Research Shirts: a journey from sustainable to circular textile design

In this chapter, I explore the idea of ‘indiscipline’ and not obeying the rules – in particular the rules that the exploitative, linear fashion industry has created, and how these apply to textile designers. My ‘territory of expression’ is fashion textile design which addresses a concern for the environment, through the creative exploration of sustainable and circular design approaches. As I review some of the upcycled shirts I have made, I aim to build on the idea of indiscipline – looking for where I was breaking the rules – in order to uncover new opportunities and insights to support future pioneers in the field.