The developments in the British Midlands of the industrial revolution have coined the textiles industry possibly like no other.
It was is this area that we find the roots to the modern textile industry, including case studies that (nearly) could be dated from our modern times. From archives and historical records the industrial revolution left behind in the area, we can gain many an insight that will trigger a simple ‘déjà-vu’ when taking note of news about textile factories from the Far East that with regularity hit our headlines.
The story of London Cloth is a rather engaging one. It all boils down to a rather single minded fascination for looms, mechanical ones specifically. 2 years on, the hobby has become a proper weaving shed with both mechanical and power looms, and clients such as Ben Sherman.
Algha Works are Britain’s last metal spectacle frame manufacturer, operating from Fish Island - close to the 2012 Olympics' site - for the past century. A portrait.
For Araisara, one of the biggest influences in her career as a fashion designer, in her life, comes from a women she tenderly calles 'Granny.' Granny is the inspiration behind Araisara's SS2010 'Hibiki' (echo) collection, which features stunning Sumi-Nagashi dyed fabrics.
Drakes is synonymous around the world with the most beautiful silk ties that money can buy. Founded thirty years ago on a top floor in Old Bond St and operating from a former Royal Mail depot in Old St for the past twenty, Drakes brought manufacturing back to the East End. A portrait.
Recently, my colleague Ilaria Pasquinelli and I had the opportunity to participate in a, generally speaking, consumer facing product showcase and trade show.
For the purpose of this research, we built an interactive task which required the visitors to cut off one of their garment labels (i.e. the washing instructions), and then pin it to a map attached to a cork board according to 2 dimensions:
– ‘Made in‘: Where the garment was manufactured.
– ‘Made from‘: What the primary material the garment was made of.
The coastal areas of Eastern Japan, while largely unaffected by the grade 9 earthquake from March 11th, 2011, was thoroughly washed away by the tsunami following the quake. Now that the recovery efforts are under way, also fashion companies and fashion related projects contribute their share. An overview of what is happening on the ground to-date.
'Make it British', or the equivalent: French, Italian, German, Spanish ..., is often talked of as the ultimate panacea to address the lack of sustainability in the fashion industry. A few reasons why it all is slightly more complicated than it sounds.
Resting the case for innovation.
“Globalization presumes sustained economic growth. Otherwise, the process loses its economic benefits and political support.” (P. Samuelson). There is an evident illogic, impossibility, of the traditional 'economic growth' lemma.
Everyone seems to join in for the treasure hunt called Christmas shopping. Are the 'ethical' Christmas fairs worth it? Only for discoveries - such as these 3 tiny brands.
"Made in [your country]" is an ongoing attractive topic in the contemporary sustainable fashion discussion. In many cases, one that borders - or is even right in the middle of - some rather right-wing nationalist sentiments. Europe as a whole does not need that - there is enough quality design and craftsmanship to be proud of without getting into shallow waters.
Laces have been a firm part of haute-couture since the medieval, and the fabric still is, and always has been, a luxury product. The StGall exhibition in Switzerland pays tribute to 800 years of lace work featuring the best of European textile artisanry and technology.
Sashiko - a now extinct Japanese textile technique and tradition which for centuries was used to adorn as much as make garments more durable. A portrait.
“Innovatively combining new British and sustainable fabrics with reclaimed textiles” – this is Goodone’s raison d’etre in their own words. Their most recent initiative: A proper upcycling factory that can cope with both, pre- and post-consumer waste, and is the first ‘streamlined’ upcycling facility equipped and ready to work with designers on something more than one-offs.
The European wool industry has all but disappeared. Recently however, a grassroots trend is emerging. Mini mills now cater to small hold breeders, which turns wool source more transparent then ever.
This article has originally been published online by ‘Japan for Sustainability’ (JFS) on May 30, 2005. It is the 1st...
The Spitalfields taylors Alexander Boyd is London's last shirt maker. All their shirts are made at the Rayner and Sturges factory in Kent. Impressions from the factory, and the 'making of' a bespoke Savile Row shirt.
No More Content