The Waxwing
Category: Apparel
Competitions: Fashion Competition 2025
Project Title: The Waxwing Topic: Functional wear from natural materials; Birdwatching Textile Technique: Knitwear (double-knit & pointelle structures) Materials: Cashwool Yarn dyed with Walnut Husk Powder & Linen The research for this knitwear project is inspired by birds and birdwatching. The starting point of the project was the Finnish wintering bird Waxwing (Finnish: Tilhi): How do these birds keep warm during the cold months? Birds often puff up their feathers in the colder months – particularly when sitting still – this creates small pockets of air between their feathers similar to the classic thermo effect. Working with a double-knit structure allowed to recreate this effect: Two knitted structures are combined using one yarn in between to connect the two. This not only allows for more air pockets but also enables the use of two materials on the out- and inside. In order to increase the thermo-regulating effect of the garment one side of the knit structure uses wool and the other linen. When being in nature as an observer your clothing needs to adjust to different activities — walking and moving around for periods but then also standing still for some time. Working with the opposing material properties of the wool (warming) and linen (cooling) the structure is meant to support the different activities during nature observation. The knit can be worn from both sides depending on need or personal preference. For example for people with sensitive skin it can be more comfortable to wear the linen closer to their skin since wool can cause irritation. Further functionality is added by using a pointelle structure to create patterns that fit aesthetics but also add ventilation. The yarn for the knitted garment was also hand-dyed naturally using walnut husk powder and an iron mordant. Instead of dyeing the entire piece I opted for yarn dyeing allowing for the two sides to have different colours and thus, more versatility when it comes to wearing it. The natural dyeing process is labour and water intensive, however, has the advantage of using no harmful or toxic chemicals. So the waste water can be reused from parts of the dyeing process. This project is aiming to create an alternative to often polluting outdoor/functional wear. Many outdoor clothes are made from synthetic fibres and often use harmful chemicals for example for functional finishings. By studying and understanding the inherent properties of natural fibres and finishings I am trying to create environmentally friendly alternatives without compromising on functionality.
