No Serial Number Spring issue 2018 by No Serial Number e-Magazine

ISSUE 12 SPRING 2018

NO SERIAL NUMBER

CRAFT | HERITAGE | ENVIRONMENT

FROM A CARDBOARD BOX TO WASTE, FROM WASTE TO ART

FROM FASHION TO UPCYCLING WITH DIY NATURAL COLOURS

AESTHETIC EXPERIMENTS WITH DRIED VEGETABLES WASTE

BRIDGET Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;FLAHERTY: THREAD PAINTING ART

Dear Readers,

Credits

I am happy to share this new issue with you where we have continued to develop the content in partnership with our inspiring freelance writers. We have exciting new projects in the pipeline which will come into shape in future issues, including some brand new sections... so we are very excited about the year ahead! In this issue, we have featured an eclectic range of artists and creative projects in the traditional arts and crafts section. They are all different but connected by the same thirst for sustainable alternatives. The experimental art of Angelique van der Valk from the Netherlands has become one of our favourites (this explains why her work is now on the cover page). She works with the patterns, textures and colours of dried vegetable peels to explore both their functional potential of these materials and the sustainable messages they can convey to the onlooker. In the same section we explore cardboard art, sculptures made with natural and found materials, and the revival of basketry art. We also learn about a new school for sustainable textiles that is being developed in Canada and ponder on the challenges of doing ecofriendly crafts. Further in this issue, the fashion section is as eclectic: we explore jewellery from recycled silver, wooden accessories and the upcycling of vintage clothes, among many others! The upcycling hub explores dyeing plants in Brazil, which includes a tutorial to make ferrous impressions in a dye bath. The Zero Waste section this time looks at how people make and buy zero waste alternatives. In the same section we also explore Plastic Precious projects (originally started when Dave Hakkens developed a plastic recycling machine) from Denmark to Los Angeles among other exciting initiatives. I’ll leave you to explore the remaining sections of the magazine yourselves, but don’t miss the home decor section, the crowd-funding projects and our seasonal Eco-Friendly Crafter Awards! I look forward to hearing what you have to say about this issue on social media, so please share and spread the word about our magazine and tag us whenever you can. We welcome praise and criticisms alike, anything that can help us continue raising awareness of environmental sustainability through traditional crafts and innovative design.

Alessandra & NSN Team

Editor Alessandra Palange Art Editor Francesca Palange NSN Italy Editor Rosa Rossi Marketing Alessandra Palange Francesca Palange Translations Fuschia Hutton Subscriptions & Advertising info@noserialnumber.org Cover Photos Cover image and photography by Angelique van der Valk - ‘What If’ Back cover image by Mattricaria - Natural dyes Photography by Nathalia Frensch Graphic Content: Fonts by Creativeqube Design, By Lef Design, Mainfile, Freepik and desings by whiteheartdesign Copyright All images are copyright protected and are the property of their respective makers/owners as detailed in each article and photo. No Serial Number Magazine is published four times a year. No responsability will be accepted for any errors or omissions, views expressed or comments by editors, writers or interviewees. No Serial Number Magazine makes all efforts to advertise products that are in accordance with its ethos. However, goods advertised are not necessarily endorsed by No Serial Number Magazine. Information is correct at the time of publication. No part of this publication may be reproduced without permission. All prices are accurate at time of going to press but these may change at any time.

No Serial Number Team ALESSANDRA, EDITOR I am a qualitative researcher in the social sciences and education with a keen interest in citizenship. Being the editor of No Serial Number Magazine is a hobby for me, something that I do out of passion and with the belief that there are many things we can do to make the world a better place, one of them is producing and consuming more responsibly as a society. I originally had the idea of this magazine when I started networking with eco-friendly artists, artisans, and creative businesses online for a family start-up business. At this point, I realised how diverse and creative the environmental movement really is and thought it would be great to have a place where we could tell all these stories and explore the role of creativity in the search for environmental solutions. If you’d like to propose a story for No Serial Number Magazine you can email me here: editorial@noserialnumber.org

FRANCESCA, ART EDITOR After many years working as a retail manager in the fashion industry, I decided to leave the retail world when I became disenchanted with its focus on profits over the quality of products and the customer experience. I decided to take the leap and start my own business, first by collaborating with eco print artist Michela Pasini and then with my family on the development of No Serial Number Magazine. With time, I became more and more passionate about the graphic design process, so much so that I am now in charge of the design of magazine. I also keep track of emails, sales, and subscriptions, and run the social media pages. If you have any questions about your subscription, a wholesale inquiry or would like to talk about cross-promotion, I am the one to ask! You can contact me here info@noserialnumber.org

ROSA, NSN ITALY EDITOR I am a retired Latin and Greek teacher and an avid knitter and crocheter. I have published school textbooks and work as a freelance writer for Pearson Italia. I am also a consultant for various cultural projects in Italy. At the moment, I am managing the development of a new library within the theatre of Caffeina Cultura and Caffeina Cultura’s own bookstore. For No Serial Number Magazine, I am mainly in charge of finding eco-sustainable realities in Italy, where I am based, and writing about them. I also manage the Italian Blog of No Serial Number Magazine, so if you’re interested in No Serial Number Italia, please visit the blog it.noserialnumber.org or email me: noserialnumberitaly@gmail.com

Featured contributors ... Kate Stuart

I’m a practising artist, writer and craftswoman based in the North East of England. I specialise in upcycling, zero waste living, quilting, and painting with acrylics on canvas. I live with my partner, our two children whom we home educate, and a variety of pets. As a family, we aspire to return to the crofting roots of my ancestors, and to live a zero waste, self-sufficient life.

Etsy Shop: www.etsy.com/uk/shopThePhoenixGreenStore Facebook and Instagram: @thephoenixgreenstore

Paige Perillat-Piratoine

I am especially interested in growing the urban fabric. From urban agriculture to biomaterials, I work with projects that contribute to a more organic cityscape and report on the people that make the steps in that direction.

Lisa Cole

I’m an ethical website and graphic designer who specialises in working with creatives and an author of books about gentle decluttering. My background is in Fashion and Textiles, specialising in costume history. I’ve been brought up to make do and mend and I am fascinated with the bond we have to our belongings. I live in Bristol with my teenager and too many cats.

