About this project
$10,681
122
Computational Textiles is a project by Phillip David Stearns, Artist and Designer, Founder of GlitchTextiles.com launched on Kickstarter in 2012.
This project extends the work of GlitchTextiles, starting with glitches and expanding outwards to explore the full horizon of working with textiles as a computational medium. We're offering reboots of older 2012 designs as well as all new rewards made with new Computational Textile fabrics.
Computational Textiles are a form of materializing and reconnecting with the history and possibility of our digital past, present and future. As a medium, they enable us to physically and visually experience our digital materiality. Through structure and from, my desire is to bring to common places, the uncommon beauty of the invisible side of our digital world.
Computational Textiles Fabric Examples
Our new fabrics are high quality material realizations of digital processes and material. We work with weavers in North Carolina and the Netherlands, harnessing the rich tradition and craftsmanship from two of the most historically important textile producing regions on either side of the Atlantic in the 20th century.
Here are some examples of the fabrics we've created for this project:
Clouds of Icarus (Row 1): A medium weight double weave fabric made from 100% organic cotton. Designed using node based texture programming in Blender.
Gravitational Lens (Row 2 Left): A medium weight double weave fabric made from 100% organic cotton. Designed using node based texture programming in Blender.
Special Op (Row 2 Right): A medium to light weight single weave fabric made from 100% organic cotton. Designed using node based texture programming in Blender.
Endless Horizon (Row 3): Granular (Left) and Smooth (Right) variations are medium weight double weave fabrics made from 100% organic cotton or acrylic. Designed using custom software written with Processing.
Binary Noise (Row 4): Single (Left) and Double (Right) Weave Constructions. Available in a range of colors. Single weave fabrics are tone on white. Double weave fabrics are two-color. Compositions available in cotton and merino wool blend.
Living Code (Row 5): A medium to light weight single weave fabric made from 100% organic cotton. Designed using custom software written with Processing based on an extended version of Wolfram's 1D Cellular Automata.
GlitchTextiles Gold Edition Designs
From left to right, top to bottom: PIC00008, DCP_0053, DCP02802, DCP02803, YOTG-192, YOTG-198, DCP_2994, DCP_2995
These 8 designs are select favorites from the 2012 GlitchTextiles campaign. Throws, Scarves, Totes, and Zipper Pouches will be offered in a selection of these designs. Totes and Zipper pouches have minimums so can't be offered in all 8 designs and although a finer tapestry material will be used, not all of the design will be visible on the Totes and Zipper pouches.
Here are some rad things we've made with the fabric so far!
Zipper Pouches (10"x5"):
$30 Gold Edition - Features designs from the 2012 GlitchTextiles Kickstarter Campaign. Made in the US.
$40 Computational Textiles - Features all new Computational Textiles fabric. Woven in the Netherlands, cut and sewn in Brooklyn.
Laptop Sleeves - $50 for 13" and $75 for 15" laptops - Woven in the Netherlands, cut and sewn in Brooklyn.
Gold Edition Woven Scarf - $60 - 12"x71" Jacquard Woven Scarf - made in the US.
Woven Merino Scarf - $100 - woven in the Netherlands, finished in Brooklyn.
Gold Edition Woven Throws - $250 - 53"x71" Jacquard Woven Blankets - Made in the US.
Gold Edition Throw Pillows - $120 - 20"x20" - made in the US.
Computational Textiles Throw Pillows - $150 - 20"x20" - Woven in the Netherlands, cut and sewn in the Brooklyn.
Computational Textiles Throw Blanket - $500 - 60"x80" Luxuriously soft merino wool blanket featuring the Living Code design motifs. Made in the Netherlands.
Custom Theories of Everything Artwork - $1250 - 18" x 24" Original Textile Artwork made from cut, sewn, and stretched Computational Textile Fabric.
I've been working with Pure Country Weavers and the TextielLab to develop these new designs and fabrics. These materials are all computationally designed and woven on computer controlled looms. They are computational textiles.
Funds from this campaign will support continued development of eye popping designs, the establishment of US based manufacturing, the production of stock for distribution in textile showrooms, testing for materials certification, and continued development in the US and NL.
Past Work: Glitch Textiles (5 Years and counting)
In 2012 GlitchTextiles launched on Kickstarter marking the beginning of an amazing and rewarding journey in textile design. Some highlights include:
- TextielLab residency in 2013 to produce the Fragmented Memory digital tapestry pieces featured in numerous publications.
- A feature in the “Glitch @ Tokyo Kaihouku” pop-up shop in the famous Isetan Shinjuku department store (2014)
- The once in a lifetime opportunity to design and produce fabric for Christian Dior’s 2015 Cruise Collection (2014)
- A feature in the “Brooklyn” pop-up shop in the world renowned Le Bon Marché department store (2015)
- Contributing a design to the talented, up and coming men’s fashion label DDUGOFF (2014)Inclusion in the New Museum Store collection (2013)
- Inclusion in the New Museum Store collection (2013)
Everything that GlitchTextiles has become in the past 5 years is thanks to the support from Kickstarter backers, bloggers, writers and media, the fine folks of Pure Country Weavers, the TextielLab, PhotoThrow.com, loyal customers and fans, and all my family and friends who have been supportive, encouraging and have helped spread the word.
Thank you for backing the project. Please help spread the word by sharing on your favorite social media platforms!
music credit: "House" by http://www.bensound.com/ under Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported
Risks and challenges
All rewards have gone through development to production prototype. The only work remaining is to produce and deliver to you.
The risks are minimal, but still present. With two major campaigns under our belt, we're ready to handle any challenges that might arise:
Yarn selection may become unavailable. This might simply slow down fulfillment, or it might impact the available composition or color choices. If this occurs, you'll be notified and presented with alternatives.
Production delays. If for some reason production and fulfillment delays will cause your reward to arrive beyond the estimated arrival date, we'll let you know and provide as much info as we can about the cause and what's being done, and when things will get moving again. Thanks for your patience and understanding!
Shipping delays. We work with trusted shipping services, but even the best sometimes experience delays. All international orders are fulfilled with USPS International Priority which usually delivers between 5-8 business days. Domestic US shipping is done via FedEx and usually takes between 3-5 business days. We'll send tracking information with all shipments.
Rewards lost or damaged in the mail. All shipments will be covered by some form of insurance against lost. If it looks like your shipment stalled in transit, was signed for but didn't arrive, or something else went wrong, please first contact the shipper and see what you can do about filing a claim. If your claim is honored and you receive the reimbursement for the value insured, get in touch about a using your claim to order a replacement.
Material defect? Some of our rewards will be shipped directly from the manufacturer. In the event that it arrives safely from the shipper, please get in touch and we'll see what we can do about getting you a replacement.
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Funding period
- (30 days)