Milkweed, Wool, and Ecocentric Design in New York State
Category: Accessories
Competitions: Fashion Competition 2025
As human induced climate change threatens the wellbeing of the earth and its inhabitants, as well as the stability of global supply chains, milkweed floss, in combination with local wool, is explored as a local, native, resilient, fiber source that requires little processing for textile application. An ecocentric sourcing and production method is explored involving mindful wild harvesting, local sourcing, and small scale craft production using ancient methods. The combination of wool and milkweed floss was explored for its synergistic properties through experimentation with dry and wet felting methods and yarn spinning, incorporating wool from varying breeds, blending methods, and ratios of milkweed to wool. Based on this exploration, 3D hand/ wet felting was used to transform loose fibers directly to wearable complex 3D forms (accessories) without standard processes such as spinning, weaving, cutting and sewing and the waste that typically resolves from them.
