EMBRACE THE STAIN: EXPLORING THE POTENTIAL OF FAILURE IN TEXTILE DESIGN

This paper addresses the issue of accidental stains on textiles as opposed to intentional printing and dyeing practices. The subject of study is individual and collaborative craft design strategies which are centred around the stain and its treatment. The nature and types of stains as well as varied opinions and interpretations that reflect social constructions, norms, and values around it are observed. The creative potential of the stain for textile artists and designers who experiment with print and dye, delving into the possibilities of stain and questioning the borderlines between those are analysed. Those are compared to various amateur approaches that people employ to treat the stain, illustrated with the results of a series of workshops on mending stained kitchen textiles, led by MendIt Research Laboratory. The study reveals that despite stains being traditionally viewed as unwanted accidents, they possess the potential and provocation to inspire novel approaches in textile design, acting as a unique foundation for design decisions and fostering innovation within the field.