Browsing by Subject "tekstiilien kiertotalous"

This study examined darning and patching as a modern handicraft phenomenon characterized by sustainable development and circular economy. With the current accelerated pace of production in the clothing industry, the quality of clothing has become weaker, and the amount of textile waste has increased. The aim of textile circular economy is to minimize textile waste generated by both the industry and consumers by keeping products and materials in circulation for as long as possible without reducing their value. Darning and patching are ways of mending clothes and extending their lifespan but also ways to reduce the need for new clothing and the amount of textile waste generated. Nowadays visible repairs in clothing can also be seen as a statement for so called “slow fashion” and more personal clothing. The study approached darning and patching through publications distributed on the photo sharing application Instagram, with the aim of elucidating the meanings and messages conveyed by photographs and hashtags related to darning and patching. The study was a qualitative study in which three-step connotative image analysis, one of the semiotic methods of image research, was used as the research method. The research material was photographs (N = 20) and related hashtags (N = 340) associated in darning and patching published by private individuals from public Instagram user accounts. The images in the sample displayed four different craft techniques: darning, patching, embroidery, and rug technique. The objects in the images were mostly ordinary clothes and wool socks. The analysis found sustainability and respect for clothing as the most important themes present in the images and hashtags. In addition, darning and patching appeared as part of the Finnish handicraft tradition, which helps to keep clothes and materials in use for longer. The research material also highlighted how visible mending can make repaired clothes unique and simultaneously increase the motivation for further mending. Furthermore, mending commonly appeared as a form of self-expression and hobby promoting mental well-being.