Circular materials for Eco-Craftsmanship - Development of a Wool-based Biocomposite for 3D printing of Abruzzo region craft products

Abstract

The Abruzzo region, in Italy, has a strong artisan tradition. Among the many artisan sectors is also the textile artisan, present in many towns in the area, which uses sheep's wool as a raw material. However, artisan workshops (goldsmiths, ceramists, leather workers, embroiderers, etc.) tend to disappear due to insufficient generational turnover, as young people are interested in more innovative activities. This also results in the loss of cultural identity and the abandonment of internal territories, with serious damage to local socio-economic systems. Furthermore, some artisan productions are unsustainable from an environmental point of view, especially assuming an extension of production to optimize economies of scale. Wool mills, for example, in their textile production, produce large quantities of waste in terms of wool dust and threads, "waste" that cannot be easily recycled.Innovating in the artisan sectors, even the most traditional ones, through the use of digital technologies and 3D printing, could represent an excellent incentive to bring young people closer to ancient professions, thus encouraging a generational change and the creation of new job opportunities. The digitalization of some productions, moreover, associated with the recovery of some waste materials, would also positively interpret some of the UN 2030 objectives.This paper reports the results of a research aimed at reusing production waste from wool fabrics and filaments to generate a new, ecological and circular composite material. The new material involves the use of a bioplastic matrix, PLA (polylactic acid), loaded with wool filaments, to obtain a fiber-reinforced biocomposite printable with 3D digital printing technologies. This new material, based on the use of a typically local material, can be used to create artisanal products that recall some traditional Abruzzo productions, effectively complementing more conventional craftsmanship.

Keywords: circular materials, eco-craftsmanship, digital technologies, wool biocomposite

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1005612