KS4 Design and Technology Theory/ Revision

Task 1:

1. To appreciate how changes in

society influence textile

product design

2. To understand some cultural

aspects that affect consumer

demand for new products

3. Consider product sustainability

and social issues.

What type of things can influence?

Political changesDisposable income

Music Architecture Art

Religion Culture Movies

Disability Gender

Who are these people? What influence have they had on fashion?

The little black dress

Pop icons

Jeans and a white t-shirt, the Ramones

Wear your wealth-RunDMCModels represent

minorities

Oasis – Parkers Films frequently influence the catwalk, this is a clip from the hunger games

Celebrities frequently dictate fashion and have their own brands

The sex pistols were the first to wear Vivienne Westwood's creations

Calvin Klein's Francisco Costa

was inspired by the heroine

from the Hunger Games

The Spring 2012 collections of Ralph

Lauren, Gucci and Marc Jacobs all

used influences the jazz age with

dropped waists and Art Deco motifs.

Who influences

your fashion taste?

People with disabilities are now used in both high end fashion and high street brand campaigns.There has been a need for some time now for brands to accept that one size does not fit all and that everyone needs to have a voice or an image.

Social media/internet global travel and immigration has helped the world become a lot smaller in how aware we are of other countries and cultures. This results in people caring more about products, where they come from and that poorer countries have the same rights and liberties as we do in our country.Consumers hold large companies accountable for ensuring this. We also see a lot of cultural influences in fashion.

Task: Investigate your own fashion trend, where

did it come from? Create a mood board that

shows this trend.

Possible areas to research:

- The mini skirt- who invented it, what was

going on in history at the time it was

invented?

- Punk fashion – where did it come from? How

did it originate?

- The female suite, what changed in society so

that women began wearing suits?

Extension: What is your favourite clothing shop/brand? See if you can find any

information about the ethical trading policy of the company.

Task 2:

1. Understand that moral

and ethical issues must be

taken into consideration

when designing products.

2. Understand what is meant

by ethical trading.

Ethical IssuesSome ethical issues a designer might consider are:

• Using fabrics and components that come from a sustainable source.

• Using Fair Trade principles when manufacturing fabrics, components and products.

• Using organically grown fibres that do not use chemical pesticides and fertilisers.

• Using eco friendly manufacturing processes so that the environment is not polluted.

Ethical Issues- further research:

A clip from some Swedish designers

discussing what they are doing to promote

sustainable fashion (3 ½ mins):

http://stylegourmand.blogspot.com/2010/07/eco-chic-towards-sustainable-fashion.html

Some UK designers’ views on Ethical & Sustainable fashion (5 mins):

http://stylegourmand.blogspot.com/2010/01/sustainable-fashion-movement.html

An animated clip showing the impact of sustainable fashion on people working to produce it, & the environment (7 mins):

http://stylegourmand.blogspot.com/2009/12/what-is-impact-of-sustainable-fashion.html

Ethical Issues

• Ensuring that products are appropriate for the target market group. Avoiding body revealing designs in clothing for children for example.

• Avoiding the use of fur or animal skins in products. Some vegetarians will not wear leather for example.

Moral IssuesDesigners might consider the following:

• Ensuring fair wages are paid to workers

• Avoiding the use of child labour.

• Ensuring safe working conditions.

• Making sure workers are not expected to work for long hours every day.

• Investing some of their profits into providing education and health care for workers and their families.

Moral Issues

Slum factories in India (2 ½ mins):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yztXzAllRk&feature=channel

clip of rescued child workers in India (3 mins):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPgOX3S0vQs&feature=channel

Do you still want

cheap clothes?

NAME: People Tree

WHAT THEY SAY: (Some information taken from their website about their business)

SAMPLES OF PRODUCTS: (3 Pictures)

ETHICAL POLICY: (What are they doing to make sure their fashion is ethical?)

WHAT I THINK: What do you think of the store? Do you like their ideas? Why?

NAME: Marks and Spencer

WHAT THEY SAY: (Some information taken from their website about their business)

SAMPLES OF PRODUCTS: (3 Pictures)

ETHICAL POLICY: (What are they doing to make sure their fashion is ethical?)

