Related story: Révélateur installation by Mickaël Wiesengrün recreates «smells of the past»Inspired by the alternative therapies developed by 19th century German monk Sebastian Kneipp, Stück worked with five scents that are claimed to have certain health benefits: germanium and valerian root to provide comfort and strength after psychological trauma, lemon balm to balance the cardiac cycle, peppermint to promote concentration and focus, pine for blood pressure and rosemary to restore libido and sexual function. «Artificial scents used by the detergent industry cause allergies and create hypersensitivities on our skin.»
Stück also developed a linen Body Sports Patch, which releases the fragrance of German pine forests in response to body heat to connect users exercising in cities and gyms with nature. The Herbal Kneipp Textiles project was presented during Dutch Design Week, as part of the Design Academy Eindhoven Graduation Show, where Stück has recently completed a bachelors degree in the Man and Wellbeing department. Dutch Design Week 2014: these textiles by Design Academy Eindhoven graduate Alexandra Stück are infused with different remedial herbal scents to make the wearer feel calm, focused or horny. Taking the essential oils from each plant, she developed a liquid «scent dye» that can be hand-washed into natural linen and fixed for up to six months by ironing the fabric. «The textiles were designed with an open weave that allows the scent to diffuse to your nose,» said the designer. «The ingredients are 100 per cent natural,» she said. Both the scents and the fabric originate from plants so they work together.»
Keen to find a contemporary application for these ancient remedies, Stück designed the textiles to be used as scarves, handkerchiefs, bed linen, towels and other interior products. Combining Alexandra Stück’s aromatic liquids with water and handwoven linen fixes the therapeutic scents into the linen for up to six months, to be released by body warmth, touch or movement whenever the fabric is used.
