Rachel Metz in Wired:
Think those mix tapes are passé? More like haute couture.
Sound and visual artist Alyce Santoro has created Sonic Fabric, a cloth made from pre-recorded, recycled cassette tape combined with other fibers. Using a minimally hacked Walkman, the fabric becomes an audible reminder of its musical past.
Sonic Fabric feels a bit like flexible plastic tarp, and is durable and hand-washable. Santoro’s work has drawn lots of oohs and aahs, and is making waves in the design world.
She came up with the idea in 2001 as a conceptual art project where she used strands of cassette tape to determine the direction of the wind, combining the idea of wind-activated prayers on Tibetan prayer flags with her childhood love of sailing.
More here.