Uniting Design and Craftsmanship in the pursuit of innovation.

Combining design and craftsmanship to seek innovation is a different way to create.

Thinking with your hands, you can create exclusive designs.

This has been a constant in my most exclusive textile designs.

And now also in experimental and creative works that lately occupy my time.

Through different creative projects I have been able to unite these two disciplines that for me are so important and necessary: design and craftsmanship.

I use them as tools for creative thinking and work for decorative products and prototypes of textile designs with new materials.

These open up the possibility of new products for exclusive collections and research.

Not only have been these two disciplines, but the last works of textile design I have combined different artistic techniques with many hours of documentation and research of craft and artistic processes.

In Refugallos I have worked with artisanal processes to reach textile designs and new materials.

One of the works that I have recently finished, which has been an important milestone in my career as a textile designer, is the Artistic Design Residency REGA 22 that I did at the Cidade da Cultura.

In this design project entitled "Refugallos" (Waste) I have worked with artisanal processes to reach textile designs and new materials.

I have used natural waste from local Galician industry. 

Materials such as algae, leaves from different plants, agricultural waste, textile fibers, yarns, wool and even plastics were worked by combining craftsmanship and design processes.

The objective: to obtain different textile samples of product designs. 

Among them were lampshades or prototypes of textile designs for carpets. They will be my next designs in 2023 within the clear proposal of Estudio Textil for sustainability and careful local production.

This research work within innovation has allowed me to create designs with freedom. I have worked from the inspiration of architecture in the shapes, proportions and volumes of the designs.

Textures of rocks, made with wool, woven plastic inspired by the wefts of Eisemann's Architecture. Earth colors, grays and even the wind have been key to the textile designs obtained in this Artistic Residency.

You can see the result in this youtube video summary.

In the end I was able to draw many conclusions:

• The need to rethink design and recycling processes.
• Incorporate Craftsmanship thinking together with Design to create together.
• To bring Design closer to Science, to simplify processes and search for more suitable materials.
• Designing from responsibility, eco-design taking into account the life cycle of materials as a fundamental premise.

Ardora unites craftsmanship and design in pursuit of innovation

But it has not only been this project that has united Craftsmanship and Design to seek innovation, also our last launching of an exclusive product of textile design, ARDORA unites these two disciplines.

This collection of textile lamps made on the loom with fiber optics, linen and wood, is a new exclusive design. This lamp links the traditional artisanal processes in weaving with technological innovation.

More information about our woven fiber optic lamp

It is actually an application of RiR & Co Vagalume's exclusive textile design that you can learn about at the following link.

Vagalume, hand woven fiber optic fiber fabrics

For the next 2023 will be a new product of contemporary craftsmanship, with an artistic design. It is inspired by the Ardora Sea phenomenon and will be present at the prestigious Maison Objet Fair in Paris. Located within the space of Ateliers de Art de France, along with French master craftsmen of great prestige.  

https://mom.maison-objet.com/en/product/136004/ardora-textile-light-with-optic-fiber

This adventure of uniting craftsmanship and design in the pursuit of innovation is actually a hallmark of my work at the Textile Studio.

A constant search for tradition. That it is not lost through the study of textile processes and craft techniques from different areas that I have joined to exclusive designs with differentiating materials.

Desenvolvemento Rural Award in the Innovation Category

This work has also been recognized this year with the Desenvolvemento Rural Award in the category of innovation granted by the Galician Agency of Rural Development, Agader, which belongs to the Department of Rural Environment of the Xunta de Galicia.

Delivery of Rural Development Awards, Innovation category to RiR & Co. Consellería Medio Rural.

Not only the most innovative textiles made with optical fiber or milk protein have been taken into account. But this innovative vision of collaborating with other professionals. Designing projects to create wealth in the territory, weaving networks that promote progress in the rural area of Galicia where I am, the promotion of the Crafts of Galicia, have been factors of innovation recognized with this award.

All these design projects, recognitions and work opportunities make me value this year as a determining year for my work.

But I think also to show another vision of craftsmanship more contemporary, linked to innovation and design but without losing its values, its honesty and its deep knowledge of techniques and materials.

In the future I hope to be able to continue developing this line of work, where craftsmanship meets design to find new products or processes that can even link with other professions and disciplines.

Because Craftsmanship and Design have always been united to create innovative objects.