Prof. Kay Politowicz Textiles Environment Design, University of the Arts London

Prof. Kay Politowicz

Co- Investigator, Textiles Environment Design, University of the Arts London

Kay Politowicz is designer and researcher, known for both her work in printed textiles and her theoretical/practice-based research into sustainable textile design strategies. As Co-Founder and Director of Textiles Environment Design (TED) based at Chelsea College of Art and Design, a significant platform within TFRC (Textiles Futures Research Centre, UAL), she has made a contribution to current developments in sustainability and textile design. She has established the TED group of textile designers and teachers, who continue to collaborate or work independently within this field to propose design innovations and opportunities for product improvement from a sustainability agenda.

As Professor of Textile Design, she continues to be instrumental in attracting research and enterprise projects, which explore strategies for designers to address the environmental, social and economic impact of design interventions in the life cycle of products. Kay’s focus is on the encouragement designers to reduce pollution and waste in the production, use and disposal/re-use of fabric. This includes the transformation of relatively commonplace, mass-produced materials that can be used in the partition of spaces, lighting and decoration to create new environments.

In building models to connect the research themes across the taught curriculum at BA, and MA level, she has contributed to both the research culture and emerging design community at a local and international level, using sustainability as a platform and springboard for the designer‘s imagination. 

Projects

2

A.S.A.P. (Paper Cloth)

Prof. Kay Politowicz and Dr. Kate Goldsworthy in collaboration with Dr. Hjalmar Granberg, Sandy MacLennan and David Telfer