From 15 to 21 April 2024, Fabrica presents Telare la Materia by young designer Davide Balda at Milan’s Fuorisalone. The project is part of the seventh edition of Alcova, a curatorial platform born in 2018 that brings together independent brands, galleries, and emerging designers who investigate the future of living and doing at Fuorisalone Milano.
Inspired by the concept of the Symbiocene, a new era in which humans find more sustainable ways to interact with other living beings and the environment, Telare la Materia is a project supported by Benetton Group’s Sustainability Department. It aims to search possible applications to address the textile industry’s impact on the environment and encourage the disposal of garments where they are produced.
The collected garments come from Green B, a line within United Colors of Benetton collections characterized by sustainability features. Through a manual grinding process, the products are reduced to both synthetic and organic textile fibers, and become raw materials that will be reused for other applications.
Telare la Materia offers two different uses: technosoil and building material. In the former, textile fiber is used as a plant substrate and fertilizer for plant growth. In the latter, technosoil is combined with clay scraps from the Sile river to create vernacular architectural modules and elements, following a circular approach.
Davide Balda
Originally from Genoa, Italy, Davide Balda (1998) is a multidisciplinary designer interested in researching new materials and sustainable production processes. He graduated in Product Design from IED in Turin and holds a master’s degree in Design, Creativity and Social Practices from the Unidee Academy of Fondazione Pistoletto in Biella.
Davide identifies himself as an archeodesigner who researches and studies techno-fossils, or fossils of the future. These are natural and artificial residues produced by human activities, useful for investigating the past, reinterpreting history and creating materials or artifacts. He is currently participating in an artistic residency at Fabrica, Benetton Group’s research center.