WHAT I THINK: What do you think of the store? Do you like their ideas? Why?

NAME: Shop of Your Choice

WHAT THEY SAY: (Some information taken from their website about their business)

SAMPLES OF PRODUCTS: (3 Pictures)

ETHICAL POLICY: (What are they doing to make sure their fashion is ethical?)

WHAT I THINK: What do you think of the store? Do you like their ideas? Why?

What is ethical fashion? Why is it important?

In April 2013 1,129 people were killed when a garment factory in Bangladesh collapsed.

2,500 people were injured.

Although several brands were found in the wreckage only 2 retailers admitted they were

using the factory. One of them was Primark.

Use the following considerations to help you structure the article:

Moral influences can have a significant effect on fashion and trends

WHERE: Where a product is made is the choice a responsible designer / company has to make.

Factories to be checked for health & safety.

COST: Where the fabric is produced & how. Employees wages & conditions.

Questions:

1.What is the average wage in Bangladesh?

2.What is the minimum wage in Britain?

Ethical influences can have a significant effect on fashion and trends

Appropriateness of product for its target market.

Inappropriate slogans / body revealing clothes for children

Write a newspaper article that discusses the moral an ethical production of clothing.

Fairtrade:

Ensure you know what Fairtrade is.

Go onto the website:

http://www.fairtrade.org.uk/?gclid=COetjOiguMACFSQXwwodCDQAgg

Why is this important in the textile industry?

Task:1. Research fashion / textile brands that are fairtrade.2. Choose a retailer / brand, relevant to your design

brief / research. Research the retailer on line – go to the ‘about us’ part on their website and see how if they have a social conscience and if they work with Fairtrade.

Task 3:

1. To appreciate why textiles

recycling is important to

society

2. To consider how

contemporary designers

can respond to the

increasing demand for

producers of textile

products to be ethically and environmentally aware

Key terms:

Landfill

customising

Fast

fashion

Slow

clothes

Write a paragraph about each the key terms explaining their meaning and

giving examples.

Task : Research recycled fashion.

• What is it?

• What designers are involved in recycling fashion

• What high street store of recycling exchanges

for old clothes?

A starting point for research:

label ‘Reclaimed to wear’ by designer Orsola de

Castro.

Ext: create your own designs that utilise a recycled

fashion ethos.

Summary:

• Society puts pressure on designers & manufacturers to reduce the impact of textile on the environment

• Careful use of raw materials and natural resources in textile production will ensure they are available to future generations

• Textile technologists are continually seeking to develop new fibres that have improved performance & are sustainable

Task 5:1.Define ‘smart materials’ and explain what factors they respond to 2.Investigate the different types and application of smart materials:

Shape memory alloyThermochromatic pigmentPhotochromic pigment

3. Define ‘modern materials’4.Investigate (explain material and justify applications for):

KevlarHigh density modelling foamPolymorphPrecious metal clays

Smart Materials A Smart material can be defined as a material whose

physical properties change in response to an input. Designers and manufacturers are utilising smart materials in the creation of new consumer products, often making them simpler and easier to use.

Smart materials respond to different factors:

Changes in temperature

Changes in light levels

Changes in pressure (force)

You need to know about 3 smart materials:

Shape memory Alloys (SMA) e.g. Nitinol

Thermochromic pigments

Photochromic pigments

Shape memory alloys Shape memory alloys are metals that have been designed to work in a

particular way in response to the stresses and strains placed on them.

The most common is called ‘nitinol’- an alloy of nickel and titanium. Other SMA can contain a range of other materials such as iron, nickel, cobalt and titanium alloys in varying percentages.

Heat treatment gives the material a memory. For example, a nitinol wire heated by passing an electrical current through it will reduce in length by about 5%. On releasing the current, the wire can be stretched back to its original length.

This material has application in bio-engineering. E.g. a stent tube (nitinol tube in the form of mesh) can be collapsed when chilled. When inserted into a blocked or collapsed artery it will resume its original shape it reaches body temperatures, thereby allowing blood to flow through the vein once again.

