Abstract
As bamboo gains recognition for its ecological and material versatility, through participation in bamboo weaving, the researcher discovers large volume of waste generated during material preparation. This study investigates the material and experiential potential of bamboo craft waste through a practice-led research approach. By combining sodium alginate (SA), the researcher experimented with diverse material compositions and forming methods, including sheet casting, pattern generation and 3D shaping. These processes reveal how material behaviours such as fluidity and shrinkage become central to design negotiation, prompting the maker to oscillate between control and responsiveness. The study adopts reflective writing and qualitative coding to extract tacit knowledge from embodied making. Findings show that the manipulation of bamboo waste evokes new material meanings and affective experiences, often in tension with or replacing prior associations. Digital fabrication tools were used not only to facilitate form-giving but also to probe the expressive potential of waste-based composites. The research highlights how material heterogeneity, surface impressions, and degrees of integration shape both perception and interaction. This work contributes to sustainable craft discourse by demonstrating how bamboo waste can be reconfigured into novel, meaningful forms. This work proposes new pedagogical strategies for bamboo weaving education, emphasizing experimentation and reflection. It further encourages broader inquiries into the creative reuse of waste across craft domains, particularly by examining material flows and circulation.
Keywords
Bamboo craft waste; Material tinkering; Practice-led research; Material potential
DOI
https://doi.org/10.21606/iasdr.2025.783
Citation
Yeh, L.(2025) Hidden Craft: Exploring Material Possibilities of Traditional Bamboo Weaving Waste, in Chang, C.-Y., and Hsu, Y. (eds.), IASDR 2025: Design Next, 02-05 December, Taiwan. https://doi.org/10.21606/iasdr.2025.783
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Conference Track
Track 11 - Culture and Craft Design for Regenerative Practices
Hidden Craft: Exploring Material Possibilities of Traditional Bamboo Weaving Waste
As bamboo gains recognition for its ecological and material versatility, through participation in bamboo weaving, the researcher discovers large volume of waste generated during material preparation. This study investigates the material and experiential potential of bamboo craft waste through a practice-led research approach. By combining sodium alginate (SA), the researcher experimented with diverse material compositions and forming methods, including sheet casting, pattern generation and 3D shaping. These processes reveal how material behaviours such as fluidity and shrinkage become central to design negotiation, prompting the maker to oscillate between control and responsiveness. The study adopts reflective writing and qualitative coding to extract tacit knowledge from embodied making. Findings show that the manipulation of bamboo waste evokes new material meanings and affective experiences, often in tension with or replacing prior associations. Digital fabrication tools were used not only to facilitate form-giving but also to probe the expressive potential of waste-based composites. The research highlights how material heterogeneity, surface impressions, and degrees of integration shape both perception and interaction. This work contributes to sustainable craft discourse by demonstrating how bamboo waste can be reconfigured into novel, meaningful forms. This work proposes new pedagogical strategies for bamboo weaving education, emphasizing experimentation and reflection. It further encourages broader inquiries into the creative reuse of waste across craft domains, particularly by examining material flows and circulation.