Furmidable;
A Study Of
Chiengora Fibers
Thesis by Cynthia Chan
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2022.07
Exhibited in
SDW2022 Emerge @ FIND
PDW2022 Nature of Things
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Special thanks to
Hans Tan
Christophe Gaubert
The Research
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01
My initial study on chiengora fibres (dog fur) was done to challenge people to think about re-usable resources. Furmidable is a new take on utilising clipped dog hairs, a by-product of grooming services, as an abundant and ethical alternative to the fur industry. As these fibres are considered luxury fibres, it is not uncommon for dog hairs to be spun & used in textiles today (Fig. 1). However, studies has stated that the chiengora fibres are coarser in nature, hence making yarn spinning challenging.
Fig .1
Photo source: http://erwanfichou.org/
Therefore, the less usage of these fibres are attributed to the limitation of using undercoat fur, collected from specific dog breeds. In other words, majority of the fur collected, still go to waste. With that in mind, I then started to explore and further investigate the raw, expressive qualities of these fibres to expand its possibilities. (Fig. 2 & 3)
Fig. 2. Documentation of initial material exploration
Fig. 3. Documentation of material manipulation techniques
02
Beyond the initial material study, the project explores the provocation of the less ethical side of the usage of these fibres.
Fur, as a textile, is viewed by many to be sadistic. Undeniably, The embodied nature of fur, & its origin as a soft cover for a (once) living creature, arguably positions it as an essentially deathly fabric. The emotion attached to the use of fur undoubtedly heightens when it comes from a domestic animal (Dogs). Despite that, millions of dogs are skinned in China each year and sold in fur markets around the country.
As humans, we are interrelated with nature. By augmenting the harmony of man and nature, the project highlights ethical issues around the relationship between two beings, the human and the domestic dog. Furmidable is set against a narrative represented in environmental contexts and limited to using material from the domestic pet.
Photo source: unknown
03
The research project aims to showcase the irony of the canine-human relationship, in which the attachment is unlike any other domestic animal, setting it apart from the animal kingdom. This distinction had been rendered over the centuries through the development of many breeds, placing the domestic dog at the crossroads of the living and the affective object.
The Design
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04
Through repositioning preconceptions and pushing the threshold of material possibilities, the project pushes these boundaries, devising processes and formulating fabrication techniques, to utilise the material in ways it has not been used before.
Resulting from taxonomic research on the multifaceted properties of dog fur, the collection of pelts (Fig. 4) was handcrafted from specific hair of common and familiar breeds (Fig. 5). The independently developed technique aims to process the fiber waste into a soft yet hyperrealistic pelt-like textile. This resulted in fur appearances that are evocative of the dog from which they originated.
Fig. 4. First prototypes completed in 2021
Fig. 5. Dog fur samples collected from discarded dog fur from pet groomers
Adopting the form of a hide, like one of a tiger from the colonial era, or one of a lamb found among shelves in IKEA. These pelts dabble between the uncanny familiarity of their origin and the awkward otherness.
The body of work is a symbolic representation of the modern-day dog breeding and grooming culture, in which the animals are selected for certain physical characteristics. Realistic, yet unfamiliar, the Furmidable Pelts are deliberately discursive objects highlighting the dark side of artificial cuteness and appeal.
Fig. 6. Second prototype completed in July 2022
05
Beyond provocation, these Furmidable Pelts reimagines and utilise clipped dog hairs, a by-product of a potential circular economy of pet grooming services, as an abundant and ethical alternative to the fur industry.
Hence these proposals aim to spotlight the potential of harnessing a circular design and a zero waste approach that promotes more ethical material sources and usage for the textile industry.
Press & Exhibtion:
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Nature of Things Exhibition @ Paris Design Week 2022:
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Emerge @ FIND Exhibition @ Singapore Design Week 2022:
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School of Tomorrow Exhibition @ Singapore Design Week 2023:
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Nature of Things Exhibition @ Bangkok Design Week 2024:
