Shaping memory

“Shaping memory” is an upcycled fashion collection made from discarded nylon stockings.

After the light bulb, nylon tights are the second best-known case of “planned obsolescence”. This is a policy whereby companies deliberately limit the useful life of products by shortening their lifespan. Since nylon stockings are mainly made from petroleum, they have to be disposed of in the residual waste and are therefore a real environmental crime. The material they are made of is called a polymer and has a shape memory. It can “remember” its original shape and take it on again when a certain stimulus is applied to it.

To give discarded and thrown away nylon stockings a new shape, research has helped to show that the material with memory can participate in the design process and expand the concept of “shape memory”.

Salvaging nylon stockings from her neighbourhood, Natalia has transformed them into “Nylon Couture” to give these humble garments a second life.