Shuttle: A Unique Jacquard Woven Fabric Inspired by Water and Land

An Innovative Design by Yiyuan Kuang

Shuttle stands out from other fabric designs due to its innovative use of jacquard weaving techniques and its attention to detail. Yiyuan Kuang, the mastermind behind this project, aimed to create a visually striking fabric while maintaining good contrast sensitivity. The properties of the fibers and fabric structures played a crucial role in achieving this goal.

The realization of the Shuttle design involved a combination of techniques such as dyeing, color fixing, warp winding, twisting, weaving, washing, and alkalizing. The warp yarns used were 4.44tex, silver, 100% mulberry silk, while the weft yarns consisted of 48s, purple, 100% wool, and 5s, magenta, 95% acrylic, and 5% cotton fancy yarns.

The resulting fabric measures 1240 mm (W) x 2100 mm (L), with the garment size being 170/88A. The intricate weaving process and attention to detail make Shuttle a truly unique and remarkable piece of textile art.

Yiyuan Kuang's vision for Shuttle goes beyond just fabric design. The purpose of this project is to provide an unconventional jacquard woven fabric style, despite the complex working procedure and time required. The creation of Shuttle involves two main steps: spinning and fabric production. Spinning is part of the textile manufacturing process where fibers are converted into yarn, while fabric production includes finishing processes such as washing, heat setting, and alkalizing to achieve the desired outcome.

The Shuttle project was initiated in March 2015 and completed in June 2015 in Hangzhou, China. It was later exhibited at the 9th Hangzhou Cultural and Creative Industry Expo in October 2015, where it garnered significant attention and praise.

Extensive research on material application formed the foundation for the Shuttle design. Yiyuan Kuang drew inspiration from abstract geometric patterns found in nature, aiming to create a fabric rendered in delicate hues of magenta and purple, contrasting against the silver piece that formed the final vignette. The choice of silk, wool, and fancy yarns further enhances the distinctiveness of the finished garment.

Designing Shuttle came with its fair share of challenges. Expressing textures and achieving a rich portrayal with limited colors proved to be a hurdle. Additionally, perfecting the weaving structures to achieve the desired effect required multiple iterations and meticulous attention to detail.

Shuttle is a testament to the innovative potential of jacquard weaving and the exploration of unconventional fashion design. By combining the beauty of water and land, Yiyuan Kuang has created a fabric that is not only visually stunning but also pushes the boundaries of textile art.

Shuttle has been patented under ZL2015 3 0238585.6 by Zhejiang Sci-tech University in 2015, recognized by the State Intellectual Property Office of P.R.C.

This remarkable design has also been awarded the Iron A' Design Award in the Textile, Fabric, Textures, Patterns, and Cloth Design category in 2016. This prestigious accolade is a testament to the practicality, innovation, and professional quality of Shuttle, making it a true gem in the world of design.