In 2030, people will be experiencing the destructive effects of climate change. Forest fires will burn hotter and for longer, and certain places in the world will become uninhabitable due to drought. Natural disasters will be an increasingly common occurance, with tropical storms becoming ever more powerful and sea levels rising at a level where infrastructure cannot keep up. The ocean has acidified from all the pollutants released into it. Fresh water and air will become an even more valuable resource for the general population, while corporations take the bulk of resources for themselves.
Technology is improving, but not at a rate where it is fast enough to keep up with the demands of the population or to reverse the devastating effects of climate change. Wealth inequality has not stopped growing since the 2020s and the idea of the government is a thin veil for the megacorporations actually doing the controlling.
Left to right: 10 megacorporations control the food industry; ocean acidification; california wildfires
Humans may have moved to living in places they don’t normally live to try and escape natural disasters and flooding. Coastal cities are largely in danger, with seawalls fighting back to hold on against seasonal hurricanes. An encoded cloth might show the conditions and how people are “fighting back” in 2030. It would be like a secret manifesto to organize people in 2030 who still believe in fighting for the future.
To be completely honest, I wasn’t sure whether I was optimistic or worried about the future when I was thinking about what 2030 would look like. Really, my confusion stemmed from the uncertainty surrounding the current climate crisis. Will we resolve the climate crisis by 2030? or will the world turn into an apocalyptic horror story? If we resolve the go carbon neutral, what new technologies could we create? and on the other hand, if we continue to rely on fossil fuels what damage from climate change will we be left with? “Realistic” can’t truly be realistic because nobody knows what will happen.
As much as I wanted to be optimistic, I had to create a combination of sorts that represented how I saw the future.
This is what I sketched for my image of the future. While it doesn’t show the full scope of things, I imagine that we will have new technology and some form of solution to the climate crisis, but I think that the solution will come too late and the effects of climate change will be present. For one, there will be a rise in sea levels and many cities will be flooded, resulting in the building of elevated buildings, railways, and roads. However, there will still be many marginalized communities that will be left to suffer the consequences of the floods and other natural disasters. People will be too distracted by the illusions of new technology and green energy sources that they will ignore those that need help.
The new tech I imagined is the implementation of green buildings and vertical gardens. Since a lot of the fertile land may be destroyed by natural disasters and wild fires, we may have to transition to other forms of agriculture and greenery. I also hope that in the future we have better public transportation systems, possibly the implementation of autonomous routes for public transit and electric trains/subways. It’s hard to see in the drawing, but I imagine the sky will be an apocalyptic orange/yellow color similar to how the sky was in California during the big wildfires. I also imagine that the air would be very thick and hazy.
Based on how the world looks right now, I picture a 2030 where human have become so absorbed into technology that the environment of earth has fallen apart.
In terms of technology, it’s become so advanced that we have technology using our eyes rather than screens. Similar to a Black Mirror episode, its like holographic versions of our phones, laptops, and other technology all in the blink of an eye
Advanced Eye Technology from Black Mirror Episode: History of You
Advancements and focus in technology has left the Earth helpless and full of waste since no one was truly doing anything about it. Natural disasters only become more extreme and the world has fallen apart beyond no return.
Future Earth Predictions
I also think that our space exploration may have reached new planets to inhabit? So humans may have begun living on places besides Earth and maybe met people or creatures on those planets. This seems far fetched for 2030 but I the possibility of it just amazes me.
In 2030, I imagine (or I guess hope) that we will have taken action against climate change. We will be composting and planting more trees and there will be greenery everywhere. We will decrease the amount of waste in the world, and upcycle to turn waste into something more useful and beautiful. An example would be these marbled tiles from post-consumer plastic waste by Enis Akiev or even the Pollution Popsicles which was a warning of water pollution.
Kazakhstani designer Enis Akiev has developed a method for turning single-use plastic packaging into tiles, by emulating the organic process of rock formation.
Metamorphic rocks such as marble develop their flowing, irregular patterns through heat and pressure, and Akiev’s Plastic Stone Tiles are subjected to similar conditions to achieve the same effect.Pollution Popsicles
An ecoded cloth could be showing the possible solutions to waste and upcycling: how we could make something beautiful out of something people no longer want. We could quilt together old plastic bags, or scraps of fabric, or use dried flowers or dried tea leaves for embellishment.
Recently there have been many wildfires in California and one time, the smoke completely covered the sky and made the sky completely yellow and the sun bright red. That day, it really looked like the world was ending. Although I genuinely hope that 2030 will be better, climate change and the lack of any type of efforts to mitigate it gives me reason to believe that wildfires and other natural disasters will only continue to rise. I decided to use the bright colors and high contrast with the purple smoke to demonstrate the intensity of these natural disasters and the red to convey a warning of this possible future.
