NATURALLY COLORED COTTON -AN ECO-FRIENDLY SOFT FURNISHING MATERIAL FOR INTERIOR DESIGN
Dr. Vijeta Bhatore
Dept. of Fashion Technology, Govt. Women’s Polytechnic College Indore Ms. Afroz Adil
Dept. of Architecture & Interior Design, Govt. Women’s Polytechnic College Indore Abstract- Interior design is a blooming industry in this era. The job of an interior designer is to provide comfortable and luxurious interiors to their clients. Interior designing includes designing any given built-up space including its flooring, ceiling, furniture, wall finishes, accessories and many more. A building has a number of fenestrations in it for air and light ventilation. These fenestrations need to be covered with the help of tapestry so that privacy, acoustical comfort as well as aesthetics can be maintained. Furniture also needs upholstery for that added comfort and luxury. This tapestry and upholstery togetheristermed as soft furnishing. A number of materials are available in the market for doing soft furnishing in interior spaces.It is the designer’s look out to choose the best option amongst the available range. This material choice can depend on the budget, design theme, climatic conditions of the site, footfall and other such criteria. One such criterion is environment and its sustenance which is in dire need ofthe designer’s attention. Sustainable and eco-friendly materials for interior designing should be opted so that environment can be conserved for the future generations. This paper deals with one such eco-friendly soft furnishing material that is naturally colored cotton. This research explains naturally colored cotton and its advantages over other artificially manufactured fabrics. The study also talks about the problems of why naturally colored cotton is not becoming the first choice of consumers as well as the designers. These problems have been discussed with practicing interior designers.Also this research is an effort to raise awareness about naturally colored cotton amongst the interior designers so that they can opt for this eco-friendly soft furnishing material in their design projects.
Keywords: Interior Design, naturally colored cotton, soft furnishing, upholstery, tapestry, eco-friendly material.
1. INTRODUCTION
Naturally colored cotton originated in America around 5000 years ago in Andes. The color range of naturally colored cotton is from tan to brown to green. It is the need of the sustainable future. Designers are still not aware of this naturally available material that is eco-friendly too. This research brings forth the problems naturally colored cotton is facing in attaining global acceptance as a soft furnishing material in interior designing.
1.1 Naturally Colored Cotton
It is a naturally grown plant product like cotton but in some ways, it is different from the traditional white colored cotton. It can be grown in a limited range of colors that include red, green and shades of brown. This cotton has shorter and weaker fibers. The plus point with this cotton is it is softer than the normal white cotton; alsoits color doesn’t fade on washing on the other hand the color gets darker with each wash. Yield of naturally colored cotton is less and it requires special harvesting techniques and so is not more popular amongst designers.Naturally colored cotton is a natural fiber and so it is eco-friendly and causes no harm to the nature as compared to other artificially manufactured fabrics. It is a new product in the market and so not much research and development is done on it.
1.2 Eco Friendly
The word eco-friendly means that it shouldn’t harm the ecological system. Such materials can be naturally harnessed or manufactured using such techniques which cause zero or minimal harm to the eco system. These materials once discarded don’t pose any hazardous harm to the environment that means they can be easily biodegradable. Naturally colored cotton is an eco-friendly material as it is grown naturally without any use of dyes or
harmful chemicals. Also when dumped, this doesn’t cause any serious harm to the surroundings and can be decomposed easily.
1.3 Interior Design
It is a creative field where the designer takes up designing projects of building interiors.
This includes designing of flooring, walls, ceiling, lighting, wall openings, furniture, accessories, etc. of residences, offices, cooperate buildings, shops, shopping malls, multiplexes, hotels, resorts, restaurants, community halls, places of worship, vehicles, terraces, balconies, etc. Interior design is a flourishing industry where theme-based designing can be in a very luxurious way or in a very sustainable and subtle manner. The design of any project depends on the client’s demand; budget; social, cultural and economic status; occupation; climatic conditions of the site; building orientation; etc. An interior designer should incorporate sustainable construction techniques using naturally available materials so that the design becomes environmentally friendly and causes minimal or no harm to the earth.
