Noemi  Cortizas 
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Vivaluz.
One waste stream, two materials

Transforming fast-fashion waste into soft and rigid composites for retail, furniture and accessories.


CLIENT       Vivaluz France
ROLE         Material & System Designer
SCOPE        Material R&D · Colour research · Product & joinery design
MATERIALS    Post-consumer textiles (cotton / polyester / elastane blends)
OUTPUT       Vivasoft (flexible, acoustic) · Vivahard (rigid, structural)
STATUS       Industrial research & prototyping · Patent pending [confirmar]
RECOGNITION  France Design Impact Awards finalist · Maison&Objet · BHV Marais, Paris Design Week 2026



Fast-fashion waste is a chaotic mix of cotton, polyester and elastane that standard recycling cannot handle. Instead of sorting fibres by type, a costly and energy-intensive step, we developed a compression-molding process that accepts mixed, unsorted textiles. From the same waste stream come two materials: Vivasoft, a flexible felt-like composite, and Vivahard, a rigid board that can replace wood or MDF.
Les déchets de la fast fashion forment un mélange chaotique de coton, polyester et élasthanne que le recyclage standard ne sait pas traiter. Plutôt que de trier les fibres par type, une étape coûteuse et énergivore, nous avons développé un procédé de moulage par compression qui accepte des textiles mixtes et non triés. D’un même flux naissent deux matériaux : Vivasoft, un composite souple type feutre, et Vivahard, un panneau rigide capable de remplacer le bois ou le MDF.
Strategic Takeaway

True circularity in textiles means designing for heterogeneity, not purity: a process that thrives on mixed inputs removes the need for sorting infrastructure and turns blended fabrics from a liability into the material's signature.

La vraie circularité textile consiste à concevoir pour l'hétérogénéité plutôt que pour la pureté : un procédé qui s'accommode de flux mixtes supprime le besoin d'infrastructure de tri et fait du mélange la signature du matériau.






Vivasoft

Flexible, felt-like composite with tactile warmth and a range of colours set by sorting the garments.

Composite souple type feutre, à la chaleur tactile, décliné en couleurs selon le tri des vêtements.

Uses: acoustic panels, soft accessories
Vivahard

Rigid structural board, achieved through higher density and specific thermal bonding.

Panneau rigide structurel, obtenu par une densité plus élevée et un collage thermique spécifique.

Uses: furniture, retail equipment, joinery systems

    Vivasoft.

    Inspiration.
    Moorboard. Cloths sort & mix intruction per colletion.

    “Sea & Forest” Moodboard.
    Mix instructions: “Sea & Forest”.
    “Sand” Moodboard.
    Mix instructions: “Sand”.
    “Emotional” Moodboard.
    Mix instructions: “Emotional”.
    “Bubble Gum” Moodboard.
    Mix instructions: “Bubble Gum”.


    The Process. The Result.
    Vivasoft. The process
    Vivasoft. Some colour samples
    Vivasoft. Material & fibres close-up




    Vivahard


    Inspiration.

    Vivahard · joinery detail inspiration
    Vivahard · joinery detail inspiration


     Sketches & Form Studies


    Outcome
    Vivahard Stool model. 
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    Noemi Cortizas - Designer-Engineer, Paris FDIA AWARDS Finalist · Exhibited at Porto Design Biennale