Smoking hot carpets
Quantum of the Seas is a gigantic cruise ship that can house 4180 guests and 1500 employees. The spectacular activities on board the ship include the world’s first robotic bartenders, bumper cars, futuristic entertainment and meals prepared by famous chefs like Jamie Oliver.
Everything is specially designed. The 53,500 square metres of wall-to-wall carpets in the suites and cabines are designed and manufactured by Dansk Wilton, a family-owned business in Herning. The carpets are made from 80% wool and 20% nylon. The high percentage of wool has several advantages. It creates a healthy indoor climate, it is flame retardant and in case of fire, it does not cause toxic fumes. In addition, wool makes the carpet exceptionally durable.
In reality it could last up to twenty years yet it is often removed after only three to five years. And burned.
- As a Danish production company focusing on design we have a responsibility to think about sustainability and reuse. And just imagine if the used carpets could be used to create new products or the material could be degraded and reused in a new cycle, says Lone Ditmer, Sales and Marketing Coordinator at Dansk Wilton.
A fur made from carpet
Therefore, Dansk Wilton has invited Design School Kolding to collaborate. Dansk Wilton wants fashion and textile students to come up with suggestions for how to reuse the many thousands of square metres of carpets. Could you perhaps make a new carpet fur, a footstool for the living room or perhaps a sound and fire proof shelter for refugees?
- Working with design and sustainability is a fundamental part of the education at Design School Kolding and I hope that the collaboration with Dansk Wilton will result in new, meaningful solutions that will benefit the company, the school and not least the environment, says Helle Graabæk, Head of Textile Design.
During an intense 48 hour-workshop the students will work with different future scenarios. On Wednesday 16 September at 5 p.m., the two best projects will receive the ”Dansk Wilton Design Award” and a prize of DKK 10,000.
Follow the student projects: #reusecruise