1.4 Soft Furnishing–
Interior designing involves designing furniture, walls and wall openings. These wall openings are covered with fabric and this fabric is known as tapestry. Tapestry is used to protect the interiors from the harsh sun, dust and wind. Also tapestry adds to the aesthetical beauty of the interior spaces and also helps filter sound to a certain extend.
Furniture like sofas and chairs need soft cushioning which is then covered by upholstery material. Upholstery beautifies the furniture and renders a luxurious feel to the furniture.
Upholstery and tapestry together can be termed as soft furnishings. Market is full of various soft furnishing materials like cotton, silk, brocade, velvet, leather, wool, and the list goes on. Since soft furnishing is being used is a large quantity in interior designing, designers must opt for eco-friendly and sustainable materials to protect the environment.
1.5 Advantages and Limitations of Naturally Colored Cotton-
Like every material available even naturally colored cotton has its pluses as well as minuses. A few advantages and limitations of this fabric are stated below.
Advantages:
Naturally colored and ecofriendly material.
Naturally colored green cotton is an excellent sun repellent as compared to unbleached traditional white cotton. White cotton needs to be treated with different dyes and finishes to gain the same properties. The consumers using naturally colored cotton can sun protection too.
This cotton doesn’t need any extra fabric dye as they are dyed naturally.
The color of this naturally colored cotton doesn’t fade with repeated wash or laundry on the contrary it gets darker with each wash.
The cost of naturally colored cotton falls out to be less as compared to the artificial dying process of the white cotton.
Limitations:
The fiber of naturally colored cotton is small and so it is not appropriate for heavy machine spinning.
The small size fiber makes it difficult to use it for manufacturing of clothing on a very large production scale.
Limited variety of color range.
Blending with other fibers can lose original qualities of this naturally colored cotton.
2. LITERATURE REVIEW
M. S. Parmar&M. S. Parmar (2002)-“Development of various colors and shades in naturally colored cotton fabrics”: In this research paper the author says that camel brown and olive green colored naturally colored cotton can be blended with traditional white cotton and then can be treated with different chemicals to obtain various shades
of cotton. This naturally colored cotton can also be bleached with hydrogen peroxide.
By doing these processes the brown and green colored natural cotton changes its color drastically. Also experiment shows that laundry treatment of this naturally colored cotton stabilizes its color. This research talks about the ways of bringing out more color variations of naturally colored cotton and its washing and maintenance techniques.
Sema Palamutcu, Ali Serkan Soydan, ArzuYavaş, Ozan Avinc, Gizem Karakan Günaydina and Mehmet Demirta (2019)- “Evaluation of fiber, yarn, and woven fabric properties of naturally colored and white Turkish organic cotton”: This research highlights the fact that wet textile processing poses a threat to the environment and this can be avoided by using naturally colored cotton. This paper focuses on the air permeability and mechanical qualities of naturally colored Turkish organic cotton.
Yarn and fabric properties of naturally colored cotton were carried out using ANOVA statistical approach. The tests revealed that white as well as naturally colored Turkish organic cotton have satisfactory mechanical and air permeability properties and hence these fabrics can be used to make apparel garments.
3. METHODOLOGY
For conduction of this research primary and secondary data were collected and analyzed.
For primary data a questionnaire of 10 questions regarding to the awareness and other related points of naturally colored cotton was prepared on Google form and was given to 20 practicing interior designers and 20 academicians for their responses. These responses were collected and then analyzed and result was drawn out from them. And for the secondary data literature review of related research papers were done and analyzed.
Conclusion of this research paper is based on these literature reviews and on the responsesof the questionnaire.
4. DATA ANALYSIS
As naturally colored cotton is an eco-friendly fabric, more and more interior designers should opt it for their interior design projects as a better and sustainable alternative for soft furnishings. A questionnaire was prepared comprising of ten questions and responses of these questions was obtained from 20 practicing interior designers and 20 academicians.
This questionnaire brought forth the level of awareness regarding naturally colored cotton amongst the interior designers.
The first question was whether the interior designers are aware of naturally colored cotton fabric. 71% of the designers and academicians said that they were not aware whereas 29% of them said that they were aware of naturally colored cotton fabric.
The next question was regarding the various applications of naturally colored cotton in interior spaces. Designers were not much aware of the naturally colored cotton material but they were very much aware about the applications and importance of natural and ecofriendly material in interior spaces. The many uses they enlisted included tapestry, upholstery, false ceiling, rugs, wall hangings and lamp shades.