There are images that might make people feel uncomfortable regarding recent protests and racism.
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By 2030, I see a civil war. This year has been focused on police brutality, oppressions of poc (with emphasis on bipoc), the intersectionalities with race, gender, sexuality, etc. It feels like there is a war coming because no matter the actions of civilians administration isn’t listening. Anger and being ignored is growing and by 2030 I feel it will bubble over. Another thing I see is white supremacy, I think it will be louder and more explicit. It seems that organizations with this belief are becoming more bold and outright with their belief and actions. Overall, I see alot of violence, fighting back, reform and hope.
Zapotec rugs are traditionally handmade and wool-woven in a foot loom in the village of Teotitlan del Valle located just outside of Oaxaca City in Mexico. The The Zapotecs surrendered peacefully to the Spainish like most cities in the Central Valley, and foot-looms and sheep wool were integrated into Zapotec culture which allowed them to create bigger and bulkier rugs and tapestries. Teotitlan’s weavings became internationally famous in the 1950’s with the arrival of foreign tourism. As sales rose, entire families became involved in the weaving process and the community shifted from predominantly farming to weaving. In the present day, there are still many artisan families the carry on this tradition of producing hand woven rugs and specializing in natural dyes.
One of the most notable characteristics of Zapotec rugs are the rich colors. The Central Valley is rich in vegetal and animal dyes, and the Spanish brought along salts and oxides that are used as a color toners and fixatives to enrich native natural dyes. With the natural dye workshop coming up, I was drawn to this particular traditional textile. The dyeing process is long and involved, but it’s also cooperative, and the results are stunning.
Among the natural dyes available in Oaxaca, the cochineal is the most renowned. The cochineal is made from an insect that lives and feeds on cacti and produces carminic acid which can be extracted from its body and eggs to make carmine dye.
Other classic natural dyes used to color the wool include: the cempasuchil flower for yellow shades, indigo for blue hues, pecan bark and walnut husks for brown, and huisache pods for black. Natural acids (lemon juice for example) and heat are also strategically used to draw out the desired shade of color for the dyed wool.
Zapotec rug patterns are drawn out beforehand, and traditional patterns feature glyphs, fretwork animals, and idols taken from the archeological remains of the village church. The designs represent Teotitlan’s history and culture, and overtime, they have even come to incorporate Navajo patterns or reflect famous paintings. Zapotec rugs are a statement piece and testimony to family and history.
18th Century “Summer Gauze” Dragon Robe, Sotheby’s
18th Century “Summer Gauze” Dragon Robe, Sotheby’s
Tang Dynasty: 618 to 907 AD
Qing Dynasty: 1644 to 1912
Map of China during the Qing Dynasty (capitols were Beijing and Shengjing).
Dragon robes during the Qing Dynasty were used to denote a person’s ranking at court. There were strict edicts dictating how court officials had to dress. These garments ranged in various colors, with bright yellow only being allowed to be worn by the emperor, empress dowager, empress, and first-rank consorts. Golden yellow, orange-yellow, apricot yellow, greenish-yellow, and a brown/plum shade for worn by other nobles of varying ranks. Other colors, such as blue, were made for lower-ranking court nobles.
The robes shown above are from the Qing Dynasty, China’s last great ruling dynasty which lasted until the year of 1912. Although many of the robes we have today only date back to the 18th century, these garments have an extremely long history. Depictions of court officials in them were found as far back as the Tang Dynasty, from 618 to 907 AD. Throughout the years, the dragon robes have gained even further meaning. The pictures shown above express how the detail and opulence of these robes have developed from the Tang Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty, with greater amounts of handwork, trim, and precious items.
Color was not the only way to denote ranking on these garments. The Twelve Symbols of Sovreignty, dated all the way back to the Zhou Dynasty (1050-771B.C.), have long been used on clothing as a symbol of authority. These symbols include: sun, moon, constellation of three stars, mountain, dragon, pheasant, two goblets, seaweed, grain, fire, axe head, fu symbol. When put together, they express the ability of the emperor to lead the country justly with his dignity, virtuosity, and capability. This reason is the why only the emperor is allowed to have all twelve symbols on his robes. Other officials were allowed to use some symbols, but never near the full set of 12.
In addition, dragons were used extensively on this type of garment. Dragons with five claws called “long,” were exclusively for the emperor- while his sons were able to wear dragons with five claws called “mang.” His grandsons and nobles (down to the seventh rank of the court) would wear dragons with four claws, also called “mang.”
