Exhale Supernova

Nov 01, 2019

Written by Hoi Bo

Exhale Supernova is the expression of a fundamentally new ecosystem for our studio practice. It's not just about creating another shirt or bag. Exhale Supernova lives and breathes in the space between design, craft and technology, where we explore new ideas and push paradigms. It's an honest and deep conversation about what sustainability truly means.

By it's very nature, the process of cut-and-sew manufactuing of apparel means that there is significant textile waste resulting from the leftover fabric between individual pattern pieces. Experts estimate that this waste can be as high as 15% of the total amount of material used to produce each garment. Off-cuts from garment production, in ideal situations are recycled, but more often than not, end up as landfill. This is no longer environmentally sustainable.

Through our exploration of new knit technologies, we can contribute to the elimination of waste generated by cut-and-sew manufacturing, which is the most widely used method of clothing production. Because our shapes are knitted, not cut, material waste is less than 2%.

Exhale Supernova is about crafting a life with a quietly thoughtful approach and a spirit of "just enough"; where true worth is more than a beautiful object — it's about the journey from here to there.

Sashiko - To wear, to use, for days, for years.

Oct 15, 2019

Written by Hoi Bo

My love of sashiko is in the intention of the art - to preserve and restore the pieces you wear most often. The pieces that reflect your life experiences and memories. It’s the art of aging gracefully.

Originating in ancient Japan, Sashiko means “little stabs” - a reflection of the running stitches that makes up sashiko’s geometric patterns. Sashiko is often described as “functional embroidery” and is a balance between an appreciation of beauty and a practical technique.

Sashiko is thought to have started out during the Edo era (1615-1868) in Japan and was well- established as a home-art by the Meiji era (1868-1912).

Considered a “folk textile” produced and used by the peasant classes, sashiko was winter work for women in fishing and farming communities. The embroidery technique was used to extend the life of worn fabrics and clothing in a beautiful way.

Mending textiles and clothing was essential as industrialized fabric production didn’t come to Japan until the 1870’s and even then, was still out of reach for many people.

Sashiko is the basis for Boro which means “tattered rags”. Traditionally done with white cotton threads on indigo blue dyed cloth, this home-art is a process were cloth is neatly patched together using sashiko stitches to cover and reinforce worn areas.

The art of Boro extended the lifespan of clothing and household textiles. When garments wore out they would be quilted together creating stronger, warmer clothing.

The Japanese word Mottainai has a two part meaning; do not waste and be thankful. In traditional Japanese culture nothing was wasted — byproducts created from the process of making one item were repurposed and used in the creation of another — never wasting what is valuable. Mottainai is a guiding principle we live by in our studio practise and reflect on as we set our sustainability goals for the future.

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Exhale Supernova

Sashiko - To wear, to use, for days, for years.