The designers were asked that whether they are using naturally colored cotton in their projects and if no then why they are not using it.18% of the designers used naturally colored cotton in their interior works.82% of the designers are not using this organic fabric in their projects as they are not aware of the fabric. Also if they are aware of the fabric they don’t know its strengths and weaknesses and so cannot make the apt use of the fabric.
Next the designers were asked that naturally colored cotton is suitable for which design concepts or themes. A majority that is around 89% of the designers said that since naturally colored cotton is available in earthy shades that are greens and browns,so they can be used for both contemporary as well as traditional themes. 11% of them were not sure as to which design theme is best suitable for naturally colored cotton.
The designersand academicians were also asked that how can awareness regarding naturally colored cotton be increased amongst the interior designers. For this the designers and academicians had a mixed viewpoint. 45% of them said that regular workshops, seminars, conferences and training sessions should be conducted by the
industries to increase the awareness of the new materials in the market. 40% of them said that design organizations should take the initiative for advertising the new products. Whereas 15% of them said that government should take some actions and launch some schemes for the same.
A question that whether design organizations like IIID (Indian Institute of Interior Design) should intervene to increase the awareness of the fabric. 68% of the designers said that yes,such organizations should come forward and create awareness amongst the design fraternity. They said these organizations should take the responsibility to advertise the new products entering the market. 32% of the designers said that it is the job of the government to spread awareness regarding the new materials.
They were asked that should the subject of building materials include eco-friendly and sustainable materials in the list and if yes then which materials they think are a must.
Everyone agreed to the fact that yes,building materials subject should include the new eco-friendly materials in the curriculum. Majority of the list included bamboo, naturally colored cotton, jute, rattan and recycled plastic products.
The designers and academicianswere also asked that how can they encourage other designers and their colleagues to opt for naturally colored cotton as a soft furnishing material for their design projects. Here 79% of them had a say that the aware can be created by the method of word of mouth. The designers who are aware of the fabric should use it more and more so that other designers can come to know about the benefits of the fabric. On the other hand, 21% said that such new materials can be discussed in social and official gatherings of designers and academicians.
Along with naturally colored cotton which all eco-friendly soft furnishings they are using in their work. The range of eco-friendly soft furnishing materials is very little as far as its usage is concerned. Designers enlisted cotton, wool, jute and linen in the list but again linen being a very soft material is restricted to a much-defined domain.
The designers were asked that how do they update their knowledge of the new upcoming materials in the market. 60% of the designers agreed that their knowledge is being updated through the advertisements in newspapers, internet and design magazines. 10% said they get to know about the new products through the material vendors in the market. 25% had to say that they update their knowledge through social media. Remaining 5% said that colleagues and their competitors are the best source of upgrading their knowledge.
From the above data analysis, it became very clear that a majority of the designers as well as academicians were unaware of naturally colored cotton and its benefits. Industries, government and design organizations need to make constant efforts and advertise such organic eco- friendly materials so that the future can be saved. Design concepts should be molded in such a way that such materials can make a mark in it. Interior design projects should be dealt in a manner that the pluses of these eco-friendly materials can be taken advantage of. Frequent revisions of design curriculum should be done so that the new materials and the research done on them can be made available to the students.
5. CONCLUSION
Naturally colored cotton is a very good alternative eco-friendly material that can be incorporated in the interior spaces as a soft furnishing material. It is durable and falls out to be cheaper as it doesn’t need any dying process. Certain areas like increasing the length of the fiber do need research and development. The limitations of naturally colored cotton are less as compared to the benefits it renders. From the above study the conclusion that is drawn is that interior designers are not much aware of the naturally colored cotton fabric and so their usage in their respective field is very limited. Combine efforts of individual and design organizations need to be made to make naturally colored cotton more accepted amongst the design fraternity. Social media, seminars, conferences and workshops should be organized regularly to increase awareness regarding such eco-friendly and sustainable materials coming up in the market. Also, academic institutes should keep updating their syllabus time to time so that the young generation is taught about these materials in their early years itself. Such materials require a strong back up and if they are accepted in the market can prove to provide an eco-friendly environment.
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