UDIT students showcase recycled fashion designs at Royal Tapestry Factory Madrid

The Royal Tapestry Factory (RFT, Real Fábrica de Tapices) in Madrid is hosting an exhibition about weaving looms using recycled fashion garments.

Entitled, ‘Gestos’, which translates as ‘gestures’ in English, the exhibition features the designs of more than 100 students from the University of Design, Innovation and Technology (UDIT) in Madrid.

For the project, the designers have decorated 19 looms with 100 kilos of recycled or discarded fashion garments, a news article of the RFT website reads.

‘Gestos’ is an initiative organised as part of the Fashion Revolution Week conference, which Spanish fashion group Tendam kicked off in Spain by donating more than 100 kilos of fashion garments in the process of being discarded.

Students of UDIT fashion management and fashion design programmes join forces

The materials were collected by the students of the bachelor degree in fashion management and communication at UDIT so that their fellow students from UDIT’s degree in fashion design could devise, conceptualise and develop these textiles.

The exhibition consists of 19 looms, with hands featuring as the protagonists. The designs are intended to develop an existential and metaphysical philosophy through space, structures, techniques, matter and light, with the intention of reflecting on what it means to redesign current production systems around a culture of values with their social and ecosystemic implications, the news article on RFT’s website reads.

Commenting on the news in a statement, Alejandro Klecker de Elizalde, general director of the RFT, pointed out that “the exhibition responds to the sustainable and circular economy approach of the Royal Tapestry Factory Madrid.”

He continued: “This is evident in its compliance with national and international environmental regulations, which include measures such as the recycling of the water used in the tapestry washing and dyeing process, which has led to an energy saving of 50 percent”.

UDIT fashion student collaborate on sustainable fashion exhibition at Royal Tapestry Factory

The director of the fashion department at UDIT, Maruca García Paredes, on her part highlighted the university's responsibility when it comes to the circular economy.

"Our responsibility lies in raising awareness in the university community and in training committed professionals and providing them with the tools to enable us to have a better future," she said.

The department director added that the exhibition "is part of the ‘Sustentare’ educational project, which was created to allow introspection and the expression of emotions using [our] hands."

‘Gestos’ is open to the public free of charge until October 11 from 9 AM to 10 AM and from 2 PM to 3 PM. It is necessary to book one’s spot in advance. Those interested can contact the Real Fábrica de Tapices directly via email or phone.