Textiles

It's A Material World

It's A Material World

Happily, the workplace is no longer tied to prescriptive ideas of how it should look or function. Corporations and start-ups alike are creating multi-purpose spaces in which people do lots of different things. Given the mobility and diversity of the people at work, we see a need for universal design and materials that allow everyone to function, to do what they do, whoever they are. Today, materials are not applied as specifically as before, rather we look for textiles that can be used across the office and on both the horizontal and vertical plane.

Innovations Design Studio Introduces Summer Collection

Innovations Design Studio Introduces Summer Collection

For their summer collection, the Innovations Design Studio asked, “What is architecture … is it form or function, shelter or art?” The eight new wallcoverings explore how Innovations fits into the broader architectural project with practical colorways and constructions. Among them, Prairie is Innovations’ most convincing vinyl interpretation of grasscloth to date.

Suzanne Tick Ventures Into Glass for Skyline Collection

Suzanne Tick Ventures Into Glass for Skyline Collection

Architecture is an endless source of inspiration for textile designer Suzanne Tick, and she has brought that sensibility to a number of her projects, be they flooring for Tarkett or upholstery for Luum Textiles. “I go by every building skeleton and take a picture, and think, ‘That’s going to be the next weave structure,’” she says.

Forces by Jill Malek x Visual Magnetics

Wall covering gurus, Visual Magnetics, are no stranger to collaborations, as they’ve worked with the likes of Visibility, Dusen Dusen, and now with Design Milk, where they’ll be a huge part of our Milk Stand Popup shop at this year’s ICFF. Now, they’ve partnered with award-winning designer Jill Malek to launch Forces, a collection of visually stunning wall coverings for the workspace.

Besides bringing colorful patterns to the walls, this collection adds a layer of functionality. The wall coverings have a central strip of Visual Magnetics’ writable dry-erase surface sandwiched between them, elevating the look of any workspace.

Via design-milk.com 

The History of Leather Tanning

The History of Leather Tanning

When our ancestors learned how to wrap pieces of animal skin around their feet to protect them from stones and thorns, they were able to walk faster. When they found out that food could be transported in a bag made of animal skin, they could walk farther. And when they learned to cover their bodies with hides, they were protected from the elements. Once they learned to tan the untreated hides to keep them from getting as hard as wood or rotting away, they produced flexible and long-lasting leather for the first time. 

Via maraham.com

Chromatography - Scholten & Baijings on their new sofa, textiles, and exhibition debuting at Salone del Mobile 2017

Chromatography - Scholten & Baijings on their new sofa, textiles, and exhibition debuting at Salone del Mobile 2017

This year, at Salone del Mobile in Milan, Herman Miller and Maharam present the exhibit “Chromatography: The Colour World of Scholten & Baijings” to launch the new ColourForm Sofa Group and shine a light on our partnership with the pair of Dutch designers. Partners in life and work, Stefan Scholten and Carole Baijings have spent decades perfecting a droll brand of minimalism, where pattern and texture, soft colors, and subtle geometry coalesce into surprising furniture, fabrics, and objects. In addition to ColourForm, the pair will also unveil a trio of new fabrics in multiple colorways. WHY recently sat down with the couple to get their views on comfort, creativity, and why it all starts with color.

Via hermanmiller.com

Kvadrat textile factory revealed in photography by Alastair Philip Wiper

Kvadrat textile factory revealed in photography by Alastair Philip Wiper

These new images by British photographer Alastair Philip Wiper reveal one of the facilities where leading textile manufacturer Kvadrat produces its highly engineered fabrics. Wiper visited the Wooltex factory in Yorkshire, England, one of several specialist textile mills around Europe that Kvadrat has invested in. His aim was to show the complex process that goes into making its high-end products.

Read more on dezeen.com 

Q+A: How Designers Do Inspiration

Q+A: How Designers Do Inspiration

Work spaces need to provide inspiration without compromising performance. Inspiring moments within a space can engage the mind, allow for respite from the rigors of the workday or allow people to see a problem from a new perspective.

As president of Designtex for the last five years, Susan Lyons leads a team of innovators who are relied upon to inspire others with an evolving collection of textiles, wallcoverings and other applied materials with reduced environmental impact. Designtex, a Steelcase company, is the leading company in the design and manufacturing of applied materials for the built environment.

Read more at steelcase.com 

Designtex President: Four Materials Trends in 2017

Designtex President: Four Materials Trends in 2017

As president of Designtex for the last five years, Susan Lyons leads a team of innovators known for a rigorous and dedicated approach to research and development of textiles, wallcovering and other applied materials with reduced environmental impact. Designtex, a Steelcase company, is the leading company in the design and manufacturing of applied materials for the built environment with an evolving catalog. Via steelcase.com

Wolf-Gordon x Mae Engelgeer: The Collaborative Collection

Wolf-Gordon x Mae Engelgeer: The Collaborative Collection

Wolf-Gordon and Mae Engelgeer have recently combined talents to create a geometric collection of textiles that was previewed at NeoCon 2016. The collection consists of one drapery textile, two digital print wall coverings, and four upholstery textiles, each with a signature look.

Together, they’ve created a collection that partners graphic elements and textures with the craftsmanship of Dutch Modernism, and given a modern spin. As a result, each of the pieces is characterized by clean lines, abstract geometric forms, and luxurious details. While the pieces come in many colors, they still maintain a neutral palette, while staying elevated with metallic accent threads.