These vivid textiles weave in climate data

The Netherlands – Design studio Raw Color is capturing complex climate data through colourful knitted textiles. The project, Temperature Textiles, covers temperature change, sea level rise and carbon emissions – three main drivers and results of global warming. Featuring blankets, scarves and socks, the collection uses graphs and colours to denote this climate data.

The collection’s Sea Level Blanket, for example, illustrates the observed and predicted sea level rise from 2000 to 2100, while the socks portray the rise from 2020 until 2050. Presented during Cop26 and Dutch Design Week, the collection uses engaging design mechanisms to communicate complex data and prompt viewers to find out more information about climate-related issues.

Here, Raw Color showcases how familiar visual mediums can be used as tools to effectively raise awareness and prompt action from consumers. While the climate crisis is generally presented as an intangible topic, it’s important for brands and organisations to distill complex and frightening information into accessible formats.