the last suit by Teresa from portugal

The Last Suit is an item of clothing for the non-living, based on functional and environmental concerns. The research process was initially focused on the waste caused by funerary procedures such as the usage of one of the deceased's best suits to follow him or her to the final destination. As suits are normally made out of synthetic man made fibers or treated textiles the clothes remain on the sub soil, even after the body decomposition process is complete and sometimes they will never decompose completely; this generates waste. Facing the increasing number of people on earth the aim is to decrease this negligent practice. By employing environmental friendly fibers such as lyocell, which is produced from cellulose and will decay faster than other textiles with the advantage of adding nutrients to the soil. Taking the traditional aspects into account as well as respect for cultural values, the overall aesthetics of the suit were preserved and the product was thought as a two-piece suit appropriate for both burial or cremation. By reformulating the suit into a one piece garment, there was a consideration for the funeral practitioner regarding the demanding task of dressing the dead. This led to a careful shaping or adjustment solution of the garment through the method used to insert a fitted bed-sheet into a mattress. The opening at the back and on the legs, adapted to the shapes with inserted elastic makes the suit easier to dress, as only four steps are needed to complete it. The color chosen for this project is merely a suggestion intended to improve the work of the embalmer, by creating a more pleasant complement to the skin tone.