Blue Dust

The shape of the hat arose from the idea of designing a clear form that is reduced, elegant and also a little unusual. The arrangement of the two interlocking curves does not specify any particular orientation of the hat. It can be turned and tilted as desired and thus adapted to different situations and the position of the sun. The fashionable accessory is produced using fiber casting from recycled textile dust and bioplastics, the texture of which is reminiscent of a classic felt hat. To counter possible associations of the original material with grey dust, the fiber mixture was dyed in a plain blue.

Material: textile fibers and bioplastic
The hat consists of fibers that are produced when used textiles are torn. The fibers are too short for the textile industry to process them further. This dust is therefore normally pressed into bricks and incinerated. In fiber casting, however, the fibers can still be used. A bioplastic (water, starch, glycerine, vinegar) serves as a binding agent, which makes it possible to glue the fibers and thus make the hat durable. If the plastic is removed from the fibers, the components can be recycled. In any case, this ensures that the fibers remain in circulation for longer before they are incinerated. Experimentation shows that strong differences in the structure can be seen with different ratios of binder and fiber. The material can also be processed afterwards. Pressure and heat are used to smooth and compress the surface, making it thin and stable.