News & Blog
Sustainable Innovations
Hemp: a truly versatile plant, once one of the main sources of man-made textiles. Today, most of us know it under the names “cannabis” or “marijuana”, which tend to evoke predominantly negative connotations. Design Academy Eindhoven alumna Natasha Amisha sought to investigate the source of this disconnect with her graduate project “Honestly Hemp”. Her vision: to create an entire outfit made wholly from hemp fibre and end the stigma surrounding the plant.
Natasha soon discovered that our tainted view of the hemp plant is mainly based on misconceptions, and that it could be a key ingredient in helping the textile industry become more sustainable. Not only is hemp a robust plant that thrives in diverse conditions, it also requires minimal water, is among nature’s strongest fibers, thus ensuring long-lasting life cycles, boosts sustainable agriculture as it enhances soil quality and is antibacterial, UV resistant and hypoallergenic. With “Honestly Hemp”, she has set out to place this fascinating natural material at the forefront of sustainable solutions for the future of the textile industry.
Modularity is not a new concept. For decades, it has shaped architecture, furniture and industrial design. Applying it to soft textiles, however, opens up an entirely new discussion.
Creativity and curiosity have always been our driving force. Our work evolves through prototypes—never finished, always raising new questions about materials, processes, and possibilities.
Both the fashion and textile industry often celebrates creativity. Yet many of the industry’s creative decisions are made long before a designer ever begins designing. Colour being one of them. The thing is, by the time a designer selects yarn, someone else has already determined the available colours, sequences and combinations. Choice exists, but only within boundaries.
“Through hands-on experimentation, I explore the potential of new surfaces and alternative forms of leather, aiming to reconnect human life with the natural world as an interconnected fabric.”
