As part of her ongoing project ‘Ignorance is Bliss’, designer Agne Kucerenkaite developed a rug collection made of linen and dyed with upcycled textile dyes that originate from botanical and metal waste and by-products.

Commercial textile dyes cause a significant amount of environmental and health problems because of the chemicals used in the process.

Linen, the main material used for the rugs, was deliberately chosen as it is made of flax, a versatile, cost-effective, resilient plant that requires far less water and pesticides than cotton. In addition, the material is hypoallergenic. The dye for the rugs is made from waste from agriculture and drinking water treatment. The yarns are hand-dyed in nine natural colours developed from waste.

The patterns on the rugs are inspired by the shapes of the asteroids Lutetia and Juno, which also gave their name to the collection. “Asteroids are ‘by-products’ from the formation of our solar system,” Kucerenkaite says. She draws the parallel between an asteroid, being a primal raw material, and industrial waste similarly being a starting point for the creation of new materials and objects.

The ‘Ignorance is Bliss’ projects primarily focus on industrial waste and by-products as these are usually consistent, ensuring a reliable qualitative supply. Typically, secondary raw materials don’t meet the ‘industry standard’ or are contaminated and are therefore dumped or downcycled.

Find other ‘Ignorance is Bliss’ materials in our library here.

Photos: Agne Kucerenkaite