Website: www.nakedwebsite.co.uk , Twitter: @NakedWebsite, FB: @NkdWebsiteDesign Website: www.less-stuff.co.uk, Twitter: @lessstuffnow, FB: @lovelessstuff

Lucy Sobrero

I was born and grew up in London and then as an adult lived in rural Piemonte, Italy, where my father came from, for over 25 years. Language tutor, translator, mother, and grandmother, I am passionate about natural crafts and textiles and fiercely opposed to cheap mass production, sweatshop labour and throw away fashion. I love communal activities and projects that engage and inspire people of all ages without costing the earth. I particularly enjoy sharing NSN’s stories about Italian artisans, translating for NSN and contributing with articles on craftspeople and projects in the U.K. I also like sewing, felting and a make do and mend lifestyle. I volunteer at a refugee centre in Birmingham and also with my local park.

Email: lucy@sobrero.co.uk

Holly Float

As a freelancer, I’m passionate about supporting the local community and helping local businesses. I also work in ethical marketing, and enjoy promoting sustainable living and blogging about it. I’m a craft and upcycling enthusiast, especially textiles, although I rarely find the time to create as my two young children keep me busy!

Blog: www.noserialnumber.org/directory/author/holly-foat/ Facebook: @EthicalByHeart Twitter: @CaptainHolly

DO YOU WANT TO WRITE FOR US? GET IN TOUCH!! If you are passionate about crafts, art, design, social projects, zero waste and all the other subjects that we

cover on our magazine then get in

touch and you could become one of our contributors.

All you need to do is to send us an email to info@noserialnumber.org.

We also have opportunities to write for our blog so get in touch!

Contents TRADITIONAL ARTS, TRADES AND CRAFTS 6. 12. 17. 20. 24. 28.

Aesthetic Experiments With Dried Vegetable Waste: ‘Art That Could Be Food for the Earth’ From a Cardboard Box to Waste, from Waste to Art Crafting From Woodlands With Jane Bevan Sylvan Skills: From Woods to Home Mamie’s Schoolhouse: Sustainable Fibre Arts on Canada’s Cape My Journey as a Conscious Creative

Jane Bevan

SUSTAINABLE FASHION

Bridget O’Flaherty

30. Vintage, Organic, Handmade & EcoFriendly... In Search of the Perfect Eco Spring Look! 36. BeWooden: Handmade Wooden Ties UPCYCLING HUB 38. From Fashion to Upcycling With DIY Natural Colours 42. Rust Dyeing Tutorial HOME CHRONICLES 44. Bridget O’Flaherty: Thread Painting Art TRAVEL CHRONICLES 50. Live, Laugh, Learn - On a Journey of Indian Culture and Creativity

KITCHEN CHRONICLES

Sylvan Skills

54. Traditional Spring Table Decorations in Shades of Pastel ZERO WASTE 55. nibs etc. Tackling Food Waste in the UK 56. Democratising Plastic Recycling Around the World 58. Lifestyle Choices for the Earth-Conscious: Crafting or Buying? 60. Targeting Plastic Waste Across the Uk’s Tideline 62. Projects for the Planet MULTIFUNCTIONAL GARDEN 64. A No Air Miles Florist WORKSHOP STATION THE ECO CRAFTER AND ENTREPRENEUR AWARD ECO-FRIENDLY IDEAS

Mattricaria

Conscious Creative

Each issue is created with love: love for our world heritage and love for the environment. We are really passionate about meeting creative people that put all their effort in combining these two elements - that’s why this magazine exists! In this day and age we desperately need to change the way we live, consume and produce. We hope that with this magazine we are contributing towards this goal. If you love what you see subscribe today and help us grow and reach more people! www.noserialnumber.org

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ARTICLE SUBMISSION & BOOK REVIEWS We are proud to have a global readership so we are always curious to learn of sustainable creative initiatives around the world. Get in touch and tell us your story: info@noserialnumber.org

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Summer Issue 2018 • Shades of green from wild herbs • Textile narratives • Recycling e-waste • Traditional stone carving • Earth skills • Innovative textiles • Up-cycling furniture • Zero waste survey findings & Much More ... 

OUT ON 23.03.2018

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Subscribe online: www.noserialnumber.org

PINTEREST Follow our Pinterest boards for vintage fashion, traditional toys, natural colours, textile design, ecofriendly ideas & recommended books www.pinterest.com/ noserialnumber

TRADITIONAL ARTS TRADES & CRAFTS

ISSUE 12 SPRING 2018

What If Deatail compare the images then and now: here the peels of broad beans photographed six months ago. In the cover image, the peels have been kept beetween sheets of acid free paper for six months and therefore have slightly darkened in colour.

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Aesthetic Experiments With Dried Vegetable Waste: ‘Art That Could Be Food for the Earth’ Interview by NSN Team Photography by Angelique van der Valk Angelique’s work is hard to describe. The first time we came across her art we had so many questions, what is her art about? What is it inspired by? We love her reflexive attitude to her art, which is conceptualised as a process of learning about the world and exploring aesthetics at the same time.

Hi Angelique, tell us a little bit about yourself, what inspired to get into visual arts and design? In my early twenties, I chose to work in the field of styling and visual merchandising. It was a creative, varied and dynamic job for 17 years, but very commercial. I didn’t want to grow old in that trend related and stressful commercial business. A long lasting dream to study at an Academy of Arts became stronger and stronger throughout the years. I decided to quit the job I had and switched to the world of visual arts in 2010. I studied Teacher Training in Visual Arts and Design at the Willem de Kooning Academy. After graduation in 2015, I started Studio Angelique van der Valk, a fine arts studio. How would you define your work? Is it more about aesthetics or function? In my visual arts painting, photography and dried vegetable waste materials are being combined to conceive art and to crossover disciplines. My work is about meaning, awareness and aesthetics. I will always make an aesthetic composition with the materials I use, a harmony in form, or make tension and friction visible. This has kinship with the work I used to do earlier, the stylist in me. Making aesthetic strong work therefore comes easy or naturally to me. As an artist I have the freedom but also a responsibility to create, to discuss current topics and to choose the materials I want to work with. Through your work, do you seek to find environmental solutions that could potentially be implemented in product design? Inspired by Cradle to Cradle, my work is based on using natural materials and exploring the possibilities of vegetable waste. Though I want to show the beauty of nature and its possibilities, I do not strive to find environmental solutions. But I recognise the new and see potential and applicational chances for the material I run into. For example, over the past few years, through experiments that combined old and new techniques I managed to make paper-like material out of vegetable peels and stumps. I call this material made of vegetable peels, which is less sensitive to losing colour, Vegetable Veneer. The Vegetable Veneer is a handmade material, made out of vegetable peels and its intrinsic cellulose only. It can be applied on wood or used between glass. The Vegetable Veneer material produced is labour intensive and can therefore be used on a small high-end object, or for a detail in a design, but is not yet suitable for larger application at the moment. The material has a nice pattern; each type of vegetable waste material has its own intrinsic colours, beauty and fibre structures. How did you get inspired by the Cradle to Cradle design? Do you think this philosophy is becoming more important in the design industry? In the summer of 2014, I read the book Cradle to Cradle by Braungart and McDonough. This was a month before the year I’d graduate. I instantly awoke and had a clear vision. I wanted to graduate with biodegradable art,

