Profile: Sofia Ortmann – Only Natural Design Competitions

Sofia Ortmann

Central Saint Martins

Textile Design BA / BFA

I'm a textile designer with a serious love affair with materials, originally from California and now settled in London. I blend traditional crafts with innovative approaches, always with a focus on sustainability. Yet, what truly excites me is breathing new life into undervalued materials, whether it's sourcing offcut fabrics from mills or finding ways to repurpose waste. Nature serves as my ultimate inspiration. Informed by biology, psychology, and sociology, my designs delve into the intricate relationships that shape our world. This curiosity has given me a compassionate view of the world and a dedication to creating pieces that reflect our coexistence with nature. My aesthetic style is a blend of modern midcentury with crafted details. I love incorporating thick layered textures and mixing neutral browns with brighter colors, creating visually dynamic pieces. My forms tend to be organic, natural, and rounded, adding warmth and harmony to my designs. For me, textile design is more than adornment; it's a sensory experience. I craft pieces that invite play, curiosity, and touch, fostering a deeper connection to our surroundings.

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Gone with the Dodo

Category: Interior

Competitions: Home Competition [Now Closed]

The Gone with the Dodo collection explores the intersection of wellness, material exploration, and environmental stewardship. Drawing inspiration from rare remnants of extinct species displayed throughout London, this collection utilizes wool and hemp, to create high-textured, whimsical, and animalistic soft furnishings and upholstery textile pieces. Serving as a tribute to recently lost biodiversity, Gone with the Dodo aims to prompt reflection on human environmental impact. The main material used is offcut woven scraps sourced from the Alex Begg textile mill in Scotland. Through techniques such as felting, re-dyeing, and reweaving into a naturally dyed warp, these woven offcuts, typically difficult to recycle, are transformed into unique, high-volume designs that explore stiffness and texture. This approach not only showcases the potential of natural fibers but also emphasizes sustainability and resourcefulness in modern design. Beyond the biophilic aesthetics of natural materials and organic forms, Gone with the Dodo invites users to interact with and touch the textiles, tapping into the therapeutic benefits of soft, textured tactile sensations reminiscent of plush childhood toys, fostering comfort and safety. By combining traditional crafts with modern sustainability practices, this collection challenges conventional aesthetics and functions, offering a holistic and impactful solution to contemporary environmental challenges.