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Priya Jose Variath

Manchester Met University

Hi, I’m a textile designer and material explorer passionate about weaving culture, nature, and sensory experiences into my work. Currently pursuing my Master’s in Textiles at Manchester Metropolitan University and a proud alumna of NIFT Mumbai, I’m constantly experimenting with natural materials to create tactile stories through fabric. My design journey flows between traditional craft and sustainable innovation. I’ve explored natural dyeing, circular design, and bio-based materials, like my time experimenting with vegan leather made from coconut waste at Malai Biomaterials. For me, textiles are a space where nature and creativity meet. I see fabric as a way to express culture, memories, and feelings. Whether I’m weaving dried leaves into cloth or dyeing yarns with turmeric, I love creating pieces that connect with the senses. My practice is all about slowing down, staying curious, and letting natural materials tell their own quiet stories.

Website

Neythu

Category: Interior

Competitions: Home Competition 2025

Neythu is a woven interpretation of cultural memory, language, and material storytelling, inspired by Sadhya, the traditional festive meal of Kerala, South India. Developed within the Colour, Material and Finish (CMF) framework, this collection reimagines the sensory and symbolic richness of Sadhya for a contemporary home furnishing context. The design process draws upon the visual arrangement of over 20 dishes served on a banana leaf, traditionally circular in layout, and reinterprets them into structured weaves, reflecting a modern, abstract sensibility. A thoughtfully curated colour palette, references the natural pigments of spices, curry, and foliage seen in the Sadhya setting. To create a deeper cultural and material connection, the samples incorporate natural materials such as coir, dried grass, banana peel, and cotton which are reflective of Kerala’s ecological identity. These materials contribute to a richly textured, multi-sensory textile experience. Crucially, the collection also explores Malayalam, the language of Kerala, not through direct script but through a metaphorical woven interpretation. The rhythm, flow, and structure of Malayalam lettering are translated into the movement of weave patterns, the spacing of yarns, and the use of bio materials. This abstract representation allows the language to be felt rather than read, echoing the way culture is often absorbed through everyday rituals and sensory memory. Through Neythu, I invite viewers to look beyond surface and utility, to see textiles as living stories that carry the scent of turmeric, the hush of grass, and the rhythm of a language felt in the fingertips. In a world driven by speed and disposability, this collection stands still, woven slowly, woven naturally, and woven with memory.

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