ISSUE 12 SPRING 2018

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art that could be food for the earth after use. Cradle to Cradle is about designing the production process from beginning to end, in a way that every material will keep its value over time. Products can be taken apart easily and every component can be used as a raw material again or the whole product can be food for the earth again. I think that this philosophy is worth reading in the first place for everyone, for the world is running out of valuable raw materials and faces global pollution, that hits us all. This philosophy gives us a way of thinking and designing towards awareness, opportunities and solutions. You work a lot with pressed vegetable peelings to create veneers and experiment with adhesion, flexibility, colours and patterns on wood and other materials such as unbleached canvas. This is an extremely interesting process. Where did you get the inspiration to experiment with pressed vegetables? How did it all start? Art that could be food for the earth after use was my mission for the graduation project. I therefore screened every good and product that came into my own household. Where did the products come from, what were the goods made of and could I use materials once again? The eco vegetables I buy weekly come from local farmers. Could I possibly use the waste material like peels and stumps and further exploit them? It took a few months and loads of experiments to make a thin layer of cauliflower paper-like material, I was stunned. The pattern of fibres… an unseen world came to me.

also Rhubarb and Kohlrabi are wonderful to work with. I would love to further discover the world of fibres and make new combinations.

What are your favourite materials to work with and why? As we are celebrating spring in this issue of No Serial Number Magazine, do you have any seasonal vegetables that you’re looking forward to work with in the springtime?

What do you want to achieve with your work? How do you see your experiments developing in the next few years? I’d like to keep inspiring others through my work and show the beauty and importance of nature and its possibilities. I don’t know exactly where the work will take me and I have no expectations. Every day is OK; every step in the process is worthwhile. I would love to keep making art on a high level. Materials and also artworks may change over time; more acceptance of the natural cycle in the world of Arts would be great. I will continue to make art by combining organic forms and abstraction and strive to find harmony between the two.

I never expected vegetable peels and stumps would become my main inspiration and material from that moment of graduation on. I can now apply dried vegetable waste material as a detail on my paintings, but also solely in artworks and as Vegetable Veneer on wood. Each material has its own intrinsic visual qualities. I can’t wait for asparagus peels to harvest, somewhere in April. In the Spring season

Is your experimental work also a way to raise awareness and maybe even engage in environmental activism? If so, how? A way to raise awareness… that would be wonderful. I enjoy sharing the beauty of nature, raising a sense of care for the earth in a small and soft manner. The work I make is a reflection of my own learning process. Art is a transformation of my feelings, thoughts, observations and ideas. I feel it is important to work on reflections of what I see, read or think. If it can be inspiring to others, then it makes the work even more worthwhile afterwards. People can enjoy the wonder and beauty of my work and may feel free to buy a work of art for its aesthetics only. I sense that the story and process behind the artwork makes it more worthwhile and adds layers of appreciation and true connection. Can you tell us more about the “What if” project. We’d like to know about your idea of seeing what’s happening to our food “in instances of pollution and genetic modification”. How are you developing this project? Last summer I purchased a book by A.W. Dänzer (“Die unsichtbare Kraft in Lebensmitteln: Bio und Nichtbio im Vergleich”) written in German and full of images, in which juice of organic and non-organic vegetables and fruits were dried and compared underneath a microscope. The patterns of the crystals were much stronger, beautiful and more developed and consistent in organic food compared to the non-organic vegetables and fruits. Also, in that period I came

across an experiment by www.christal-lab.nl in which organic and non-organic cucumbers were tested on vitality. For this test the cucumbers were sliced, the biodynamic cucumber surprisingly grew together again, while the non-organic cucumber turned moldy. To me, these examples show the importance of biodynamic agriculture, a slow process for food to grow and gain full strength. This brought me to ‘What If’, a visualization created in my own way of this subject. These are the first artworks and images in this series. At any moment in time I can return to a certain project, continue the series and add a new chapter. This freedom of expression is very important to me. You mention on your website that “probably only smallscale and ecologically conscious craftsman’s products can be labelled as green”. This statement resonates with the mission of No Serial Number Magazine, can you tell us how you reached this conclusion based on your experience of design? A friend gave me some eco-boards panels, a beautiful looking biodegradable sheet material. Made out of straw, a grain waste product, I was delighted to begin working with these panels. I then realised that the material was made in Asia, far away from here, in a very large factory. I didn’t know much about the production process, the energy being used, or what circumstances people in the factory work in. And what do I really know about the pigments and other materials I use? Or about the solar panels on my rooftop? Many materials and products are shipped around the globe by boat or airplane. Transport is designed and constructed out of thousands of components etc. etc. An informative book on this subject is “Ecological intelligence: the hidden impacts of what we buy” by Daniel Goleman. All industrial production processes worldwide are interwoven and somewhere connected. That makes me, as a consumer living in the industrialized world, responsible for a tiny part in almost everything. Unless a product is produced by a small-scale and ecologically conscious craftsperson, who produces from raw material to final product, it can not be truly labeled as “green”. The title of my artwork on this subject is therefore ‘Green, in a way’, as part of my own awareness and process.

