Trend Forecast:
Seeing the unseen
In recent years inclusivity has become a more important topic, especially with race, gender, sexuality, and size. While there have been big strides in those areas, there is another one that is still waiting to make its breakthrough, which is medical disabilities. The number of disabilities is currently at 1.3 billion and continues to grow more and more each day, with it being predicted that everyone is likely to experience one at some point. Some progress has been made, such as Collina Strada, The Valuable 500, The Paralympic Committee, and celebrities pushing to end the exclusion by including those with medical disabilities. There are still pressing issues with lack of accessibility, lack of accommodations, and lack of representation. In the end, we are left to wonder where we failed in the past when our focus shifted to those who are able-bodied and those who are perfect. How do we shift those standards? We first need to start by changing the narrative of the word perfect. It needs to have a more inclusive definition and one that covers representation of all. Because, in the end, all anyone has ever wanted to be is seen, heard, and accepted.
Visual POSITIONING Board
Sustainability
According to the World Health Organization, hospitals produce almost 85% of waste that is noninfectious and can be recycled. This waste includes food containers, packaging materials, gloves, and, now, masks. A lot of these materials are being improperly disposed of though, either ending up in landfills or being burned. This can also lead to contaminated drinking water, which can cause medical disabilities. Looking forward, by having Mohawk Carpet Group implement a program where they can gather waste from hospitals, they can then use that to create the Breakthrough Collection. Latex gloves can be made into the carpet backing, while the rest is used to make the carpet. Once made, it can then be put back into healthcare settings. This then allows for representation of those with medical disabilities, because of the recycled material and the patterning.
Trend forecast to carpet
There is a lot that is overlooked, misrepresented, or just not represented at all when it comes to medical disabilities. The first step was to narrow down my focus to just a few disabilities, that way it would not be too overwhelming. I ended up choosing autism awareness, sign language for the deaf, braille for the blind, and wheelchair usage as my main points. During the research process, I found inspiration that would end up being used for my final carpet design, such as butterflies, words in braille, tire tracks, and hand symbols. I also discovered a disability pride flag from which I took the colors and then inverted them while playing with the hue and saturation. This way something unique was created, while also taking inspiration from it. From this, I then used them to influence my final carpet design.
The Breakthrough Collection
SEEN
HEARD
ACCEPTED
Specifications
The Breakthrough Collection includes 3 different colorways, that took inspiration from the disability pride flag. Since the collection is made from recycled hospital waste and represents medical disabilities, it is mainly going to be applied in healthcare settings. The carpet will have a multi-level cut loop. This was chosen as wheelchairs can best maneuver over it. The backing will be latex, which comes from recycled gloves. I have chosen to make my pattern into a rug, as it would be hard to match up the tiles with a carpet.
Product Type: Rugs
Manufacturer: Mohawk Group
Rug Dimensions: 5’x8’, 8’x10’, and 9’x12
Fibers /Materials: Nylon
Nylon Construction: Multi-Level Cut Loop
Dye Method: Solution Dyed
Pile Height: ½ to ⅜ inch
Backing: Recycled Latex Gloves
Colorways
Installations
All installations are shown throughout different areas of a hospital.
