‘Tailoring Composites’ encourages conversation about craftsmanship and environmental sustainability in composite materials. The development of this new composite material made from flax and bio-resin aims to become a substitute for other composites like carbon fibre – which is light and strong but not environmentally sustainable.
The new material is presented as hand-crafted archetypal vase forms, a deliberate choice to maximise awareness of innovations in material and process, rather than prompting conversations about function and form.
It was important to highlight the similarities and parallels between the processes in composites and those of bespoke tailoring. Many of the processes involved in composites are still done by hand: the cloth cutting, the laying of the cloth, the joining of cloth, they all have similarities to those used by bespoke tailors.
We also, of course, wanted to highlight the progress researchers are making in developing sustainable composites.