Underfull Tablecloth. Photo by Kristine Bjaadal

Our tips for stain-free cloth napkins from last week would work well for tablecloths, as well. But what if you had a tablecloth that actually improved with spills and stains? Norwegian designer Kristine Bjaadal created the Underfull Tablecloth to do just that!

The fabric is a simple white with delicate offwhite flowers, but look what happens when you spill a glass of wine on it:

We live in such a throwaway society. We buy products, use them until they're done, and then toss them. It's refreshing to see a designer that's thinking about products in terms of their whole life cycles. Bjaadal sums it up nicely on her website:

We appreciate aging of wood, stone and leather, and call it patina. But textiles, on the other hand, we throw away as soon as the first thread breaks. Could it be possible to make a fabric that grows beautiful with wear and tear?

Bjaadal's brilliant designs don't stop with tablecloths. She's also got a prototype for a furniture textile that reveals a hidden story as it's used:

Underskog Textile. Photo by Kristine Bjaadal

Both the Underfull and the Underskog are prototypes at the moment, but she's hoping to release them soon. If you want to be notified when they're available for purchase, Kristine's email address is listed on her website.