Summer Semester 2010,
HEX HEX
GET RID OF YOUR OLD CLOTHES AND
GET A DESIGNER PIECE IN RETURN!
What is sustainability and where does it begin?
The project ‘Hex Hex’ is an attempt to turn philosophical, political, ethical and also practical thoughts on sustainability into action, and at the same time to reflect upon these actions and to communicate. ‘Hex Hex’ is a project on two levels - the project itself and a meta-level.
The initiative itself is based on the idea of up-cycling. ‘Hex Hex’ (as if by magic) turns old, discarded clothes into attractive, desirable, loved and newly acknowledged fashion. Project location is the apartment building where I live. All neighbours are asked to donate up to three pieces of clothing they no longer wear, at the same time they can leave wishes for new clothes they would want for themselves. Exclusively from these discarded old clothes I then create a ‘house-collection’. Each neighbour gets his or her new and exclusive piece from this designer collection. An important aspect to me is, that each new item of clothing is going to worn and liked, instead of occupying closet space. Additionally each of the participating neighbours has to abide by one rule: The next item of clothing they would have bought stays in the shop.
This project incorporates several criteria of sustainability: up-cycling, local social networks, use of post consumer material, waste minimization, extending the life span of source material, exemplifying consumer behaviour and social context. Part of the concept is to raise consumer awareness. The initiative is thoroughly documented and through its communication (via web pages, exhibition, publication) additional ideas and thoughts are conveyed. Those directly participating in the project as well as the interested public are sensitized for sustainability in general and encouraged to change their consumer behaviour in the long run. The project is meant to be an example, an impulse also to other designers to use our creative potential in terms of sustainability and to become designactivists.
ZERO WASTE/MINIMISE WASTE
RECYCLING/UPCYCLING
LOCAL PRODUCTION
USER-MAKER/PROSUMER
SOCIAL SUSTAINABILITY
LIFE EXTENSION