NOTES FROM THE WORKSHOP | AUGUST
What’s inspired us this month
Can we create material supply chains that regenerate land?
Linking designers with farmers and considering the role of the maker in the very important chain from farm to customer.
Facilitated by British Pasture Leather and featuring speakers Sarah Grady, Alice Robinson, Arizona Muse, Nikki Yoxall, Jimmy Woodrow, Alex McIntosh, Rosie Wollacott Phillips and Jack Millington who are working within the design, fashion and sustainable agriculture industries, this captivating 60-minute interactive discussion really lit a fire in me for the future of our most used material.
Sharing ideas around how leather links designers and farmers and how this duo can work together to support regenerative practices that foster biodiversity, support ecosystems, and steward land, as with so many targets around creating a better future, there are many challenges to overcome when making a regenerative ethos a reality; but from what this panel has brought to light I am positive practical solutions will be found.
The entire discussion is available to watch for free on YouTube.
2023 Textile Exchange Conference: Field Trips
Get to the source of material production. Meet with farmers and producers. See what’s really happening in the field. Build an understanding of where raw materials come from.
Running from 23rd - 27th October, the last day of the Textile Exchange Conference is dedicated to optional field trips (there are nine to choose from this year), taking place at various locations in England, such as the Pasture For Life organic farm in Buckinghamshire and regenerative wool in Devon with North Challacombe Farm.
Driving meaningful change right from the start of the supply chain, if you are interested in learning more about the impact of commonly used materials such as cotton, viscose, polyester and nylon, I highly recommend following the Textile Exchange and taking a look at their free reports and the abundance of reading material on their website.
The evolution of pencil sharpeners (1890 - 1904)
Isn’t it crazy how many different ways a brain can get to the same end result?
There are so many technological advancements happening all around us in this generation and yet we can’t deny our love affair with traditional methods - the OG’s that got us to where we are now that more often that not continue to be as reliable today as they have ever been.
Humans are ingenious. Pencils are awesome.
What makes you happy?
Perdiz is a collective magazine-object. Celebrating personal accounts of everyday delights, such as a chap who is really into the different ways a shoelace can be tied, and a lady who loves to dance with her dog. Nothing fancy. Just humble joys.
Making us ponder how we move through the day and how we can become desensitised to the impact small habits, routines and personalised systems have on bringing an extra dose of happiness to ourselves and others, Perdiz is a charming Spanish publication that brings a fresh thought to how special even the smallest of actions, objects, or ways of being can be.
Podcast episodes that made my heart sing
Probably my most shared podcast episodes of the year, both from The Blindboy. Listen to both in this order:
Rivers, Lakes and Data Centres in Irish Mythology
A ‘Hot take’ on the Mythological history of water as a conduit for wisdom and information in Ireland.
Irish Folklore and Environmentalism with Manchán Magan
An interview with Manchán Magan - writer and documentary maker with an interest in Irish Folklore and Mythology.
The sound of a fragrance
'By taking biorhythms from various botanicals we’ve been able to create ambient sonic backdrops by assigning notation to the botanicals electrical frequencies. The more relaxed the ingredient is, the less sound it creates.'
If you are seeking an ambient track to start your day or wind down as the early signs of autumn begin to show, enjoy this relaxing ambient soundtrack created by Haeckels.
If you haven’t heard of the Haeckels Lab, or simply Haeckels skincare, we are delighted to introduce it to you. An endlessly inspiring company born from a love for seaweed sourced in Margate, England, Haeckels are making serious waves within the beauty industry - although we’d say they are in a league of their very own. Sustainably sourced natural materials are at the core of everything they create, from soaps to shampoo, facial oils and fragrances, but what makes their collections so special is the stories interwoven into every element of a product - from the initial inspiration to create and the ingredients to the packaging and in-store presentation.
The best place to start is their journal. If you like what you hear in the track we linked above, check out their Spotify playlists too.
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