BOOKS MENTIONED: Dänzer, W. (2014) Die unsichtbare Kraft in Lebensmitteln: Bio und Nichtbio im Vergleich Verlag Bewusstes Dasein Goleman, D. (2010). Ecological intelligence: The hidden impacts of what we buy Crown Business McDonough, W., and M. Braungart (2010) Cradle to cradle: Remaking the way we make things North Point Press IN THE PICTURES: • • • • • • •

What If Detail, p. 6-7 Studio View - Experimental Variety, p.8 top right Making of Green, In a Way, p.8 top left Vegetable Veneer Application on Wood, p.8 bottom Print on Wood - organic and abstract details, p.9 top Stump of Conical Cabbage Experimental, p.9 bottom Pumkin Dried Peels Abstract, p. 10-11

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 FIND IT ONLINE Website: www.angeliquevandervalk.nl Facebook and Instagram: @vegetableworks

ISSUE 12 SPRING 2018

IN THE PICTURES Above: First draft (2014) and a reworking of the technique (2017). The sketches give an idea of the sheer amount of work involved, since Lussiana cannot benefit from techniques that others have adopted and tested. Below: The vase will be formed of staves, each in turn formed of 182 overlapping triangles of different sizes depending on their distance from the centre. A guide - or jig - is needed to align the triangles. The photographs show the jig being made and the finished jig. With this jig, four staves can be created at the same time.

From a Cardboard Box to Waste, from Waste to Art Interview by NSN Team From a cardboard box to waste - that is the usual destiny of a cardboard box. But Angelo Lussiana has given it a new destiny: it can become an object, a toy, a handbag, or a design item for the home, depending on where his whims and craftsmanship take him. Here is the story behind his creative journey, which began with early experiments in his childhood home.

How I Became a Cardboard Designer Since childhood, I have spent each day with a hammer, nails, wood, and any tool or material capable of bringing my imagination to life. My childhood home was my laboratory where I experimented by painting windows, turning antique candelabras into lamps, or repairing eighteenth-century clocks. I spent my life â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;makingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, using materials that I had to hand and armed with a chisel, hammer, knife, or fretsaw, depending on the situation. I went through a stone age, when I carved stones collected from pebbly river banks. My bronze age was aided and abetted by a nearby foundry. And, of course, I went through a wooden age when carving, cutting, and restoring became my favourite activities. My creativity was repressed for years by my day job in finance until, around ten years ago, it returned with a vengeance. And thus, I decided to concentrate on woodwork and producing small, refined homewares from high-quality wood. But I needed a numerical control milling machine, which I could not stretch to at that time. While working out whether I could build one myself, a friend introduced me to a lady who owned one but did not know how to use it. We came to an agreement; I would learn how to use it and then teach her. Shortly after, I began using it and so I created the first objects. One day, my daughter asked me to make

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place card holders for the Christmas table setting. I drew the outline of a reindeer, planning to cut them out of plywood. But the task turned out to be too time-consuming, so I searched for a thicker material that would be quicker to cut. A large cardboard box caught my eye and I decided to try it.

– although a single sheet is fragile, it is sturdy if joined and folded well. It is relatively easy to work with, I only needed a few inexpensive tools, and could even create items with complex shapes. Day after day, my discoveries guided me towards new techniques. Reacting to a cut here, a wrong fold there, or a structure that didn’t work. I was constantly forced to find new solutions.

From that moment on, I fell in love with it. I learned to manipulate it, always demanding more of it until I worked out how to turn it into box hinges or gears for mechanisms such as clocks. I learned to make it soft and flexible enough to become ‘fabric’ for handbags. I learned to press it together into vases or objects in the round with the same consistent, sturdy, and uniform finish to the outside surface.

I aim to refine my lines, balance volumes, improve toughness and durability, create soft surfaces, and ensure that the objects are ergonomic and functional. I aim to develop this neglected material, changing it from ‘packaging’ to an artistic material that is highly-regarded for its environmental sustainability and the many ways it can be transformed.

Cardboard became the material of choice for my creations

IN THE PICTURES The construction phase of the vase begins. The photograph shows the abutments of each stave that will rest against the sides of the jig (above). Work continues by cutting the single triangles that will form the stave. To avoid mixing up the positioning, they are taken from the cutting bench one row at a time, at the precise moment they are placed along the jig (above).

Japanese Inspiration Inspiration came from a Japanese-style vase that I saw in a hotel one day. I was inspired more by the technique than the style. I had already created some cardboard vases using a new technique where I created separate segments just like an orange. This technique means that the lines on the outside are continuous, and avoids little irregularities being formed. Furthermore, the rounded part is more consistent and the structure is stronger because the entire surface is formed of the internal corrugated part of the cardboard only, the most solid part. To create the segments, and to manipulate them into a precise triangular shape with almost perfect roundness, I needed to use a process of modulated compression which decreased the closer it got to the vase exterior. This was only possible using a suitable press. Trying out a different solution that did not require a press, the Japanese vase inspired a new technique. I began to think of the object as a series of horizontal layers, and each layer divided into triangles, a bit like a cheese box. I line them up next to each other on the same line so that when I cut them, the base of each one is formed exclusively of the cardboard’s corrugated fluting.

IN THE PICTURES Creating one stave. As the triangles are placed along the jig, I check that they have the correct perpendicularity every 15-20 cm (above left). To obtain the curved shape, each triangle must be pressed into the inside, up to the neck (above right). The stave is complete. We must wait until the neck is dry before removing it.

The most complicated part of the job is calculating each triangle’s base and height by level so that the contours of the vase follow the vertical axis. This vase was divided into 16 segments, formed of overlapping glued-together triangles. Once joined together, the vase takes shape just like the staves of a barrel. We could call this the ‘barrel technique’. To create the staves, I invented a wooden support - a jig - formed of three sections: two external sections to mark the positioning of the triangles along the jig, and a central section which moves up and down the length of the vase as I go. To hide the joins between the staves as best I could, I rounded off the edges to create a ribbing effect all around the vase, from top to bottom.

And here is the result of this work, a perfectly designed object, made from an utterly unexpected material using an incredibly innovative technique!

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IN THE PICTURES Finishing the stave. The surface is sanded down for two reasons: to remove any unevenness created while joining the triangles, even if this is almost imperceptible, and to remove any snags that may have formed on the cutting bench so that the surface looks like a clean cut. The staves are glued together along the sides and held in position with masking tape until the glue sets. The vase begins to take shape. The finished vase: ANUBI

ISSUE 12 SPRING 2018

SWITCHA Table Lamp This table lamp was conceptualised without a switch to make it easier to turn on in the night, so it turns on by simply lifting the lampshade up. In Italian, when ‘a’ is tagged onto a word, it means ‘without’. And so, the name switch-a refers to its lack of a switch. What’s more, in my northern Italian dialect, Piedmontese, the word ‘svicia’, which is pronounced in the same way, means clever, shrewd - an apt way to describe the solution this lamp provides. Made from cardboard, the base is covered with solid wood - cherry, walnut, or another type of wood. The lampshade is made from ‘cardboard fabric’, internally lined with translucent paper. Its unusual bevelled edge avoids creating unattractive shadows.

