Ideaonly

The straw footwear and …

Posted ideaonly on March 23rd, 2008 | Filed under - living, Production Design

One of the pieces that fascinated us at IMM Cologne was the Pouf de Paille by Tete Knecht. The unusual combination of materials made this memorable, so we tracked down Knecht for more information. We were surprised to discover footwear of the same materials, but we should not have been, as this designer’s portfolio is full of interesting designs.

“I created this combination, after many experiments with materials. The In our imagination, straw is associated with nature. It also evokes collective memories and sensations: it’s soft, comfortable, hot. Since prehistory, it was used inside shoes, for warmth, and it was used for mattress. Mixed with latex – a natural resin, I can mold, and bring the straw from inside to the surface. And it becomes also the structure of the object. absorbs the latex, and from this mix an elastic, flexible and resistant skin is formed.”

“These are prototypes, or artists’ proofs. But, as any new idea, the mix must be developed; the objective is to have a second generation a way to transform it in an industrial one. ”

“In our imagination, straw is associated with nature. It also evokes collective memories and sensations: it’s soft, comfortable, hot. Since prehistory, it was used inside shoes, for warmth, and it was used for mattress. Mixed with latex – a natural resin, I can mold, and bring the straw from inside to the surface. And it becomes also the structure of the object.”

[Via: mocoloco]