Beyond Entangled in Textile Thinking

It is with great pleasure that we present a collection of research stories from the Beyond e-Textiles project. This project was first and foremost crafted to foster interdisciplinary collaboration, e.g., material science, engineering, design, and fine arts throughout Nordic countries around a defined subject area - the development of novel responsive yarns, textile craftsmanship and design methods. This book collects
snapshots from the joint explorations of the partners, Aalto University, University of Borås, University of Turku, Iceland University of the Arts and VIA University College, on this vast domain. These case studies were guided by collaborative biannual workshops, which deepened our understanding of each other’s disciplinary expertise and aimed to refine the concrete research tasks of our open-ended inquiries. With
this publication we document different ways of working together, showing creative ways of finding trust and courage to conduct projects that often crossed many different knowledge domains and sometimes seemingly contradictory aims. It is our hope and concern that our experiences will contribute and inspire future interdisciplinary research. After all, holistic, multi-sectorial knowledge is needed to drive radical systemic changes, essential in fostering the transition to more sustainable societies and ways of living. Compared to conventional textile design methods where material qualities and form composition define the final expression, this research positions designers and scientists as enablers of material relations. The research artefacts, therefore, exhibit multiple expressive states and transformative forms determined by use and sensitivity to natural phenomena. Even though we often intentionally didn’t target production or application, the research findings and created prototypes provide new openings for paths that would warrant a research project of their own. The research findings include healthcare applications, new aesthetic norms of use and wear, and ideas for interior textiles that can alter their
shape and function relying on energy harvested from their immediate environment.