Home / The Edit Insights Stories Behind: Knit Light and materiality collide with Knit. Light seeps outwards through a single knitted lycra sleeve stretched over an oblate polymer diffuser, bathing the surrounding space in a soft 360 degree glow. Designed for Vibia by Meike Harde, Knit arouses a sense of intimacy through its tangibility. Its ribbed texture entices the user to touch its surface, to feel its warmth and to keep it close.Meticulous in every aspect of her work, Meike Harde rethinks textile applications to create visually light and constructively smart designs. Vibia contacted Harde to design a collection of lights, using her extensive knowledge of textiles. “At the beginning, I was just searching for solutions for how to apply textiles and textile techniques to lighting. It involved a lot of research.”What kind of textiles could she use in lighting? Which materials? How would each textile interact with light? “I started to test different kinds of knitted or woven textile meshes. I was checking how the light passes through, if there are shadows. If the textile is matte or shiny.”Harde was attracted to a technique called technical knitting found mostly in sportswear. With technical knitting you can knit flat, but you can also knit in three-dimensions. “The fact that you can create three-dimensional volumes was perfect for this project because you don’t have separate pieces that are knitted or sewn together afterwards. I wanted to bring this technique to the public and to find out what possibilities it could offer.”She was looking for a complex texture, something that interacts with the light. She decided to work with ribs, introducing different colours and densities to the design. “Where there is less density, more light passes through. We have more density on the rib to show more colour. This is only possible with that special technique.”The next step was to explore different shapes upon which to apply the textile sleeve. “I decided to go for classical or traditional shapes, transformed into a contemporary look.”From majestic pendants through to large-scale floor lamps, the collection’s curvaceous silhouette reimagines traditional lamp design with contemporary craftsmanship and technical innovation. Opting for a neutral yarn, Harde ensures the collection will adapt to a variety of interiors and can be easily combined with different styles of furniture. “Knit is created using earth tones because they have a nice interaction with the light. For me, this was really important from the beginning. To create this kind of cosy, warm atmosphere through textile.”Discover Knit Share on Facebook Twitter Linkedin Pinterest Pinterest You may also like... Insights Stories Behind: Array Insights Stories Behind: Africa Insights Stories Behind: The Class Collection