We need more constraints on creativity. (Yes, you read that right.)
It is not that I think creativity needs to be constrained, but that we need constraints to be creative. It is one of those things that seems backwards, but makes total sense when you’ve experienced it. Constraints necessitate focus and ingenuity. They make you think deeper before deciding on a solution.
The handwoven fabrics from Motif are a perfect example of this. I got to meet Jackie at the Chicago Pop-up Garment District show and see her beautiful, fair trade, artisan fabrics. Designers can design their own fabrics, but there are some constraints. They need to put 150 yards of the same warp threads on the loom to meet the weavers’ MOQ.
Within this 150 yard MOQ, Jackie explained, designers have been able to get 3 totally different looking fabrics. How? By changing out the weft thread colors or pattern every 50 yards. Some fabrics she showed me I would have never guessed had the same warp threads. The finished fabrics looked so different!
Jackie and the designers she works with have allowed that MOQ constraint to fuel their creativity. The resulting work benefits the designers as well as the weavers.
Do you see constraints as an opportunity to be more creative in your business?