Hairy Hooman
Clothing pieces for man's best friend; made from hairy hoomans
Human hair waste is available in abundant supply and can be a good source of organic material; if only humans can get over the disgust factor. For so long, we have glorified and used animal hair for coats, bags, and many other items, but when we think of using human hair as a material for an everyday object, we cringe in confusion and disgust. It is fascinating to pause and wonder why people are comfortable with non-human hair, but disgusted by our own hair when used in the same manner. What and where exactly is this visual perception of disgust coming from? What is so odd and weird about this fibrous protein? The hairy hooman project is a discursive project that uses human hair waste as material in design. A survey with 65 respondents, majority of whom were in the 18-24 age group, revealed that a huge percentage of individuals have a negative perception towards human hair waste. Through material and subject explorations, the project aims to desensitise and challenge people’s negative perception of human hair waste as a viable material for design. Theories of 'Speciesism' inspired the project to address the man—animal relationship; to change perspectives by reversing the roles (human product on animal) and to evoke empathy of the material by using the subject of a dog.