OVAL Lamp Made entirely from cardboard except for the lower section of the base, which is made from solid wood.This lamp was created from the remnants of another piece which was made at the same time. This piece in turn saves as much material as possible, with the base ovals created from the cardboard cut away from the inside of the lampshade. This results in as little waste as possible. The ovals of the lampshade and the base were constructed by alternating the direction of the corrugated waves in pairs. This prevents the formation of long slanted cuts in the direction of the waves, which would be easy to squash. The inside of the lamp is lined with white semi-opaque paper to diffuse the light source effectively.

A lamp made entirely from cardboard, this piece plays with the apparent impossibility of obtaining curved shapes with cardboard. In fact, it is the only material that can manage this feat. To accomplish this, it needs to be treated as a rectangular sheet of malleable material which has been cut into, around one centimetre from the sides and a little bit more from the top. This creates a three-sided rectangle; the fourth side is still attached to the base. The cut section is then shaped into an ‘S’ which extends past the original curve. This would not work with any other material because of the measurements, since the internal section is longer than the cut piece it came from. Instead, with cardboard such a feat is possible, and the shape does not need to be forced.

HOME DECOR

I-touch Lamp

BRIGITTE Handbag Handbag created from ‘cardboard fabric’ and leather. The ‘cardboard fabric’ is formed of many strips of cardboard cut to a width of 5cm and rotated by 90 degrees as they are joined. Once the glue is dried, the bag is sanded to even out the surface. The inner is made from a Tetra Pak-style composite material of aluminium paper and PVC, which I salvage from the protective packaging from printing plates. This is then covered with the same nappa leather as the handles and expandable side gussets, or another complementary colour. This means that the bag has a solid structure and is able to support a fair amount of weight. The sides are waterproof and flexible enough to give easy access to the inside. The bag won first prize at Il Sapere delle Mani 2014, a contest for artisans and artists that takes place in Nazzano, Lazio. Measurements: L33cm x W15cm x H32cm

MAYA Handbag Created from cardboard with a zip opening on the base to open the two shells. Each shell features a raised walnut border. Handles made from plaited leather cord, brass feet. The inside is lined with red fabric with a pocket. Snap closure.

 FIND IT ONLINE

FASH ION

Website:www.angelolussiana.com Email: posta@angelolussiana.com Pinterest: goo.gl/s0AH05 Facebook: @cartone.e.design

Crafting From Woodlands With Jane Bevan Interview by Paige Perillat-Piratoine English woodlands have always played a big part in my imagination. I longed to live in the countryside but spent my time building little collections, such as broken crockery or acorn cups dug up in the garden, and carefully arranging my finds into mini museums.

Hi Jane, it’s a pleasure to talk about your work. How were you introduced to idea of gathering forest materials for the arts? How did your first piece happen ? In 2011, I took the step to study Craft at Derby University where I threw myself into the woodworking department. In particular we studied adaptive learning whereby materials are gathered, studied and observed. This is followed by a session of experimentation and play. Working instinctively, we were led by the materials to produce unexpected and often surprising work. I particularly enjoyed working with wood, making garden trugs, wood turning and steam bending. I finally combined this with my own version of basket making to create more whimsical, non-functional vessels and small sculptures, with foraged bark, thorns and twigs. Can you walk us through one of you daily strolls? Collecting my materials has become a key part of my work - exciting, thrilling, unpredictable and on my doorstep. The daily walks have become an essential part of life now. The dog and cat come along too, though frequently go ahead without me. We live in a beautiful part of South Derbyshire with the National Trust property, Calke Abbey and its stunning ancient woods across the road. I take along secateurs, a bag, head torch and a phone for photos and relish every moment. I am a great fan of the Japanese ideas of ‘forest bathing’ or shinrin-yoku and try to take walks that can be slow, meditative and immersive. I take in the sounds, smells, the breeze IN THE PICTURES: and atmosphere as 'Nature Collage', 2017 (30 x 24 cms) well as the visual beauty around me. A selection of tendrils, seed pods, rolled bark, I clamber across leaves, thorns and twigs stitched onto canvas. pathways and spend Photography by Chris Webb. time investigating Jane Bevan foraging in local woodlands, 2017. and peering into Photography by Steve Bond. fallen and rotting

trees. It is a luxury and pleasure to be away from the busy world, alone and immersed in a tiny slice of nature. To look up and find myself face to face with a curious fox, just feet away, watching me intruding on his patch. What do you think of the natural crafts and the naturebased arts movement in the UK? Has it grown or stayed the same since you started your artistic career? There are some very innovative and thoughtful artists using natural materials in contemporary craft and I particularly admire the innovative and playful work of Suzanne Bauer, Alice Fox, Jane Crisp, Stella Harding and Lizzie Farey. There is currently a renewed appreciation of the handmade and a strong interest in traditional skills and techniques that can be adapted to contemporary craft. The media has been central in inviting viewers to see that beautiful objects can be created by small creative businesses, taking time and responding sensitively to the natural world. There are also many groundbreaking environmental organisations springing up in the UK to help people connect more with nature and create communities that work together for a more sustainable lifestyle. Many of these work closely with artists and in my area we are lucky to have Whistlewood Common, a community owned land designed along permaculture principles. Can you tell us a bit about the workshops you run? My workshops are intimate and highly sociable days involving a hearty lunch around the kitchen table, as well as tea and cake. It’s a day for friendship, feeling comfortable and inspired, and coming together to share stories, skills and ideas. Using carefully selected natural materials we tie, bind, stitch and weave materials into small art works. The workshop participants are eager to bring their treasures along and to find ways of turning the materials into lasting artworks. These often hold in them personal memories and a sense of place.

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Stripping bark in the woods 2013 Photography by Tupman Photography

Cutting bark, foraged and then prepared in the studio 2013 Photography by Tupman Photography

Materials carefully stored at home, 2013 Photography by Tupman Photography

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What impact do you feel your art can have - how do you intend it to affect people? I aim to create artworks which celebrate the exquisite details of nature, with the hope I can share this passion with others and help bring us all into a closer relationship with the natural world of woodlands. For me this is my form of wabi-sabi, the Japanese philosophy encouraging an appreciation of the overlooked, undervalued and temporary. I want to encourage people to look closer at the nature that surrounds us and see the beauty in detail in the way wabisabi teaches us. The materials can be surprisingly emotional, carrying weight and meaning for people that evoke memories and a sense of the world as a gentler, kinder and simpler place. As well as a place for adventure and discovery, the natural world can also be a heaven: a safe place to shelter and to recharge.

