From the world of wearable grasses: Vetiver (The use of local place-based knowledge to develop a scalable circular economy that enables positive social impact within the textile industry)

Progress is the first instinct for humans, with innovation and problem-solving driving forces within every generation. Sadly, as a part of this process, there has been a lack of recognition or interest in age-old, indigenous, local or place-based knowledge. In contrast to this belief of globalisation, this thesis advocates Indigenous Wisdom as a bridge to solving ‘wicked problems’ of our modern society. Horst Rittel describes wicked problems as interconnected and networked by nature, existing on multiple scales. This research identifies one such a wicked problem of textile pollution. One of the factors contributing to textile pollution is the resulting landfill. Connected to, contributing to or more abruptly put, causing this problem is fast fashion. In 2011 the United Nation Environment Program estimated that without intervention, the rate of consumption for fast fashion would continue to grow up to three-fold by the year 2050. The research explores the need for a durable, economical and more sustainable textile option that can both minimise production waste and is affordable for consumers. Paralleling Transition Design with local placed -based knowledge this research identifies a raw material that is the vetiver grass, a sustainable and straightforward production method, a community that is the inmates of Bhopal Central Jail, and a scalable circular economic model and connect them to make fabric based items for their use or sale and trade beyond their community.