resemble an amorphous amoeba as an easy-to-grasp and modernized approach in capturing the temporary nature of life. The futuristic version of me would be casually carrying this in my pocket as I make my way through crowds of a cyberpunk waterpark on my solar-powered hoverboard.

 

Watered Down

Plastic water bottles are meant to be relegated to the past, but it doesn’t mean that the reusable ones need to look like canisters from the continental U.S era. This design is meant to capture the natural feel of water while allowing the precious resource to be fully expressed in the hands of the beneficiary. And it’s made from a during PET plastic that allows for multiple uses. This bottle design was commissioned by Tŷ Nant for their Ripple (PET) bottle, a bottle designed to encourage reusability and collectibility as an art piece.

 

Shoe Story

For awhile, 3D printing had been touted as the next revolutionary technology for batch producing products in a way that reduced the carbon footprint caused by conventional mass production methods. This shoe technically can be recast on-the-go from any 3D-printer for your last-minute reservation to that Atlantean gala in the city.

 

Virtually Imagined Reality

You can find the incarnations of Ross's designs worldwide and across the web, but his original designs emerging from the classic pen and pad are most fascinating to me. Direct depictions of our imagination represent a primal instinct of humanity that connects us to the roots of our archaic predecessors (arguably considering the current state of affairs in the U.S.), as observed in early caveman drawings. The leather-bound books a la Leonardo da Vinci are also a nice touch too. Yet these are neither archaic in style nor unique to the imagined realm, but rather a representation of near-futuristic possibilities of standard stylization. With the advent of emerging technologies and virtual extensions of our reality, it seems natural for humanity to experience destructive compression when a tactile form is translated into binary code and digital constructs. Will the machine's representation of man echo a semblance of design by nature or will we naturally select out organic matter through mechanization? For the time being, here are some of Ross's blueprints of biodesign that gives us hope that there can be a balance between both worlds

 

BIODESIGN BIBLIOGRAPHY

Here are a few of my top reading resources that just might inspire your next biodesign innovation!

 

Bio-tastic Talks

Here is me and Ross Lovegrove in front of the Centre Pompidou after having lunch together and a good chat at one of his favorite restaurants. Thank you for your time, introducing me to your favorite meal, and being one of the best parts of my experience in Paris. And cheers (with water, of course) to crossing paths again in our future endeavours in creating a bio-tiful future! -VF

Rock Fusion

I don’t usually dress like a Mongolian shepherd meets Eskimo dog-sled driver, but when I do I make sure the weather is little over 10F degrees warmer than it’s bearable while sauntering through the back alleys of Oakland with Afshan — good friend, co-founder of Purple Impression, and my impromptu fashion photographer. Embroidery has a special place in my fashion repertoire because it lends a decadent experience built around patterns, color combinations, and cultural heritage. The Chinese are well known for our embroidered silks that once was enjoyed only by royalty- people used to believe that silk spun by silkworms was a gift from the divinities. Unfortunately, much of the embroidery in commercially available clothing has been industrialized, and this art form is at risk of extinction as younger generations become more engaged in technology-driven economies. Regardless of the origin, I am obsessed with this top that’s dubbed “Rock Fusion”- this was the one piece that drew me into this sustainable brand. I think it has this edgy subtle paisley effect, and the muted colors compliment the navy blue material. Also, I got this awesome vintage fur vest at Connie’s Clothesline during a random trip to South Lake Tahoe in the summer — I've got impeccable timing for lugging around (pre-owned) fur. Anyway, you should check it out to double down on your sustainable style!

The #1 Way to Sustainably Meeting Your Needs

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Feeding the Beast Within…

Unconscious Consumerism

To be unaware of the sustainability movement in this day and age would require you to be living in a coal mine somewhere on the outskirts of Wyoming. Or hiding behind the white walls of Capital Hill — ignorance certainly is not specific to any socioeconomic class. I’d like to idealize that most people can fathom how “unconscious consumerism” can be destructive to our culture and planet. There are a plethora of reports on how the polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) released in our water supplies are toxic endocrine disruptors; how humans have been the primary cause of the spike in greenhouse gas emissions over the last 150 years; and how we would need about 5 Planet Earths for every human to sustain a typical All-American lifestyle. However, as someone who has been in the medical/scientific research field for the majority of my life thus far, I don’t think the way humans consume is always entirely under our conscious control. Constantly blaring warning signals may even aggravate one’s conscientious capabilities for making healthier decisions (e.g. the impact of stress on the HPA axis of the brain).

