A&D ANNUAL 2021

Hannah Felton

Textile waste has become a topic of concern for many consumers today. As the trend cycle of sneakers continues to shift rapidly, producing cheap and accessible footwear contributes to the global waste problem. Expanding on the social significance of the once sports shoe outlined by Iain Deny and Thomas Turner, ‘RE. LAB’ explores the proliferation of sneaker consumption while further investigating trend appreciation and rejection as a social performance driven by a shoe that has a cult-like following; the sneakerheads. ‘RE. LAB’ inspects overconsumption within the context of technology in the 21st century, by examining sneakerheads’ relationship to trends. Outdated sneakers are reworked into hybrid sneakers, and co-design methods aim to have a continuous loop business model, woven to allow future modification and development. The research responds to overconsumption and shifting trends. ‘RE. LAB’ invites consumers to rethink their purchasing habits by utilising waste products while providing a custom solution. The custom approach provides consumers with a unique and personalised footwear option that anticipates longer wear, provoking future conversation in sustainable sneaker production by bringing new modes of appreciation to something outdated.