Hi everyone, my name is Hannah Elisabeth Jones and I am based in the Arts and Humanities Department, as well as the Science and Engineering department, at Manchester Metropolitan University.
My research specialises in bio-based materials and natural dyes, blending an interest in organic materials with an ethical commitment to developing an ecologically sensitive practice. For my PhD, I am researching bio-based materials in design, but more specifically, I am investigating the properties and applications of plant fibres in my local area.
I have fallen in love with the future through circular design, because it has allowed me to gain an understanding of nature’s beautiful systems and how necessary they are for our survival. Through educating ourselves about circular design, we can imagine a future where nature is given more opportunity to take back control.
In my work, I am always questioning the origin and lifespan of materials. I strive towards a future without needless materials, without soil destruction, and without trends. How can we install longevity into systems, objects, and materials? How can we abolish the concept of waste in order to value and protect resources? Circular design needs to become standard practice.
At the moment, my favourite example of circular design is the home-grown home-spun project by North West England Fibreshed. A field of flax was grown in Blackburn this summer, then harvested and processed ready to be spun into a fibre – all done by hand. This thread will then be woven into a textile, dyed with locally grown woad, and sewn into clothing.