Online/ Talk / Dyeing
This talk presents research and findings from Larissa Zemke's Master's thesis, Rethinking Textiles in an Age of Waste: A Study of Japanese Traditional and Contemporary Textiles, developed through a year of field research in Japan (2019–2020). Using a research-creation methodology, the project examines how traditional Japanese textile practices and philosophies offer lessons for textile sustainability today, with a focus on translating those insights into the activewear industry.
Drawing on archival research, interviews with artisans, and hands-on material experimentation, the talk explores how Japan's textile heritage, from bast fiber cultivation to traditional dye and weaving practices, informs more circular, less wasteful approaches to material design. Larissa shares how these findings shaped tangible design proposals, illustrating how traditional knowledge can inform contemporary innovation in fast-moving, high-waste sectors like activewear.
Attendees will gain insight into Japan's textile traditions as a living case study for sustainability, practical frameworks for applying historical practices to modern material challenges, and a window into research-creation as a methodology bridging academic research and design practice.
This talk is ideal for designers, brands, and researchers seeking grounded, culturally rich approaches to rethinking material use and waste in the fashion industry.
Larissa Zemke is a textile expert and material innovator focused on sustainability, natural fibers, and circular practices. Her international career across New York, Paris, Vienna, Kyoto, and Montreal spans print and embroidery, knitwear, leatherwork, dyeing, visual merchandising, and product management. She has contributed to an open-source textbook on corporate social responsibility published by SUNY, and is currently co-authoring a fashion-sector edition of the book.
Larissa holds a Bachelor's degree from the Fashion Institute of Technology and a Master's in Design from Concordia University (2023), rooted in a year of field research in Japan on sustainable fiber systems. She aims to advance innovation across the global apparel industry.
Larissa Zemke's consulting practice supports brands and institutions in advancing circular, responsible material practices through slow fashion frameworks and design with care. Her work has been shared through exhibitions, talks, workshops, and publications at leading design schools in New York, Montreal, and London. Recent collaborations include developing a biodegradable insulated jacket with Quebec industry partners and research conducted with Harvard's Innovation Lab.
She is also building a personal platform dedicated to slow fashion and sustainability. Larissa is open to interdisciplinary collaborations driving circular innovation across the global fashion industry.