Another example includes the plating of broken bones. As the plates reach body temperature, they remember to contract, pulling the fracture together and applying pressure to help bones heal quicker. Normal stainless steel plates tend to slacken causing the bones to move apart again which would delay healing.

‘Memoflex’ glasses are a further example of the use of SMA. These are also nickel / titanium alloys that have the ability to return to their original shape at room temperature after being deformed.

Nitinol- reacting to stimuli

Nitinol braces

Video clip: https://youtu.be/-K57cbOhA5g

To set nitinol…

The heating method can be an air or vacuum furnace, salt bath, sand bath, heated die, or other heating method. The temperature should be in the range of 500º-550ºC. Cooling should be rapid to avoid aging effects; a water quench is recommended.

A nitinol stent

Thermochromatic pigments These are colour pigments that can change colour in response to heat.

The pigments are usually combined with polymers as plastics products are moulded.

The Russell Hobbs 2001 ‘Thermocolour’ kettle, often referred to as the ‘pink kettle’, changes from a cool blue colour when cold to a vibrant pink as it boils. The colour change is also a good safety feature i.e. red associated with danger.

Baby feeding products, such as bowls, spoons and cups made from Tommy Tippee, use thermochromic pigments in their manufacture- again, useful safety function.

Thermocolour film

These pigments are a special type of liquid crystal which when heated will change colour. This has led to the development of temperature testing strips for medical and other applications.

Thermometers

Traditional mercury thermometers can be difficult to read and are extremely dangerous to use with young children. Thermochromicpigments can be engineered to change colour across a range of temperatures. This allows for simple measuring scales.

Batteries

Battery test strips incorporate thermochromatic ink onto a material that heats up as a current passes through. If the battery has sufficient energy to heat up the strip, then it will change colour indicating that the battery is in good condition.

Russell Hobbs’ ThermocolourKettle

Tommy Tippeeheat sensor spoon

Applications for Thermocolour films / thermometers

Power check strip on a battery

Video clip: https://youtu.be/SZ78qNpq3mA

Photochromic pigments Photochromic pigments react to changes in light levels. Photochromic

ink darkens as the light level increases. Some photochromic inks change colour.

The UV light causes the darkening of the ink, which means the ink works best in natural light. This special ink has two main applications; sunglasses and spectacles. However, it is also used in novelty items such as embroidery thread and toys, where colour change takes place according to light level. Nail lacquer / varnish is also available with photochromic technology.

Modern photochromic lenses are manufactured from plastic. The ‘blank’ lenses are carefully heated in a special oven, so that photochromic ink is absorbed by the surface layer. It is the ink molecules in the surface layer of the lens that change shape, due to a chemical reaction caused by UV light. The brighter the natural light (sunlight), the darker the lenses appear.

The tint of a photochromic lens changes according to the intensity of natural light (UV light). Inside a building, the lenses remain clear but they darken when outside in sunlight. Spectacles with this type of lens are comfortable to wear, in all conditions. However, they are more expensive than spectacles with normal, clear lenses.

It is possible to buy nail varnish that changes colour according to the intensity of natural sunlight. The nail varnish / lacquer takes advantage of photochromic technology.

Photo-chromic pigments reacting to UV light

Uses in fashion / beauty

Video clip: https://youtu.be/pnsVks0SshA

Task- Smart Materials1. Define ‘smart materials’ and explain what factors they

respond to

2. Investigate the different types and application of smart materials:

1. Shape memory alloy

2. Thermochromatic pigment

3. Photochromic pigment

Modern Materials Modern materials are considered to be those that have only been available in their present form since the

1960s/70s onwards- some being experimental materials for many years before this.

These materials cannot be considered smart since they do not react in anyway to the environment in which they are used.

You need to know about 4 modern materials:

Kevlar

Precious metal clay

high density modelling foam

Polymorph

Kevlar

Kevlar has five times the strength to weight ratio of steel. The fibres cannot be twisted so they are woven flat and it is this that make it such as useful material for protection as a bullet- and knife-proof vests.

Protection is achieved by applying a number of layers to the garment. Although very structured it remains flexible.

Kelvar is also used in the aerospace industry as linings for jet-engine casings.

When mixed with a polymer, it can be formed to produce armour plating in helicopters, vehicles and helmets.