‘Bark Jug’, 2015 (22 x 13 cms) Photography by Tupman Photography

 FIND IT ONLINE Website: www.janebevan.co.uk Twitter: @janebevan01 Instagram: @janebevan01 Facebook: @janebevanforager

‘Ring of Thorns’ (22 x 22 cms) Thorns foraged from a local hedgerow tied together into a ring, 2015 Photography by Tupman Photography

‘Set of 3 pots’ , 2016, from birch bark, thorns and bantam feathers (18 x 8 x 8 cms) Photography by Joanne Withers

ISSUE 12 SPRING 2018

Sylvan Skills: From Woods to Home The Basket-making Craft of Ruth Thompson Words by Kate Stuart and photography Ruth Thomspon

In the Spring of 1881, American watercolourist Winslow Homer took up residence at what was then The Hudleston Arms Hotel, in the village of Cullercoats, where the North East of England meets the North Sea. Homer’s paintings recorded, with realism and honesty, not just the working men and women of the area, but their tools and equipment. And their baskets.

artists across the world, continuing a craft that has changed very little in its methods and materials since the Iron Age.

Basketry pre-dates both pottery and the weaving of cloth to stand as one of the oldest crafts in our human history. Baskets have been an essential part of everyday life in practically every culture on every continent and could be considered amongst the earliest decorative art forms, used for everything imaginable, from household storage to fishing. Until that is, the 1950s arrived, when the introduction of plastic meant that the need for baskets lessened against the seemingly stronger, more affordable, lighter and more durable plastic containers that became so widely available, so quickly. When plastic became more popular than basketry, the skills began to fall away, and the basket weavers that had once been so many in number dwindled away as the product of their craft was needed less and less.

One of this number is Ruth Thompson, owner of Sylvan Skills – a business grown to share the basket making traditions with all ages, through workshops, demonstrations, school projects and commissions. Ruth is based near Stocksfield in Northumberland – a mere 20 miles or so from Cullercoats Bay where Homer immortalised the hand-crafted basketry of the local fishing industry. Ruth began her journey to basketry by first learning hurdle making, which are moveable fence panels made from coppiced hazel or willow, often used for livestock. Keen to learn more, she began to work with living willow, creating in situ structures like domes and tunnels that would continue to grow and provide continued habitats. In 2007 she met Liz Balfour, a skilled basketry teacher and fellow member of the Northumbria Basketry Group, who helped Ruth to develop her skills further to create not just baskets, but fences, arbours and spectacular sculptures, bringing the craft squarely into the 21st century. With an ancient craft such as basketry, it can be difficult

There is still, however, a fine collection of skilled basketry

Hazel Coppice

Coppiced Willow

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Bee Skep - with bee space for bees to enter

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to replicate older designs – as Ruth tells me, “baskets don’t survive for very long, so not many are found preserved” but she adds, “one sees the imprint of woven materials on some pots and depicted on figurines.” And in paintings – like those of Homer, preserving for historical purposes the shape and design of baskets used in local industry, bringing inspiration for new designs of baskets with new purposes.

challenging…situations” – and once the skills are learnt, the repetitive, meditative rhythm can bring great improvement to the mental health and wellbeing of participants. Ruth uses a basic set of equipment for her basket work, including a bodkin, rapping iron, a sharp knife and a pair of secateurs – a simple kit that provides all she needs. Working in Willow, Hazel and with Phormium (New Zealand Flax) for binding, she can grow much of what she uses herself, maintaining sustainable practice in her work, but also sourcing materials from local willow growers when more is needed.

There is much debate about the use of the terms “ancient” and “primitive” in crafts as old as basketry, but while acknowledging the negative connotations of a word used often to describe that which is simple, primitive or common, Ruth agrees they sit well for her, reminding me that “we are ‘programmed’ as a species to make things with our hands, which is why there’s a huge draw for folk today to re-engage and feel happy in creating products using natural materials”.

Observing Ruth’s baskets, they are sturdy, practical but beautiful too, reminding us that the principles of aesthetics and form/function can and should co-exist, and that in them, we have far more delightful and ingenious vessels in which to carry and contain our many possessions than the humble but deadly plastic box. The fact that basketry work doesn’t last forever stands (unlike the deadly plastic box) it in better stead as a (re)replacement for all the plastic we have come to depend so much on. When our possessions and the boxes and baskets they are held in can return wholly and in nonuninterrupted cycle to the earth from whence they came, without damaging the earth or any other species, then we may finally get to a point of balance on our beautiful planet. For now, the growth of the zero waste and plastic free movements are propelling the work of skilled artisans like Ruth Thompson and her fellow Basket Makers into the fore once again, with a welcome resurgence of the craft. Baskets and basket-making can never be mechanized and are rarely mass-produced meaning that they will always be created by hand – and one day perhaps we will see them as commonly used as Winslow Homer did, with the responsibility of carrying forward the skills of making and mending them belonging to the many, and not the few.

Passing on the skills of a craft that could have been lost completely with the dawn of the plastic age, but which is seeing a resurgence as people start to turn their backs on plastic and look for more natural means to move and store their belongings, is important to Ruth. “I enjoy teaching people”, she tells me, “it’s so satisfying when a group successfully makes baskets”. Ruth teaches groups from all walks of life, from museum groups, students with special educational needs and visitors to her local National Park in Northumberland, to supermarket managers and business leaders on team building days. Helping participants to create baskets and to develop an understanding for the flexibility and adaptability of natural materials, giving them the opportunity to transfer those observations to their own lives is part of the journey Ruth takes to make these skills accessible and practical to a modern audience. She says it “is a way of appreciating natural process of change and renewal that will hopefully brush off and give them a new outlook to cope with

Bee Skep - with bee space for bees to enter

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Chris Pearce, Bampton, Cumbria, ‘Perigord’ baskets

Chris Pearce, Bampton, Cumbria, ‘Perigord’ Baskets

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FIND IT ONLINE Website: www.sylvanskills.co.uk Facebook: @sylvanskills YouTube: Ruth Thompson Ruth in nest

