The designs created through this Activation Lab will be co-branded with both the Artist/Designer as the headliner and Public Thread as the collaborator. Items that are made through the lab can be priced to sell based on their value, as determined by the Artist. Whatever the sale price is, the Artist will receive 80% of the sale price and 20% will go to Public Thread to support our work in the community. If a product is determined by the Artist and Public Thread to be a market ready product and it goes to market, (manufactured by Public Thread, or the Artist), there will be a revenue sharing agreement created to determine the split of revenue appropriately between the two parties.

Accessories Art Avant Garde Home Goods Outerwear Apparel/Wearables Other

Outstanding Young Designer - $200 Market Ready - $200 Most unique/new - $200 Zero waste - $200 Designer favorite overall - $200

Quality Concept execution Story/POV Use of materials Visual interest Re-use of Jeans – A minimum of 50% of the submission is created from the repurposed jeans.

A collaborative experience

Showcase Tickets

Q: Process

1) Attend an information session on Thursday, October 30, from 6-8 pm at Public Thread. 2) Sign up for the challenge. 3) Application deadline is Friday, November 7, at 5 pm to participate. 4) By Wednesday, Nov 12 , the top 20 will be announced and first payments ($100) will be made. All jeans materials can be picked up at Public Thread starting today until November 14. 5) Final showcase will be December 12 from 5-9 pm at Public Thread. The second payment ($150) will be made to those who participate in the showcase. Additional awards given out during the evening, as determined by the panel of judges.

A quarterly competition focused on creativity and materials

About This Showcase

Public Thread offered a first-time experiment to engage the design community across West Michigan in textile upcycling.

In this first cohort, participants worked with post-consumer (used) denim. Each of the 20 accepted designers to participate in this design "challenge" has repurposed and upcycled denim into new products, art, artifacts, or other applications.

This Activation Lab is about experimentation, investigation, and creating economic opportunity for designers, artists, makers, and creators. It's also about finding solutions for how to repurpose large volumes of jeans (denim) within our community with creatives/artists/designers

Get Your Tickets Here

Got Tickets? Now Learn About This Lab Here

Find all the details about this Material Activation Lab before you get your tickets

Material Activation Lab Goals

Find creative solutions for our community’s denim waste.
Build relationships with designers and artists across the community.
Support local Artists/Designers financially and help raise awareness about their
Test new upcycled product ideas and market solutions using upcycled textiles

Process

1) Attend an information session on
Thursday, October 30, from 6-8 pm at Public Thread.
2) Sign up for the challenge.
3) Application deadline is Friday, November 7, at 5 pm to participate.
4) By Wednesday, Nov 12, the top 20 will be announced and first payments ($100) will
be made. All jeans materials can be picked up at Public Thread starting today
until November 14.
5) Final showcase will be December 12 from 5-9 pm at Public Thread. The second
payment ($150) will be made to those who participate in the showcase.
Additional awards given out during the evening, as determined by the panel of
judges.

Legal/Fine Print

The designs created through this Activation Lab will be co-branded with both the
Artist/Designer as the headliner and Public Thread as the collaborator.
Items that are made through the lab can be priced to sell based on their value, as
determined by the Artist. Whatever the sale price is, the Artist will receive 80% of
the sale price and 20% will go to Public Thread to support our work in the
community.
If a product is determined by the Artist and Public Thread to be a market ready
product and it goes to market, (manufactured by Public Thread, or the Artist), there will be a revenue sharing agreement created to determine the split of revenue appropriately between the two parties.

Catagories

Accessories
Art Avant Garde
Home Goods
Outerwear
Apparel/Wearables
Other

Awards

Outstanding Young Designer - $200
Market Ready - $200
Most unique/new - $200
Zero waste - $200
Designer favorite overall - $200

Evaluation Criteria

Quality
Concept execution
Story/POV
Use of materials
Visual interest
Re-use of Jeans – A minimum of 50% of the submission is created from the
repurposed jeans.