My interest in circular costume design developed while working in the industry. For over a decade, I have worked as textile artist and costume builder in the costume departments of film, TV and stage productions, developing and creating surface designs and effects. In my applied work, I have encountered many materials and wasteful methods, toxic and hazardous for both the environment and the people working with them. I would like to change this. 

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At Aalto University in Finland I worked together with material researchers of the Biobased Colloids and Materials (BiCMat) research group led by Prof. Orlando Rojas. The BiCMat group is part of the Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems at Aalto and is part of the cross-disciplinary Aalto Materials Platform. The group focuses on finding competitive alternatives to fossil materials through research into bio-based materials.

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The outcome of this collaboration was the exhibition Naturally Dramatic. The exhibition was part of the Designs for a Cooler Planet exhibitions and events at Aalto University during Helsinki Design Week, September 2020.

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As a result of this collaboration, I launched the Circular Costume Design project in 2020. This project involves material scientists, costume researchers and practitioners committed to developing circular costume design models.

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The long-term aim of the Circular Costume Design project is to empower costume departments to work sustainably within the system of film studios, film productions and their supporting supply chains.