Capturing loft : adding value to New Zealand wool bedding products through textile design innovation : an exegesis in partial fulfilment towards a Master of Design, Massey University.
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Date
2014
DOI
Open Access Location
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Massey University
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The Author
Abstract
This design-led research project was developed
in collaboration with the Christchurch-based
bedding manufacturing firm FibreTech New
Zealand Limited. It explored the potential of
an innovative wool-fill product developed by
FibreTech. This new wool-fill maximises loft and
bulk, both key factors for warmth and comfort
in bedding. Loft is an active, three-dimensional
feature of bedding, controlled through processes
of compression and release. Retaining and
managing loft was vital.
The designer provided a holistic approach, using a
textile design perspective to explore functionality
and aesthetics in relation to the structure of
the fill and outer membrane layers of bedding
products. Through material sampling the project
assessed how FibreTech’s new wool product could
be layered and bonded with other textiles. The
technical processes of needle punching, fusing
and stitch bonding were used to explore the loft
and compression relationship within the textiles.
It was found that ratios of loft and compression
could be altered to improve the efficiency of
manufacturing; while at the same time optimising
functionality and aesthetics.
Textile design, wool knops, knoppy web, New Zealand wool, loft, overbody bedding, underbody bedding,
sampling, research and development, digital quilting, computer-aided design
Key words:
Using the existing manufacturing process of digital
quilting, stitch paths were redesigned to create an
innovative range of bedding products for use over
and under the body. The resulting textiles revealed
a departure from classic bedding construction, with
a new focus on controlling the stitch line through
computer-aided design (CAD) technology. This
hard-edged stitch line was a digital imposition
that contrasted with the organic nature of soft,
lofted materials. This visual and haptic tension
was identified as key design interplay for both
overbody and underbody approaches. Strategies
were created towards lightweight overbody bedding
and engineered shaping of underbody bedding.
These new digital quilting strategies captured loft in
distinctly different, yet functional ways.
This project provides evidence that a textile
designer can be a key contributor in the
manufacturing industry, along with other disciplines
such as science and engineering to add value to
research and development in the New Zealand wool
textile manufacturing industry. The design research
progressed as a Callaghan Innovation Postgraduate
Fellowship project and represents the development
of a new aesthetic for wool bedding products.
Description
Outer fabric samples contained in hard copy held at the Library
Keywords
Bedding, Coverlets, Design and construction, Wool, Wool fill, Textile design, Wool knops, Knobby web, New Zealand wool, Loft, Overbody bedding, Underbody bedding, Sampling, Research and development, Digital quilting, Computer-aided design