Design for change

As observed through my lens of bias, I think that there is a serious human crisis of unresolved needs plaguing our culture that is being artificially resolved with manufactured wants. “Fashion, Sustainability, Design: Design for Change” is a solid read for understanding all facets of sustainability in the consumer industry — from the design philosophy, sourcing of materials, textile selection, and production methods. But I think the chapter on “Needs” gets to the core of this chronic abuse of overconsumption (aka addictions), which applies the ideologies of economist Manfred Max-Neef and his taxonomy for human-scale development in communities with limited resources. I’ve also provided an example from my personal experience on how I’ve come to resolve some of my counterproductive habits through the identification of a core need. Hopefully, I can shine a light on any misunderstood aspects of our global sustainability concerns.

Manufactured wants vs Real needs

This excerpt from the book sums up the reality of manufactured wants versus real needs:

“Conventional growth-focused economic wisdom promotes human craving for novelty and things as both natural and desirable. Yet humans’ desire for cyclical variety is easily manipulated by commerce. The cultural message of growth pervades our daily lives, clouding our perceptions, so that cutting through the sheer volume of commercial clutter to distinguish between real needs and manufactured wants is far from easy. But Manfred Max-Neef provides a view of human needs and motivations that helps us reflect deeply on the industry, design practice and ourselves. ”
— Excerpt From: Kate Fletcher. "Fashion, Sustainability, Design: Design for Change."

Chilean economist Manfred Max-Neef details his now famous phrase "the economy is to serve the people, not people serve the economy."

MANFRED MAX-NEEF’S HUMAN SCALE DEVELOPMENT

Manfred Max-Neef was a German-Chilean economist and environmentalist mainly known for his human development model based on fundamental human needs. Max-Neef started his career as a Professor of economics at the University of California, Berkeley in the early 1960s, with much of his research done as a visiting Professor in various universities around Latin America and the United States. The bulk of his ideologies grew from his time living and experiencing the life of various poverty-stricken communities in South America; hence, his focus was on the development in the Third World. He criticized the inappropriateness of applying conventional models of development, which have contributed to poverty, debt and ecological disasters for Third World communities. And that at present we are going through not only an economic-financial crisis but “a crisis of humanity.” His fundamental needs taxonomy was a tool to help people reconcile their needs while adjusting to the limited availability of resources.

Max-Neef proposed that all human needs are universal and immutable, but the strategies to create “satisfiers” are flexible and negotiable. Based on the source of capital, however, they can be “sustainable” or “unsustainable”.

SATISFIERS VS DESTROYERS

This is a description of Manfred Max-Neef’s taxonomy of human needs from the sustainable fashion book, and how it can apply to your sustainable growth (especially about the part concerning “poverty of the whole”):

“Max-Neef’s taxonomy of human needs was developed from his work with small communities in South America, to help identify their “wealths” and “poverties” and then to work on how these may be best maximised and minimised respectively. He identified nine fundamental human needs and myriad “satisfiers” (which fall into four existential states: being, having, doing and interacting). Max-Neef notes that one satisfier may address several needs at once and benefit the whole, while “destroyers” may seem to satisfy a need but in fact inhibit several other and bring poverty to the whole.”
— Excerpt From: Kate Fletcher. "Fashion, Sustainability, Design: Design for Change."

Max-Neef’s Taxonomy of Fundamental Needs and Satisfiers

I’ve reproduced Max-Neef’s Taxonomy on Google Sheets so that you can conveniently track the satisfiers that you have resolved:

The Manfeed Max-Neef taxonomy that I’ve recreated on Google Spreadsheets for helping you identify and track your fundamental human need that you’ve satisfied so to better understand which aspects of your life that you need work on to avoid maladjust…

The Manfeed Max-Neef taxonomy that I’ve recreated on Google Spreadsheets for helping you identify and track your fundamental human need that you’ve satisfied so to better understand which aspects of your life that you need work on to avoid maladjusted behaviours.

A PERSONAL REFLECTION ON UNSUSTAINABLE HABITS

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Counterproductive Coping Mechanisms

I’ve come to realise that my excessive consumer habits were a coping mechanism to counter anxieties influenced by an onslaught of self-deprecating thoughts from an insecure sense of identity. Ergo, I used my desperate hunt for one as an excuse to uninhibitedly seek novel purchases, other people’s validation, and (for a period) sedating substances to dampen the unbearable feelings of unease. The benefit, however, has been an openness to interacting with a whole smorgasbord of folks who have provided some sort of direction and a familial sense of belonging. Fashion, on the other hand, was a self-empowering, fresh set of armor; it was the disguise that allowed me to quickly shape-shift into an upgraded version of myself. However, as we’re all probably familiar with, most forms of externally-derived comfort provide a dose of dopamine that requires a constant fresh supply to sustain the positive feedback.

