Author Katie Treggiden discusses her new book WASTED with Stitch by Stitch
Following the huge success of our Textile Talk series on Instagram Live earlier in the summer, we were keen to do another series of collaborative discussions. This time, we wanted to broaden the subject matter to cover issues of sustainability, environmental considerations and eco-conscious choices in relation to the interior design industry.
As our first guest, we invited design historian and craft writer Katie Treggiden on to talk about her new book WASTED: When Trash Becomes Treasure, which is published on 8 October (pre-order here).
In her own words, Katie introduces her book:
“This is a book about waste — about the coffee grounds your barista throws away every time she makes your morning latte; about the plastic swept off the floor of the recycling centre to which you dutifully send your empties; about the denim offcuts that didn’t even make it into your jeans. Ultimately, however, a book about waste is a book about everything.” – Katie Treggiden
In our chat, Katie talks about how waste is “the mother of all environmental problems” - it pervades every aspect of our lives and our environment. She discusses the five “families” of waste - domestic or consumer waste, industrial waste, fashion, food and plastic waste. We talk about which is the most urgent to address, as well as which is the most problematic.
Katie touches on some of the 30 craftspeople and designers she has interviewed for the book, and why they are most interested in the “patina of age”. We also talk a little about the subject of waste and sustainability within design education, and whether she is closer to answering her own enquiry, “Can craft save the world?”.
Katie also hosts her own excellent podcast, exploring the intersection of craft, design and sustainability: Circular with Katie Treggiden .
Catch up with our talk on IGTV.