discarded scarves take shape as stadium seats in RK collective’s gender equality initiative

RK Collective turns discarded headscarves into seating

RK Collective introduces Crafted Liberation, a project that transforms discarded headscarves into stadium seats as a symbol of Iranian women’s resilience and their pursuit of gender equality. The Sydney-based design team uses advanced lamination and pressure molding techniques to create durable seating from a composite of recycled headscarves and plastic waste.

Utilizing circular material innovation, the project transforms over 491 headscarves donated by Iranian women into a lightweight composite material for seating. The initiative aims to reclaim spaces of exclusion, foster collective action, and spark dialogue about the role of design in addressing social and cultural challenges. ‘In Iran, women have been banned from entering stadiums since 1981. The stadium seat represents more than just functionality—it’s a symbol of exclusion. By using these discarded headscarves to create seats, we reclaim and redefine the narratives of suppression into stories of empowerment,’ Nila Rezaei, one of the RK Collective founders, explains.

images courtesy of RK Collective

crafted liberation aims to reclaim spaces of women’s exclusion

RK Collective, founded in 2023 by Nila Rezaei and Christopher Krainer in Sydney, is a female-led product design and innovation group focused on addressing critical social and environmental challenges. With experience across industries such as public art, solar technology, and material innovation, the studio makes a commitment to positive change. 

Crafted Liberation is inspired by the Women, Life, Freedom movement that gained global attention following the death of Mahsa Amini in 2022. For decades, Iranian women have been excluded from stadiums, emblematic of systemic inequality. The project transforms these spaces into platforms for unity and belonging, challenging perceptions of exclusion. By using stadium seats as a medium for storytelling, the project starts a dialogue on reclaiming public spaces and promotes cultural resilience through design. Each chair in this project becomes a functional object infused with a narrative of empowerment and resistance. Developed in collaboration with an Australian manufacturer specializing in fiber and composite technologies, the material becomes stronger and connects to personal stories. This approach mirrors the composition of traditional stadium seating, embedding the courage and experiences of the Iranian women who contributed their scarves.

Crafted Liberation transforms discarded headscarves into stadium seats

the project stands as a symbol of Iranian women’s resilience and their pursuit of gender equality

advanced lamination and pressure molding techniques create durable seating

the seats are made of a composite of recycled headscarves and plastic waste

RK Collective transforms over 491 headscarves donated by Iranian women

utilizing circular material innovation

the initiative aims to reclaim spaces of exclusion

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the project transforms stadiums into platforms for unity and belonging

by using stadium seats as a medium for storytelling, the project starts a dialogue on reclaiming public spaces

RK Collective is a female-led product design group focused on addressing social and environmental challenges

each chair in this project becomes a functional object infused with a narrative of empowerment and resistance

challenging perceptions of exclusion

the material becomes stronger and connects to personal stories

project info:

name: Crafted Liberation | @crafted_liberation
designer: RK Collective

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: thomai tsimpou | designboom