Made mostly from used and vintage scraps of fabric, Timo Handmade’s new creations have a warm, old-world feel.
Fabric scraps can be used for lots of things, and we’ve seen designers refashion them in all kinds of ways – like use them to make repurposed fabric shoes, purses made from upholstery fabric samples, and even fabric scrap necklaces. Israeli designer Timor Cohen, the brain and creator behind Timo Handmade, is no exception, and uses her collection of fabric scraps and knick knacks to create one-of-a-kind dolls, fabric books, blankets and handbags and rid the planet of a little more waste. In using upcycled and repurposed materials that would have otherwise ended up in a landfill, TIMO’s creations eliminate waste and reduce the need for new materials to be created.
Sustainability is part of the line’s objective, and Cohen writes that
“TIMO is part of the EcoDesign trend, standing up for the right consumption and the right manufacturing, alongside recycling, minimization of manufacturing waste and simplification of processes… The materials are mostly recycled, or scraps of designers’ fabrics. Scraps of fabric piled up in the studio are used later as stuffing or as material for other products.”
The materials may be secondhand, but the design is completely contemporary and chic. TIMO’s fabric toys may be suited for children, but they are endowed with sophisticated design that will make adults smile as well. Likewise, “the objects’ design is current and classic, but the methods of manufacture are traditional.”
With the fabric scrap collection from which TIMO’s products emerged, it is no wonder that they are so charming. As Cohen describes the collection, it is filled with “a small case of multicolored threads I once inherited, a well-loved shirt, wrong sized, I couldn’t pass on for its magnificent texture… a handkerchief with grandpa’s initials… a romantic dress once found in a second hand shop abroad…”
If only all of us could find great uses for our own collections of scraps.
Check out more of TIMO’s creations at Timo Handmade.
Read more about other designs made from fabric scraps::
Neta in Wonderland (via Tel Aviv)
Zohar Yarom Rethinks the Furniture Fabric Sample
Ecco Ukka Weaves Love, Magic and Recycled Materials into Fabric Jewelry
Inbal Weisberg’s Upcycled Fabric Owls Are a Hoot
Images via: Timo Handmade
Author: Karen Chernick
Much to the disappointment of her Moroccan grandmother, Karen became a vegetarian at the age of seven because of a heartfelt respect for other forms of life. She also began her journey to understand her surroundings and her impact on the environment. She even starting an elementary school Ecology Club and an environmental newsletter in the 3rd grade. (The proceeds of the newsletter went to non-profit environmental organizations, of course.) She now studies in New York. Karen can be reached at karen (at) greenprophet (dot) com.
I love the handmade book for babies. It’s really special. And creative.