Don't Hate, Appreciate!

This week as I read about the applications of Biomimicry and Industrial Ecology within the environment, I couldn’t help but to visualize this concept through another set of eyes, a dog’s. Growing up, many families supply their kids with pets to play with to accompany them throughout their childhood. I was one of these kids. Below is a picture of my dog, Haley, who is a 10 year old miniature Beagle. Haley has never demanded much in her life, just love, food, and water. Her existence can be maintained through cooperation from us as owners, and through giving her the necessary resources for survival as she needs them. These are the two principles that I have used this week to support my design concept of a policy that enhances a greater appreciation for nature in moving toward a sustainable future. If we can give nature the same love and support that we give to our pets, then a stronger relationship can and will be established that will set us up to achieve our goals in the apparel and textile industry.



The principle of diversifying and cooperating strongly helped me come to my idea of the development of nature appreciation. Benyus makes a great point within this segment where she says, “…cooperation seems to be just as important as competition”. I fully agree to this statement, especially as I view it through the eyes of Haley. Together, our cooperation enhances our survival which is bound to last longer as a result. If we look at nature in this same light, there are many instances where the apparel and textile industry can benefit more from utilizing nature’s resources. An example, brought up by Bradley Quinn in Textile Futures: Fashion, Design and Technology where this cooperative relationship deemed successful results, was the LZR Racer suit launched by Speedo in 2008. This product was made from fabric that was inspired by the skins of sharks, dolphins, and porpoises. The design of the LZR Racer suit had an impact on all kinds of sportswear, making all-in-one-suits, seamless surfaces, and polyurethane coatings more common features in this design category. Through the simple analysis of what nature could offer in terms of sustainability, a new line of products was created that brought benefits to both sides of the dual partnership.

The principle of not drawing down resources also contributed to my idea of the development of nature appreciation. Once again, Benyus makes a strong point about “…allowing renewable stock to renew itself” rather than using resources faster than they can regenerate. In healthily raising Haley, my family made sure to not oversupply her with food or nourishments unless promptly needed. Along the way, we even switched around her eating diet to ensure that certain resources could be properly replaced and maintained. The awareness of this concept is a first step toward developing a relationship with nature. This is an extremely important theme to grasp, especially within each individual community. Resources are strictly locational, and according to Kate Fletcher in Sustainable Fashion and Textiles: Design Journeys, “truly local products are rare and getting rarer”. This is why developing a relationship between humans and nature is so important if we plan to continue creating products within our industry! We have to recognize the signs within nature that a mutually beneficial connection is key to sustainability.

Suzanne Lee does a fantastic job of proving her understanding of this concept by creating fabric from growing bacterial cellulose. Her initiative, BioCouture, promotes sustainable fashions that are eco-friendly throughout every stage of their production. It starts with a tea and sugar solution that, after extracted and dried, behaves like a nonwoven textile that can be cut out or sewn to form a garment. Not only is this design concept innovative, it proves that appreciating nature and utilizing its resources can bring us one step closer to creating entirely sustainable products. She is a prime example of someone who listened to nature’s cry, and sought out a solution that would benefit both sides of the relationship.

My design concept of a policy that enhances a greater appreciation for nature through cooperation and the avoidance of drawing down resources is one that can bring about significant change if approached correctly. A great start is to think about the love and emotion you have in wearing a product that you yourself created, such as a piece of jewelry or a jacket. Since you put in the time and effort in its creation, you appreciate it that much more. The concept of utilizing nature’s resources in our production processes can create this same set of feelings, and even more so since you know that the environment is benefitting from it too. Nature isn’t resistant to change and is willing to advance forward, but now it is up to us. The same type of fulfilling life that Haley is living can be mimicked within our world if we choose to establish an understanding and mutually beneficial relationship between ourselves and nature.