Studio Gonzalo Bascuñan | Alcova.Milano | Milan Design Week 2025

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• Exhibition: Villa Bagatti Valsecchi - Alcova Milano/ Milan Design Week 2025

• Dates: April 7 - 13, 2025.

• Studio: Art & Design | Studio Gonzalo Bascuñan

• Collection: Carding Collectibles, a collection of contemporary lighting design objects crafted from recycled cotton.

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Studio Gonzalo Bascuñan presents Carding Collectibles durig Milan design Week 2025 at Alcova.Milano, a collection of contemporary furniture and lighting design objects crafted from recycled cotton.

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@studiogonzalobascunan explores cotton as a recycled material which gives shape to the pieces directly from the material itself, with particular attention to its texture, properties and intrinsic character of eco-conscious design.

The site- specific installation is conceived around the play of colors which are sometimes linear, soft and organic, always enriched by a circular economy approach. The contrast between the surfaces, the carded finished and the ability to achieve shades with different color gradients contribute to create an aesthetic and formal balance into a maximum maximalismo.

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The inspiration for Carding Collectibles comes from the environmental impact of fast fashion on the Atacama Desert, a place deeply loved by the designer. Despite its extreme arid conditions, the desert blooms with flowers every seven years. However, in recent times, this natural wonder has been overshadowed by a growing crisis—each year, 39,000 tons of unsold and unrecycled fast fashion waste are discarded here, turning parts of the desert into a textile graveyard. This stark contrast between nature’s resilience and human excess drives the project’s vision: to transform discarded fibers into meaningful contemporary sculptural pieces that highlight the urgent need for conscious consumption.

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Innovation and Sustainability

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The installation is strategically positioned within the space, using color to create a maximalist interplay of hues, centered around precise geometric compositions. Each lighting object is crafted from recycled cotton fibers, reinforcing a commitment to waste reduction and the promotion of a circular economy. The cotton is hand-dyed through a process designed to minimize environmental contamination, ensuring an eco-conscious design.

Incorporating the latest LED technology, these luminaires emit a soft, diffused, and flattering warm light that enhances the space with a gentle, atmospheric glow. Designed for both aesthetic appeal and environmental responsibility, they optimize energy efficiency while minimizing consumption, contributing to a more sustainable approach to contemporary lighting design. By merging traditional craft techniques with advanced lighting technology, these sculptural lighting pieces challenge conventional design norms and foster a dialogue about the importance of our relationship with the environment.