Hi Reader, What an amazing time I had at the Future Fabrics Expo in Brussels, Belgium last week! All that prep, travel and promo paid off because my fab Motif team mates and I had a blast talking with some really exciting people. L @sarahgshotme and R @_ngairetakano shining bright for Motif! I’ve yet to read all their notes but even just from my conversations there’s big interest in all that Motif is up to from many different angles: an ethical shoe brand getting curious about our strong...
22 days ago • 2 min read
Hi Reader, What do you think of when holding a fabric for your next collection or project? Colour, texture, drape, pattern, price, or ...? That's a lot already! I've been thinking about all the choices hidden within a single piece of cloth. Behind every fabric are countless decisions. Selecting and sourcing fibre content and yarns; discussions on who makes what, how and when; the final word on waste allowance, wages, environment - both in and outside the factories. Only then maybe the textile...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read
Hi Reader, We've just wrapped up the Pixel to Pattern* workshop, where curious creatives got to play with the uber-simple software we use to design custom handwoven fabrics ... and it was fab! My fave response at the end was, Well, maybe I can finally design a plaid I really like!Grace P. * Missed it? here's a recorded training in Kind Fabric Collective. Just to show you how straightforward it is to pick up, earlier that morning I ran through the Plaidmaker process with 3 young friends. In...
about 2 months ago • 2 min read
Hi Reader, This week is very special here in Chicago for me! I'm in the city every other month for Motif Office Hours at AIBI - Great! But even better this month is that my time chatting with designers is sandwiched between the Chicago Garment District Pop Up and Chicago Fair Trade's Conscious Closet Club - my fave planets aligned! Having all these events together means that I really get to hear what's happening for designers and makers from various angles - and in some cases act as a...
2 months ago • 2 min read
Hi Reader, I sometimes think fabric gets treated rather unfairly in fashion, often the garment gets all the attention first. A designer sketches an idea, chooses the silhouette, imagines the final look … and only afterwards begins searching for a fabric willing to cooperate. But every now and then I meet a designer who works very differently, there's somehow a 'fair trade' between the fabric and the designer's creativity. Fabric as partner They begin with the cloth: touching fabrics before...
2 months ago • 2 min read
Hi Reader, The Saturday of Mother's Day weekend in most countries, (I see you UK 😘) is marked as World Fair Trade Day. And I'm convinced that's intentional. It's a great chance to share beautiful fair trade gifts with mamas of every kind, whilst also encouraging the many mothers around the world, creating them. Affirming skills and dedication for both makers and receivers at once is a rare gift in itself! Disruptive or constructive? Sometimes, when I’m in the weaving workshops in Bangladesh,...
2 months ago • 2 min read
Hi Reader, These April Letters have revived me! When I left Bangladesh in March I was encouraged but a little down. You may remember this letter about the Highs & Lows. I'd also been near the site of the devastating Rana Plaza disaster - 13 years ago last week. An overgrown, empty lot stands as a bleak reminder of tragic loss. 1,134 people killed, and over 2,500 injured, as 5 garment factories in an 8 storey building collapsed on each other due to structural damage.The physical rubble has...
3 months ago • 2 min read
Hi Reader, Through this month of Fashion Revolution, we’ve been reflecting together on fabric, how beauty captures and holds our attention, how the handmade carries professional intelligence, how deeply good design involves real collaboration, and why some garments stay with us long after others are forgotten. It's been a deep dive into my musings whilst recently in Bangladesh - thank you for keeping up! The Learning The loom has taught me much over the years, some of which I've shared in the...
3 months ago • 2 min read
Hi Reader, We're now officially in Fashion Revolution Week, so a great time to encourage each other in our quest for a just fashion industry. Through the years I've met many designers from various arenas who've shared a similar feeling, yet described it in different ways. Some said they felt disconnected from production.Others felt pressured to move faster than their ideas could develop.Many wished fashion could work differently but didn’t know where to begin. Why do I feel alone? Often,...
3 months ago • 2 min read