'Life in Colours' exhibition

Image: textile by Akihiko Izukura

A colourful exhibition by Akihiko Izukura, opens this week at Nottingham Trent University, UK. The practice of this renowned Japanese textile artist, which is always based on 'compassion for life', involves minimal waste during the process of dyeing, spinning and weaving, and 'sun and water circulation', using the natural power of the sun and water to save energy during design. His approach to fabric production includes natural dyeing, weaving, netting, braiding and entwining to create textile objects and fashion garments.

Zero waste concept
Based on a zero waste concept, Akihiko's work is based on the idea of 'appreciation for the life given to use from nature.' Some might consider this approach to his designs encompasses social responsibility at its core, ensuring that sustainable methods are pursued in all aspects of design.

Very apt then that Akihiko will be running a workshop for the UK finalists in the SDC International Design Competition in Nottingham next month, as the competition has social responsibility as its theme this year (it's all about colour too). A full list of UK finalists will be released soon; watch this space!

Colour conference
Akihiko is also the keynote speaker at the SDC COLOUR CONFERENCE, taking place at NTU on Friday 7 May. Spaces are still available for this exciting event; more details about the conference (and some other colourful events taking place that day too), plus information about booking, click here (PDF).

The LIFE IN COLOURS exhibition in NTU's Bonington Gallery opens on 22 April and runs until 14 May; for more information, click here (external link).

by CMcN

Can you own a colour?

The latest article published in the SDC online journal Colour: Design & Creativity (www.colour-journal.org) looks at colour ownership. This is not the first time such a topic has been looked at in an SDC publication; some years ago, an article published in The Colourist (see here) asked that very question - can you own a colour?

Any attempt to regulate or claim ownership of particular colours calls into question the nature of colour itself: what exactly is it that is to be regulated or owned? This is certainly an interesting debate and one which the author expands on, putting forward the argument that there are at least seven different kinds of colours. To read the full journal article in issue 4 of Colour: Design & Creativity, click here.

The author, Paul Green-Armytage (Curtin University of Technology), will also have a contribution in the next issue of the journal (issue 5), which is a special issue in association with AIC. Included will be a number of papers based on presentations given at the AIC Colour Congress 2009 which took place in Australia last October, with one review article, two galleries and 13 research papers all pre-selected by the guest editor (Nick Harkness) and the special issue committee. This issue will open soon; watch this space for the full content listing!

If you would like to hear more about this journal in the future, you can email editorial@sdc.org.uk or visit the journal website to subscribe. All content published in Colour: Design & Creativity is currently free to access and subscribers receive regular e-alerts when new content is available online.

by CMcN

New issue of The Colourist published

We are pleased to say the new issue of the SDC members' magazine The Colourist has now been published and will be mailed out to all SDC members around the world next week. This issue has a 'wool dyeing' theme and features the colourful work of designer Ella Robinson on the front cover!

by CMcN

Planet Textiles - new sustainability event

Bookings now open!

This exciting new event is dedicated to improving the environmental and social impact of the global textile and clothing supply chain - brought to you by the SDC, the publisher of Ecotextile News and Messe Frankfurt.

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Planet Textiles takes place on 18 March 2010 in Hong Kong and is supported by leading industry organisations and international clothing retailers. It is being launched in Hong Kong alongside the Interstoff Asia Essential fabric exhibition and will be an annual international event on eco-textiles, moving to different locations around the globe in conjunction with Messe Frankfurt exhibitions.

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The theme of the first event is 'Changing the Culture – Placing Sustainability at the Heart of the Organisation' and it will see representatives from some of the world’s leading clothing and textile companies addressing the very latest issues on sustainability throughout the textiles and clothing supply chain.

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The full line-up has been announced, with a keynote address from Cara Chacon (director of CSR, Patagonia, USA), who will discuss managing sustainable change in a major retail organisation and across the supply chain. The conference will hear executives from leading global companies, such as Adidas and Lenzing.

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There will be Q&A sessions during the day-long event, chaired by John Mowbray (Ecotextile News) and Andrew Filarowski (SDC technical director) and there will also be a parallel 'ask the expert' session, hosted by the main sponsor of this event Huntsman, on the topic of dyeing and finishing.

