A workshop entitled "Materials Reimagined" will take place on Friday 14 March at Tách Spaces (Hanoi). This event is part of a series of activities leading up to the official launch of the EU-Vietnam Sustainable Design Award (EVSDA), organised jointly by the European Union Delegation to Vietnam and ELLE Decoration Vietnam.
Designers play a crucial role in the supply chain of lifestyle products. Their knowledge and creativity significantly contribute to reducing the consumption of natural resources and materials, extending product life-cycles, and replacing outdated products with sustainable innovations. These efforts aim to promote effective economic development, social equity, and environmental protection.
With the goal of facilitating exchanges and knowledge around sustainable material practices across various design fields, the workshop constitutes a dialogue between European and Vietnamese design innovators, encompassing diverse approaches to sustainable materials - material recycling (A New Kind of Blue), discarded fruit recycling (Fruitleather Rotterdam), and working with indigenous knowledge and materials (Kilomet109).
ABOUT THE SPEAKERS
TIM VAN DER LOO, a Berlin-based Dutch post consumer designer, studied at the Design Academy Eindhoven (BA) and Weißensee Kunsthochschule Berlin (MA), sees waste as an invaluable resource. Drawing inspiration from critical perspectives on current systems and infrastructures, Van Der Loo transforms waste discarded by consumers into new design templates. His focus lies squarely on regeneration and resourceful material strategies, underlining his commitment to sustainability.
At the centre of van der Loo's work is material activism, which delves into the intricate nature of materials in a post-capitalist, globalised world. He explores the history and culture behind the objects we interact with daily, questioning their origins and impact. A key role is the people and labour behind the applied material in artefacts that we use. His aim is to pave the way for a more symbiotic ecosystem, ensuring that materials are future-proof and contribute to a better world. Through his practice, van der Loo advocates for a deeper understanding of materiality and its role in shaping our collective future.
In his ongoing project, "New Blue," Tim van der Loo delves into the intricate relationship between denim and culture, exploring how this iconic fabric has evolved into a symbol of rebellion, resistance and uniform worldwide. His investigation extends beyond the material itself to encompass the broader context of the fashion industry. With a critical eye on supply chains, fast consumption, and labour costs, van der Loo confronts the challenges inherent in contemporary fashion production.
In response to these challenges, van der Loo reimagines traditional supply chains and infrastructure. By transforming old, worn-out jeans into fibres, which are then repurposed into a non-woven textile suitable for fashion applications. "New Blue" represents a paradigm shift in manufacturing, offering a regenerative alternative to conventional denim production methods. By recycling discarded denim, van der Loo not only introduces novel aesthetics but also creates truly circular product life cycles, challenging the linear model of consumption and waste. Through "New Blue," he advocates for a regenerative and ethical future that questions current systems and how innovation and responsibility can create symbiotic relationships between all stakeholders.
https://anewkindofblue.com/#about
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FRUITLEATHER ROTTERDAM (NL) was founded in 2016 by Hugo de Boon and Koen Meerkerk, two designers on a mission to tackle the global issue of food waste. Each year, nearly half of all fruit produced is discarded, despite its potential as a valuable resource for sustainable innovation.
Hugo and Koen both graduated from the Willem de Kooning Academy with degrees in Spatial Design, where they developed a passion for transforming waste materials into high-end products. Their curiosity about sustainability and circular design led them to experiment with discarded fruit, ultimately pioneering a process that transforms unwanted fruit into durable, leather-like material. This innovative approach became the foundation of Fruitleather Rotterdam.
Now in their tenth year of entrepreneurship, the duo has gained international recognition for their work. They have showcased their process and business worldwide, delivering presentations and lectures in Finland, China, Taiwan, Hungary, and beyond. Their insights into sustainability, material innovation, and design have made them sought-after voices in the field of circular economy solutions.
Hugo de Boon and Koen Meerkerk are now one of the pioneers within the world of plant based leather, attracting attention from global leading companies within the fashion industry around the world, in a market that is rapidly growing.
By merging design with environmental consciousness, Fruitleather Rotterdam continues to push the boundaries of sustainable materials, proving that waste can be reimagined into something both beautiful and functional.
https://fruitleather.nl/about-us/
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VŨ THẢO is the founder and artistic visionary of one of Asia's leading sustainable fashion brands: KILOMET109. Thao is a leader among the pioneering group of young designers who have made Hanoi an emerging creative hub of the fashion world.
Thao creates fashion-forward pieces from the ground up: home-grown fibers & natural dyes, handwoven, hand-crafted by working directly with local artisans on every element that goes into them. And since these practical, affordable & well-made garments are made by human artisans rather than mass produced by machines, this has provided a valuable source of extra income for makers, communities and has helped incentivize the preservation of fading traditions.
Thao not only knows how to weave the diverse array of indigenous methods seamlessly into practical fashion collections, but her brand also has significant explorations in showcasing Vietnamese cultural value through fine art installations. The collections and fine art projects are exhibited and sold in Vietnam and around the world.
www.kilomet109.com
About “EU-Vietnam Sustainable Design Awards” (EVSDA)
Initiated by the EU Delegation to Vietnam, the EVSDA project is committed to the proliferation of sustainable design practices in Vietnam, and the development of communities around these practices; in doing so, the aim is to ultimately contribute to Vietnam’s sustainable inclusive development – indeed one of the priorities in the EU’s engagement with the country.
Implemented in partnership with Elle Decoration Vietnam, the first phase of the EVSDA project will consist of a series of events and activities between September 2024 and spring 2025, culminating in the inauguration of the Awards in mid-2025. Thereafter, the second phase of the project will be the long-run organisation of the EVSDA on an annual basis.
The EVSDA project consists of four main thematic pillars which correspond to the four categories of the Awards: Architecture, Product Design, Communication Design, and Innovation. Through the cultural and creative dimensions brought about by these pillars, the project aims to highlight how sustainable and innovative design practices can engender concrete and positive experiences in our daily life.
Sharing about the objectives of the EVSDA project, EU Ambassador to Vietnam Julien Guerrier said: “The project reflects our ambition to develop an innovative framework to support and facilitate the transformation of our lives in a creative way. With this project, I very much look forward to connecting with Vietnamese architects, designers, artists, engineers, cultural practitioners and innovators who will create a bridge between the world of the arts and culture on one side and that of science and technology on the other, to bring in many inspiring ideas combining sustainability, practicality and aesthetics, for the benefit of our daily life. We need all creative minds to make this project a success.”
Updates on the project can be found at the Facebook page of the EU Delegation to Vietnam, as well as the official EVSDA Facebook group.
The EVSDA project is realised in partnership with and funded by the EU’s Cultural Relations Platform initiative.