This text is a continuation of the project Irreversible Color Expressions Åland_2013 Report no. 1 (Worbin, 2013). It is, however, not a follow-up in the sense suggested in the first report, namely, to produce a visual comparison of the textiles over time. It did not feel meaningful to invest such extensive resources in attempting to reproduce a specific color in one medium (textile) and translate it into another (digital image), as too much effort was directed toward the documentation itself. Instead, it appeared as a laborious act of verification at an overly early stage of a process that is inherently relative.
The color expression of textiles exists in relation to the material from which the textile is made, as well as to the plant itself (where it has grown, at what stage in its life cycle, or which parts have been used). Furthermore, geographical location, season, and the conditions under which dyeing has taken place, along with how the dyed textiles have been stored and used, all continue to affect the color expression. It was, quite simply, irrelevant to present the results in that way at that stage. Therefore, this continuation takes on a different character, focusing on the phenomenon of color change and its experiential dimension, both inherently norm-challenging and requiring increased reflection and new exploratory approaches within the framework of a new design philosophy.

Through The Sweater, a practice-based design project, established color conventions are examined by means of a hand-knitted garment. By shifting the understanding of color from a stable and controlled parameter to a mutable and situated phenomenon, the project explores how changing color and form can renegotiate the relationship between expression, material, use, and temporality. The Sweater has been part of a personal wardrobe for over a decade, and a conversation with its wearer is presented here. The work aims to open up alternative perspectives on quality, value, and lifespan in textile expressions.