Pleating and fit

At a time when finding new approaches to sustainability has never been more necessary, Charlotte Hansen’s Master’s project investigates the possibility of creating sustainable fits in clothing. 

- What I’m exploring in my project is: How can the craft of pleating evolve through 3D technology and thereby contribute to creating sustainable textiles? Mette Terkildsen from VIA University College has done research that shows that only 12% of women fit Danish standard sizes and fit in clothing. Fit is one of the primary reasons why we in Denmark have 35% more consumption than the rest of the world, and the clothes are only worn 20% before they are passed on or thrown away. Therefore, we need to take a closer look at how, through craftsmanship, technology and rethinking systems, we can create better fits that meet the consumer's needs and consider sustainability aspects, says Charlotte Hansen, who has just graduated from Design School Kolding as a textile designer specializing in sustainability on the Master's programme Design for Planet.

Over time, pleating has played an important role in relation to freedom of movement. Pleating is a finishing technique used on finished woven textiles that adds flexibility through folds in 2D and 3D. In her project, Charlotte Hansen asks: What if we could incorporate freedom of movement and flexible solutions into our clothing today? 

- My hypothesis is to create flexible solutions that can meet a need for products that can reach a wider target group. In the project, I work with partial digitization of pleating processes and experiments with various IT programs with the potential to test the properties of pleats in the textile and application to several body types by converting 3D body scans of women into avatars. 

Invited as a presenter
Charlotte Hansen's project has already sparked the interest of other professionals, and she has been invited to present her studies and results at the ArchInTex Symposium in Herning 2-3 May. Usually, that honour goes only to PhD students. The title of the symposium, organized by VIA University College - Center for Creative Industries & Professions, is What are Smart Textiles and Bio-Materials in the Anthropocene? View programme here.