Compostable Kidswear
Designer/Maker: Compostable Kidswear
Clothes (especially kids clothes) do not last forever. It's time to design with end of life in mind.
These deliciously playful outdoor garments can be worn alone or in combination, and are bio-diversely insulated with regional Milkweed Floss and Cattail Fiber and are fully compostable at their end of life.
First featured at the RIT Beyond Fashion show in 2021.
No Compounds!
When fibers are layered rather than intertwined, garments can be effectively either decomposed or recycled without contaminating either process.
This project is about moving away from that “monstrous hybrid” keeping natural fibers with natural fibers and synthetic fibers with synthetic.
Material Gathering + Testing
The uniqueness of this design adventure meant there was little current research to pull from. I needed to do my own wash tests as early as possible to test the biofiller. Sample squares with clear vinyl fronts helped to showcase how the materials behaved. Both fillers had excellent wash performance with little to no breakdown.
Form Exploration
Playful, fun, and FULL OF POCKETS! "Sustainable apparel" does not have a predetermined aesthetic.
Color Blocking
The garments color blocking has vintage 60s vibes with the palette heavily influenced by the Vignelli/Heller dishware collection.
Samples and Fit/User Testing
The fit of the vest was built to accommodate a waterproof synthetic overlay. The two garments were nested and could be worn together or separately. The pockets needed to be bigger and MORE! (Plenty of room for rocks and sticks and legos.)
Final Material Thoughts
The milkweed floss was the most effective of the fibers. Lightweight, silky soft, and water resistant, this material gave the vest a feeling of floating. The cattail fiber pilled during the sanitizing process, but was still effective and had a nice weight. Further testing around warmth would be beneficial.
These Vests Have a Secret-- They're Compostable!
The final garments are a fully compostable vest with Cattail fiber filling and a jacket system with a removable recyclable synthetic jacket and a compostable inner vest with Milkweed fiber filling. Soft, cozy, warm, waterproof, full of secret pockets and lots of bright colors, these are one of a kind and show proof of concept that desirable apparel can be carbon positive.
Featured at:
The Beyond Fashion Show, 2021
Vignelli Center at Imagine RIT, 2022
