As interest continues to rise in sustainable and vegan leather alternatives, two Mexican entrepreneurs have founded Desserto, an organization dedicated to exploring the capabilities of the Opuntia cactus, more commonly known as the prickly pear. This perennial grower can yield organic material to harvest every six to eight months for about eight years. No irrigation systems are needed, it is dried under the sun and naturally tanned, …
Designed by NYC-based architecture firm SO-IL, the Japan Society‘s Boro Textiles: Sustainable Aesthetics exhibition introduces audiences to folklorist and cultural anthropologist Chuzaburo Tanaka’s personal collection of vintage Japanese pieces along with contemporary garments by pioneers of Japanese fashion like Rei Kawakubo of Comme des Garçons, Issey Miyake, and Yohji Yamamoto. The presentation bridges the gap between new and old, dually representing anonymous individuals who forged this medium …
It’s not surprising that Japan and its incredible craft culture is changing along with that in other parts of the world, with new techniques, often enabled by technology, creating similar products to those painstakingly created by hand. Companies that have been in business for hundreds of years, often family owned, are increasingly giving up their traditional craft or fighting to stay relevant and financially stable. …