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Mamie’s Schoolhouse:

Sustainable Fibre Arts on Canada’s Cape Words and photography by Mel Sweetnam

Long before Europeans occupied these shores the Mi’kmaq, the First Nation of Unama’ki (Cape Breton Island), had an ancient relationship with the fibre and dye potential of the plants of the towering old growth Acadian Forests, which nurtured an incredibly rich web of life. The Mi’kmaq used many botanical and mineral extracts to dye animal hides and items woven from local plants, including Sanguinaria Canadensis, Galiums, Solidago Canadensis, Alnus, Betula, and many others. After French and English colonization, several hundred years of feeding European shipbuilding and other industrial demands, as well as more current poor forestry practices, have severely depleted the ancient forests. While most of the island is still heavily forested, the native Acadian Forest ecosystem is listed as threatened and only small isolated pockets of old growth remain. In 2013, Mel Sweetnam bought 70 acres on the island’s North River. As a life-long ecological activist and fibre artist, with over twenty years of botanical dye experience, it was her intent from the beginning to work toward two related goals: re-introduce as many of the native Acadian Forest species as possible to the property, which had been mostly cleared and farmed for a hundred and fifty years, and build a studio as a centre of learning about fibre arts that respect and restore our planet’s ecology. Cape Breton is already renowned as a world-class fibre arts destination. Mi’kmaq basketry is second to none. French settlers brought amazing, colourful rug-hooking skills. Scottish settlers arrived with formidable weaving traditions, and Cape Breton Island is known the world over for its beautiful overshot patterns. These traditions live on through contemporary island artisans and workshops. But in just a couple of generations, the island lost much of its former local fibre economy. Fields once were

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home to many hundreds of sheep, and the wool was milled, dyed and used right here on the island. Now, like elsewhere, textiles come from retail giants that import from countries that provide little or no labour, health or environmental protections for their own citizens. As an administrator for the Atlantic Canada Fibreshed, Mel is committed to rooting Mamie’s Schoolhouse in the global Fibreshed movement established by Rebecca Burgess, and using the studio as a hub for community initiatives to relocalize natural fibre value and supply chains in ways that address current ecological and socio-economic challenges. The last large capacity fibre mill was shut down decades ago. But today, individuals across the island are experimenting with small-scale cottage fibre growing and milling operations. Along with heritage sheep, llamas and alpacas are now raised by an ever-increasing number of farmers, their fibres sold at the farm-gate and in a growing number of local retail outlets. Following wonderful work being done on the mainland by Taproot Fibre Lab, several people on Cape Breton Island are experimenting with the re-introduction of organic flax crops to contribute to the revival of our province’s once strong linen production. Mamie’s Schoolhouse aspires to facilitate connections between local fibre producers and users, and contribute to the island’s socio-economic resilience in ways that protect, rather than deplete, the natural environment. So the goal is for Mamie’s Schoolhouse to be much more than

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a classroom, a classroom that is also critical! This classroom is where the actual traditional and contemporary ecological approaches to fibre artistry will be passed on to others, to nourish a deep concern for the well-being of our planet and to give people practical skills to do something beautiful with that concern.

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With an emphasis on restoration and sustainable use of native species, and taking responsibility for the soil-tosoil life of fibres, classes will include: ecological growing, harvesting and processing of fibre and dye flora making organic botanical mordants, dyes and inks, whole cloth dyeing, eco-print, block-print, shibori, and other surface design techniques with plant dyes/inks, decorative mending (boro, sashiko, etc.) and textile, upcycling, mud dyeing, felting, paper-making with plants, hand-bound books, scrap woodblock carving and much more. . Earlier this year, Mamie’s Schoolhouse announced its inaugural annual Artist in Residence: Irit Dulman will teach two five day workshops in September on Cape Breton’s magnificent coastline. Registration is through the school’s website.

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Native Agrimony Hand Woven, Local Wood, Plant Dyed Local Wool Dyed With Native White Spruce Cape Breton’s Roadsides Are Lined With Dye Plants Native Acadian Forest in the Autumn Native Ash, Maple And Tannin Native Wild Cranesbill, Poplar & Ninebark Regenerating Acadian Forest Late 19th Century Cape Breton Overshot Weaving

The full course calendar will launch a little later this year, and sign up for notification is also through the website. Interested teachers (local or international) can contact the school any time.

WORKSHOPS:

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Mamie’s Schoolhouse, Breton Island Opening Autumn 2018

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Inaugural Artist in Residence, Irit Dulman. Two five day workshops, September 19-23 & 26-30, 2018

Website: mamiesschoolhouse.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/ mamiesschoolhouse/ Instagram: www.instagram.com/ mamiesschoolhousecapebreton/

Full workshop/course calendar to be launched in Autumn 2018

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My Journey as a Conscious Creative Words by Alison Faith Kay My journey as a conscious creative started one summer’s day in 2015, when, 6 months into starting to paint, I decided to sell a studio full of acrylics and commit to making my art practice totally natural. Since that day, thanks to No Serial Number Magazine and Instagram, I’ve met many others that have chosen a parallel path. What fascinates me is that we all come to this space with different stories: Some grew up with make do and mend, some are driven here because of health problems, some have a moment when their eyes were opened to the destruction in the world and could do nothing else. However we got here, living as a conscious creative is not the easy option.

What does it mean?

• Getting comfortable with ‘slow’. When we work with nature, not against her, we must so often be patient in our processes and execution.

• Allowing ourselves to be different in a world where being the same is prized. At times, I've found that choice lonely and frustrating… but I wouldn't have it any other way. I tried to fit in for too many years. It sucks!

• Practising ingenuity and fortitude. We need the resourcefulness to carve our own path where one doesn't necessarily exist and the strength to learn from our likely failures along the way.

• A commitment to inner work. The questions and challenges authentic creating raises require us to consistently make brave, different choices. And that means going deep.

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So why do it?

For me, it is because I can do nothing else.

I care about our world and I know that every single choice I make impacts the planet and the lives of many people. How could I create whilst pushing that aside? Being a conscious maker is the only thing that allows me to feel in alignment with my true self.

And what does this way of life give back?