The people responsible for making these robes would be imperial court weavers. They typically reside within the palace walls, at a designated working pavillion/hall. Silk was used for two ceremonial robes per year, only for the emperor. The rest of the court robes would be made of satin and gauze. Chief dyers would be responsible for the bright colors of the court, and guarded their recipes fiercely for fear of theft. Some dragon robes were embroidered, while others were woven with the patterns. Pearls and thread made from precious metals were often additions to the robe. Texts from the Ming Dynasty mention dragon robes having to be made on looms up to fifteen feet high, with fabric being made so fine that the knots could not be felt or seen.
What is most special about the tradition of dragon robes is that they’ve survived the changing customs and history of so many of China’s dynasties. From the Tang Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty alone is a span of 1294 years. Throughout those years, the form of the dragon robes, the way they’re made, and who is allowed to wear them has changed but the idea still remains greatly the same.
I chose to research this because while these robes are something I’ve seen a lot in old chinese historical pieces, I’ve never actually looked into their significance. I was always interested in the luxurious hanfu that the noble women of that time wore, while these robes faded into the backdrop for me. It’s interesting how a garment that took so many resources and so much time to produce could so easily fall into the background for me. I think it speaks a lot about the opulence and power of the ancient chinese dynasties.
Scottish tartans originate from the Gaelic families and dynasties that eventually became Scottish clans in the 12th and 13th centuries. However, Celts all over Europe are said to have been wearing Tartans for “Three Thousand years at least”, according to the Scottish Tartans Authority. Tartans are fabrics that are created by weaving with various colors of warp and weft yarn, and then creating a diagonal pattern that is then used to create the various shades that form the highly contrasting effect. The base pattern for Tartan fabrics is called a sett, and it is pictured below:
An image of a Tartan “plaid” fabric being woven(top). A close up of how the different warps and diagonal patterns create the classic Tartan pattern(bottom).
In terms of historical context, the Tartans are actually very important pieces of history for Scottish family clans. When someone weaves a plaid print, they are actually not creating an official Tartan unless the pattern is verified by the Scottish clan’s organization and follows the specific rules for that set pattern. For an example, I actually used my family’s history, because I am related to the Wallace family dynasty that became famous in Scotland in the 12th and 13th centuries. Different families have different official Tartans, and some of the Wallace Tartans can be found below. These three patterns were first officialy verified by the family in the 19th century, but similar Tartans existed centuries before as a part of the Gaelic Uallas kingdom, the precursor to the Wallace family.
Red Wallace TartanGreen Wallace TartanWallace Dress Tartan
Official Tartan fabrics were first found in these family dynasties in Scotland in the 16th century. At the time, Scotland’s map was much different than today, but Tartans popped up in various locations around this area.
A map of 16th century Scotland.
It was fascinating to go down this rabbit hole of weaving, Tartans, and my family history. It is really powerful to notice and feel how so many different aspects of life are deeply connected in unexpected ways.
Chinese Knotting are created using a single cord or rope that can be tied in endless ways, usually creating a symmetrical pattern, and used for decoration. I chose this textile tradition since I had began seeing it from a young age but did not know much about it.
Chinese Knots
Historically, the knots were used to record information and convey messages before writing systems were developed. Ancient tools, likely for tying and untying knots, have been discovered and analyzed to have originated a hundred thousand years ago. The earliest known transition to artistic expression of knots was during the Tang Dynasty (618-907 CE) and continued throughout the following generations.
Map of China
In the modern day, different knots hold different meaning and can be implemented on a variety of occasions.
The pan chang knot is one of the most recognizable and symbolizes the cycle of life. Since it has no visible start or end, it is perceived to mean a smooth, long, happy life and is widely popular during the New Year. The double coin knot, resembling a stack of coins, represents wealth and prosperity which makes it more common in jewelry to “wear” a long, successful life. On the other hand, the button knot is used mainly in place of buttons on traditional clothing and has a meaning of the natural cycles of the universe. Additionally, Chinese knotting is deep red to symbolize good fortune, a common theme throughout Chinese culture.
Moreover, the meaning of the Chinese for word ‘rope’ (shèng) is a homonym to words meaning spirit, divine, and life. So knots also had a spiritual meaning in their use. The word for ‘knot’ (jié) also has other meanings in different contexts. For example, ‘tuán jié’ which means ‘to unite,’ ‘jié hūn’ means ‘to marry,’ and ‘jié guŏ’ means ‘bear fruit,’ ‘result,’ or ‘outcome.’ Therefore, a knot given to a marriage partner or a couple means all these things and to have children as well.
