Common Goods - What will we share in the future?

Sharing instead of Owning

Common Goods is a sharing project that challenges conventional practices of clothing consumption, advocating for innovative models of ownership by offering jackets for rent rather than for sale. Made from block-printed and indigo-dyed heritage linen, these jackets embody a return to slow, artisanal handcrafts. Through this sharing model, the focus shifts to communal use, acts of care, and circularity, encouraging more sustainable habits. Named after its core principle, Common Goods envisions futures that transcend traditional ownership; these jackets are never owned but instead wander from one wearer to the next, forever belonging to the common good.

Swiss Cultural Heritage

At the heart of Common Goods lies the revival of Ticino Blueprint, a centuries-old textile printing technique from the Italian-speaking region of Switzerland. This intricate and unhurried craft, involving wood block-printing and indigo-dyeing, can take up to 10 months to complete. Commissioned for the project, the short documentary 'il miracolo blu' highlights Matteo Gehringer as one of the last practitioners of this craft in Switzerland. Drawing inspiration from his centuries-old designs, new textile patterns were developed and a limited series of eight jackets crafted, aiming to bring this traditional craft into a contemporary realm. The jackets are living embodiments of Swiss heritage and aim to demonstrate how cultural legacy remains relevant in changing times.

What Will We Share in the future?

During Dutch Design Week, our focus turns to the concept of sharing. We are excited to present the eight blueprint jackets alongside the screening of the documentary 'il miracolo blu' and an ongoing drop-in workshop. Visitors are invited to gather around a table encircled by the exhibited jackets, encouraged to ponder the question, "What will we share in the future?" and stitch their reflections onto fabric offcuts from the jacket manufacturing process. These gathered thoughts on textiles will serve as the basis for an additional jacket that embodies the collective engagement and stewardship towards reimagined futures of ownership and cultural heritage.