Lava Cap

For this project I chose the baseball cap. Traditionally, it is made of several materials and requires a lot of cutting and sewing. In this project I have reduced the number of different materials used. The idea is to reduce the shape of the cap to a simple basic shape for several reasons: 1. simplicity of the manufacturing process 2. reduction of waste materials 3. possibility to make different shapes from one basic shape. Finally, I chose the capsule shape because it resembles the shape of a baseball cap. After the paper pulp has been poured and dried, the mold is removed and cut to the desired shape. In the final step, the sunshade is folded into its final position.

Material: Paper pulp and polyester fiber
The second step of the project was to use alternative materials. I chose an alternative synthetic material, namely polyester fibers, because they are inexpensive and thermoplastic. Mixed with the paper fibers, I used the strength of the dried paper and the flexibility of the synthetic fibers to my advantage – mainly by melting the polyester fibers afterwards. It was a difficult challenge to mix a natural material with a synthetic one, as the synthetic fibers are water-repellent and constantly mat together. You can see some fibers on the surface of the cap, which gives the cap a special look. I think there is room for improvement. Nevertheless, I am more than satisfied with the end result.