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The full programme and information about booking can be found at: http://www.planet-textiles.com/

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by CMcN

New SDC corporate colours

The SDC has a new visual identity – an identity that is evolutionary, rather than revolutionary, enabling the Society to move forward into the 21st century, whilst honouring its incredible heritage. This last year has seen the SDC positioning itself for the future, with a new vision and a new business plan in place. As part of the business planning process, a Board decision was taken to rebrand. It was felt that a strong, consistent identity which reflects our new vision was fundamental to the delivery of our business plan.

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Rationale for the new brand colours
The colours in the new SDC logo reflect the organisational values and vision: purple is included to evoke quality, encouraging thoughts of the highest standards; this is mixed with the efficiency, reliability and trustworthiness of blue; and rounded off with warm bright yellow and turquoise to emphasise the young, forward thinking aspects of the new brand.

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The process involved

A rebranding process was initiated, with the input of colour psychology consultants, Colour Affects, in regards to the colour choice for the new logo, working with designer Harmeet Sembi to bring together ideas that would result in a coherent corporate brand. It was seen as important to maintain the colour mauve/purple within the new corporate colours, with perhaps a slightly stronger hue. The significance of purple to the SDC is linked to Sir William Henry Perkin’s discovery of mauveive, the first synthetic dye. It was Perkin's recognition of the potential of mauve as a dye, coupled with his iron determination to commercialise it, that sparked that launched the modern synthetic chemical industry.

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The full palette

Therefore, in honour of Perkin and the colour he invented, purple remains an ‘SDC colour’, with a specific selection of colours available within the full palette. Every colour in the brand palette has a positive relationship with every other colour (this principle is at the heart of the Colour Affects System of applied colour psychology) and these are outlined in the new SDC branding guidelines (PDF file) which is available on the downloads section of the SDC website. Requests for a print-resolution logo can be sent to marketing@sdc.org.uk.

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by CMcN

Competition: colour and social responsibility

The SDC International Design Competition 2010 has been launched. The brief asks for a creative, imaginative and original use of colour in fashion or textiles, with a theme of social responsibility, which might see entrants answering questions along the lines of:

· What are the opportunities for incorporating elements of social responsibility into design?
· What impact does the choice of materials have on all the elements in the supply chain?
· How long are clothes expected to last? Does quality manufacturing provide for social responsibility?
· Natural dyes and fibres vs synthetic dyes and fibres – is it true that ‘natural’ always means better for the environment?
· What role does technology have?

Full details of the brief and the required deliverables are available to download from the SDC website, along with information on how to enter/competition rules. The competition is open to fashion or textile undergraduate students in the following countries:

// Australia // China // Hong Kong // India // Ireland //
New Zealand // Pakistan // Singapore // South Africa // UK

Tutors must pre-select three students per college to enter the regional heats. These will generally be held in the 2nd quarter of 2010 and dates will be announced when available. All country finalists will be invited to the grand final in London in October 2010 and will be in for a chance of winning the SDC Colour Design Award 2010, with a prize of £1000 plus the Veronica Bell Trophy.

If you want to find out more, please get in touch without delay!
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Image: cover of Sep/Oct 2009 issue of FRAME magazine which was jam-packed with colour-related items. More information at: www.framemag.com
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by CMcN

Environmental dyeing

Today sees the second part of the two-phase launch of the - first ever - SDC special interest group (SIG) which will have a focus of environmental dyeing.

It goes without saying that the dyeing and finishing sectors, historically, have been big energy users and often portrayed as using large amounts of energy and water and being a polluter through effluent. However, there is often a public misconception of the current industry, which, increasingly, is seeing the implementation of best practice policies resulting in evermore eco-efficient dyehouses worldwide.

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The SDC has a role to play in this area and through the engagement of strategic alliances with respected environment lobby and resource groups based globally, it will further allow for the promotion of best practice. A key objective for the SDC is to promote good ethical and environment working practice within the textile and coloration supply chain and, in this respect, ensures information and practical advice is available to members and the industry as a whole.

By engaging people with similar goals for the industry and providing one viable and trusted source for information on the topic the SIG will be able to influence the industry and create an environmental and sustainable industry for the future providing confidence for the consumer. It is open to anyone, anywhere in the world with an interest in this topic - which will be made possible by making use of digital technologies (a dedicated WikiSpace is now available).

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Anyone, interested in joining, please get in touch without delay!

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by CMcN