Knitting out the Touch Hunger: A Research Project to Design the Overcoming of Post-Pandemic Emotional Fear of Touching

Abstract

The pandemic has altered human attitudes affecting common gestures: hugs, kisses, hands shaking, all the human behaviors related to touching have become dangerous, generating what scientists called “touch hunger”. If with touch we define ourselves as our form of being in the world we are in front of complex touch-related costs that make people today feel lost and distant. Starting from this premise, the research team in the knit design of ***affiliation*** has been working to relate scientific data and innovative design languages to help people in redefining and rediscover the human attitudes that connect us with others. Exploiting digital technologies, innovative materials, and tactile surfaces belonging to the world of knitwear and textiles, researchers designed an emotional and sensorial journey to guide participants in overcoming the fear of touching, finding new possible ways of being together.

Keywords

• textile design
• knit design
• touch
• human feelings
• post-pandemic behaviors