High density modelling foam

Commonly known and styrofoam

Available in large flat sheets of different thicknesses ranging from 15mm to 100.

It can be shaped using hand and machine tools and takes fine detail well-intricate / complex shapes can be formed. It is often used on computer numerically controlled milling machines.

Allows 3D shapes / models to be produced quickly- very useful in the development stages of a product- to realise the size and shape of a design idea.

It can be easily cut using a range of hand tools such as a coping saw and finished with files and abrasive paper.

Precious metal clay

Mainly used by jewellery makers. This material enables shapes to be formed in much the same way as when using ‘ordinary’ pottery clay.

Made up of 99.9% silver (or gold) with a clay binder and water and feels like, and works the same way, as clay. Because of this, simple modelling tools can be used to create the desired shape.

This is often much quicker than preparing patterns and moulds for casting. PMC commonly used to make bespoke jewellery.

Work is air dried and then fired (heated) to near melting point so that the precious metal particles fuse together to make a solid metallic object.

After firing, the object can be soldered, enamelled and polished as necessary.

1. Define ‘modern materials’

2. Investigate (explain material and justify applications for):

1. Kevlar

2. High density modelling foam]

3. Polymorph

4. Precious metal clays

Extending your learning

There are a lot of modern materials used in many aspects of life. Conduct independent research into:

1. Fibre optics

2. Liquid crystal displays

3. Engineered timbers

4. Metal foams

Task- Modern Materials

Polymorph

Polymorph is a low melting point polymer that find useful applications in prototyping. It softens at 60°C making it possible to fuse the grains of material together followed by manipulation of the material to create the desired shape.

Reheating in hot water will allow for further work to be carried out.

Students often use polymorph to make prototype handle grips or even to simulate an injection moulded plastic product.

Task 6:

Revision Notes:

Learn the information

included in the

following slides.

There are practice

question papers in

which you can test your knowledge

Natural Fabric Synthetic Fabric

Can be harvested from

plants and animals.

They are renewable (you

can always produce more

of them)

They are biodegradable

They are recyclable

They are sustainable

Natural fibres generally are

absorbent (this means they

take dye well)

When they are dry they are

strong but can be weak

when wet (e.g silk)

They have poor resistance

to biological damage e.g

moths and mould.

Synthetic fibres are made

from polymers. Which

mainly come from oil and

coal which are

non-renewable fossil fuels

(they will one day run out).

Synthetic fabrics are less

sustainable than natural

fibres.

Synthetic fabric can be

made to have many

different properties.

Synthetic fibres in general

are resistant to biological

damage.

They are not very

absorbent so they can be

hard to dye.

Biodegradable explainedThis is when a material can be broken down by microorganisms in the ground: silk, cotton, wool are biodegradable.

But be careful although natural fabrics are biodegradable and widely recycled there production is not always good

for the environment, the production of fabric uses vast amounts of energy and water waste.

Organic fabrics like organic cotton reduce this a little.

Fabrics are made with fibres that are spun into yarns. (Yarns can be natural or synthetic,

they are still processed to make fabric in the same way.)

Yarns that are made from filaments are smooth (filaments are long)

Yarns that are made from staple fibres tend to be hairier (staple fibres are short)

Fabric (both synthetic and natural) can be made in 3 ways :

Fabric Construction

1)Woven – by interlacing two sets of yarns

2)Knitted- interlocking one or more yarns together using loops. The loops trap air and so have insulating properties. They stretch more than woven fabrics.(NOTE: this has nothing to do with the closed loop process found in manufacturing)

3) Non-Woven fabrics are layers of fibres (not yarns) held together by bonding or felting.

Non woven

The Bonas-Griffiths loom

Fibres can be combined by blending or mixing.

Fabrics made from a combination of different fibres can give you better properties.

Blending – different fibres make a yarn.

Mixing- two yarns woven together.

Polycotton is a common blended fibre it is a blend of polyester and cotton.

Blending these two make a fabric that is even stronger, less absorbent so dries quickly, soft and

comfortable, easier to iron, doesn’t shrink as easily, but unfortunately is highly flammable.

Blending and Mixing Fibres