Yi Hsuan (Harriet) Sung

Digital/Bio/Recycled Fabrication

I was born and raised in Taiwan where I earned my BA in fashion. Then I worked as a womenswear designer for 3 years. I felt disturbed by the waste and pollution the industry caused, especially the overuse of petrochemicals. Growing up in an island country that is surrounded by abundant natural resources form the ocean, I was excited when I learned about how agar, the gel extracted from red algae, can potentially replace plastics in my first semester at Parsons. Besides, I then found out Taiwan was the first place to cultivate the type of red algae for producing agar in an industrial scale decades ago. So, I resolved to delve deeply into the research of agar, in the hope of demonstrating a healthier material choice for people in my homeland, as well as people from different places. I am inspired by nature - which does not leave behind pollutants in the process of creation, function and discarding. The natural world of botanicals- the timeless beauty of flowers in art and design- form the inspiration for my textile practice. I make a conscious attempt to bridge art, nature, science and technology to create sustainable, non-polluting, material systems.

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