Mandatory Mirroring

The number one method that has resolved a good portion of my anxieties was to find mentors (in real life) that mirrored my greatest potential, highest ideals, and most importantly resonated with my sense of play. That has been my fast-track pass to breaking destructive behavioral patterns that were primarily emotional crutches. For those of us who were raised to dysfunction through the motivation of external validation (whether it be good grades, high salaries, attractive partners, etc.), the ultimate goal of proper mirroring is to help one align with their core reserves of self-love. This foundational sense of self begins formation during early childhood and requires a parent or primary caretaker to properly mirror back your personal experience through reaffirming behaviors (e.g. the excitement of the budding dancer instead of rage as a hyperactive nuisance). However, based on my personal experience, this can also be cultivated later in life — and maybe it’s meant to be a lifelong process. Nevertheless, all humans are creative forces that require consistent interconnectivity to sustain healthy habits. Consuming is just one side of the same coin of connection (the other side being creation) which can be harnessed beneficially as equally as it can be destructive. And I’ve come to realize at the ripe age of 30+ that a prerequisite to healthy connecting is to be in touch with an unshakeable sense of self.

Conscious Communities

When it comes to interactions that foster your core identity, there are plenty of nice people to choose from but only the right tribe can support your evolution — as obvious as that sounds. And you’re welcome for my perpetual experiences of trial and error. If you find that you are a social chameleon, and/or are constantly seeking external validation (be it new purchases, rewards, relationships, etc.) as an immediate resolution to a feeling of “emptiness,” then you may have been raised in a family that did not properly mirror back your core identity. However, I also think this is a mass issue as a result of multigenerational traumas and societally imposed belief systems. As for myself, I’d like to think that I’ve collected an amalgamation of ideas that I can call (on most days) an unshakeable core self. And this hasn’t been without the help of people that I admire, and who also resonate back a loving response. Fictional characters and public figures can be a part of your inspiration repertoire too, but intimate conversations on shared passions and similar senses of humor gives me that joie de vivre — there has not been a designer ensemble, Parisian vacation, or gastronomical creation that’s provided greater gratification than finding a counterpart who could navigate (or at least partially wade in) the expansive corners of one's personal paracosm (although I’m not opposed to most forms of a good time). This brief excerpt from Stone Medicine, a helpful resource on holistic health, helped me realign with the purpose of the choices that we make:

“Implicit in having a sense of purpose in life, with the ability to develop deep, meaningful relationships, is the need to make choices. When we leave our families and go off to school or work, we do not make friends with just anybody we meet. We seek out those people who support our own self-perception, who reflect back to us who we think we are... Our relationships are not just the result of circumstances; they are reflections of our motivations for choosing who we are going to allow into our lives... If our lives are meaningful, with satisfying, fulfilling relationships and vocations, our choices are working for us. If not, the objective observation of our motivations can help us to change.”
— Excerpt From: Leslie J. Franks. “Stone Medicine"

Personal Peace

So there you have it, my number one tip for sustainably meeting your needs on our finite, though endlessly loving Mother Earth: to make a conscious effort to connect with people who resonate the best out of you, and not just out of circumstance. And to not be afraid of making mistakes with your interactions because it’s bound to happen — and if they don’t vibe, they aren’t your tribe and possibly a temporary lesson in disguise. Unproductive attachments (to objects, people, etc.) can be, in Max-Neef’s terms, destroyers of development (and all those hours at hot yoga sweating your ass off past disappointments will become NULL and VOID). Naturally, any social intelligence that I have is credited to my fair share of social faux pas which I’ve wallowed about for eons in my bottomless pit of toxic shame. Thank goodness for the overly benevolent souls from the Universe who have managed to help pull me out my emotional sludge. And now I present to you these transmuted nuggets of wisdom that I’ve decided to call my four Ps for personal peace (which is in itself a process-in-progress):

1. Process: how we choose to navigate life
2. People: who’s in it for the long (or short) haul
3. Place: timing and location
4. Products: meaning inspired creations.

CONCLUDING REMARKS

To end this sort of sideways approach to clearing out old skeletons from my closet, I will leave you with another excerpt from Stone Medicine that I think is a pleasant, minimalistic summary for the purpose of struggle in our sustainable self-actualisation process:

“Emotional and physical pain is intrinsic to human experience. The difficulties and tragedies we inevitably encounter are tests of our faith, devotion, and compassion. For most of us illness will be unavoidable, even if we make the effort to eat and exercise properly. At the same time, our illnesses and our pain can be our best teachers to help us discover the lessons we must learn in order to complete the curriculum for this life. Even if we are not able to cure our illnesses, they offer us a wonderful opportunity to become aware and conscious about our innermost being and to achieve a higher degree of wisdom.”
— Excerpt From: Leslie J. Franks. “Stone Medicine”

Updated in 2019