• Incredible connection. The world is set up to distract us from figuring out and engaging with what we really feel, including the effect our actions have on other people and our planet. When we choose to push against that and get conscious we open a door to the most fulfilling connection - with ourselves, with our art and with the world that we call home. • More peace. As a conscious creators we know that our art is bringing beauty to the world whilst having minimal detrimental effect. • Self-empowerment. The choice to create this way is a path to understanding what is important to us like no other. And this act of making brings to life a physical representation of what we stand for, feeding confidence back to us. • Patience and trust. Working slowly and using alternative methods give us a faith in the process, an understanding of the seasons of nature (and life) and an appreciation of the small moments.

Choosing to make or create consciously is a world-changing act It impacts everything and everyone we share this planet with and it transforms us as individuals and communities.

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Website: www.alisonfaithkay.com Instagram: @alisonfaithkay

SUSTAINABLE FASHION

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VINTAGE, ORGANIC, HANDMADE & ECO-FRIENDLY... In Search of the Perfect Eco Spring Look! Words and interviews by Naina Bajaria Photography by NSN Team V INTAG E I SAV IRT U E

Hand- pick e d wit h L o v e Robyn, tell us something about what inspired you to start a vintage shop online?

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threads. Sometimes I spend more time on this process than I make profit wise, but that just goes with the territory.

My Mum is really big on thrifting as well as the make-do-and-mend attitude (she’ll repair anything if she can rather than throw it out!) and I’ve always accompanied her to charity shops and car boot sales throughout my whole life! I remember feeling so excited to find ‘treasure’ on these trips, which could be anything from a glittery pair of shoes to a brightly coloured necklace. As I got older, I met an inspirational lady in my hometown, who had the most vastest collection of truly vintage clothing in every room of her house! She was so passionate about it and that spurred me on to start collecting it myself as I knew I had an eye for dating things. 10+ years on (and quite the collection myself) I started working freelance so I decided it was time to open my shop up online as a hobby and attend fairs to start selling it!

Where do you find your precious vintage? Do you shop around a lot, how does it work? I have been to Paris where I sourced a fair amount to begin with, but mostly they’re sourced from people I know, vintage fairs, antiques markets, car boots etc. here in the UK. This is all handpicked, so I really know the quality of what I have. Bulk bought items often mean you’re wasting a lot of the items as they’re beyond repair or in strange sizes, as well as the carbon footprint of having huge amounts of textiles imported in from other countries.

What drives your passion? Is it love for fashion or something else? I do really love the idea that these items have lived a previous life. Sometimes I imagine what sort of event a lady would have attended to wear a particular dress or piece of jewellery. I’ve always loved colourful and unique fashion, but had a serious thing for my Mum’s special jewellery box as a kid and her 70s dresses she kept for me. I’d often ask to see them as a treat!

What’s the most rewarding aspect of your business? I love that I’m helping people contribute less to landfill by buying older, and yet often, better made items. I try to recycle everything so this helps with the conscience as owning businesses can be so wasteful. Also, receiving photos and feedback from customers, knowing that I’ve added a bit of sparkle to their event is so rewarding!

When you receive an item in need of some TLC, how do you restore it to its former beauty?

G et in touch:

Instagram: @vintageisavirtue Etsy Shop: www.etsy.com/uk/shop/vintageisavirtue

So once I find the item, I will wash it if possible, try to remove any stains, dry them, debobble, sew up holes, add on or replace buttons, and cut off/refinish any loose

Skirt by

Elsie Jayne

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Top and necklace by vintageisavirtue

EL S I E JAN E

Kirsty is an artisan-designer who started her business in 2014. What initially inspired you to create the items that you are sending? Please detail your journey and the key experiences along the way. Elsie Jayne wasn’t always an environmentally conscious brand that kind of developed along the way. It was when I began screen printing my own designs that I gained a better understanding of organic fabrics. With that insight there was no way that I could continue using non organic cottons, so from there on Elsie Jayne began to grow towards being an organic brand. I have sent NSN magazine two skirts: Chloe – Fine corduroy in its own right is beautiful, it needs no enhancement. The meaning of the name is ‘Young Green Shoot’ – which to me symbolises organic growth. The Cactus skirt is screen printed using non-toxic ink. I particularly love this design because it is simple yet delicately detailed. Is there a particular story or experience relating to the item(s) you are sending? In 2016 I began working in collaboration with another artist, Pandora of iNKIDOT, and the Cactus design is a result of that collaboration. I absolutely love all of the work produced by Pandora and I am really excited to have her work incorporated into my brand. Pandora shares the same philosophy and runs Derbyshire’s only open access environmentally conscious print studio. It was Pandora that taught me how to screen print, and this was the starting point from which I began to design and print organic fabric for the brand. How do you wish to contribute towards the sustainable fashion industry? The short answer for this would be that it is my hope that, alongside other small sustainable and organic brands, I’ll collectively raise awareness for sustainability and the benefits that it has to our natural resources. Cotton farming is a large portion of the fashion industry, and how cotton is farms affects the soil, and subsequently the wildlife that live and forages in the hedgerows surrounding the fields. The list goes on... it isn’t only wildlife that is affected but also humans. It is my hope that someday all farming and manufacturing processes become environmentally friendly. G et in touch:

Website: www.elsiejayne.co.uk Facebook: @elsiejayneofficial Instagram: @elsiejayneofficial

Casa D el Duende

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Formed in 2015, Casa del Duende aims to be an inspiring and innovative brand supporting the sustainable and ethical fashion industry. Brand creator Justine Dalton was inspired by her grandmother’s words to live a life of fulfilment and to follow passions. This motivated her to create Casa del Duende.

The items are handmade from recycled vintage Japanese kimonos, each with their own individual and unique story. The imagery from the kimonos show through in the items as they are sewn and stitched by hand. Each item is unique and Justine puts her heart and soul into their creation. Her ethos is rooted in the creativity of utilising small pieces of fabric and seeing what can be created. The real essence of ‘vintage’ is shown through these items, as a pose to the pretend ‘vintage’ seen in fast fashion outlets. You can purchase these items on Justine’s Etsy store: www.etsy.com/uk/shop/Justinedalton

Casa Del Duende Twisted Fern Designs

G r een Moon D esigns

Green Moon Designs was set up in October 2016 as a spare time project by UK-based Fiona Harby. What initially inspired you to create the items or source the items that you are sending? Having graduated from University with a Fine Art degree and a specialist in Printmaking, I have since been working in the fashion branding industry. In my current role I have been fortunate enough to work with Christopher Raeburn, Parley for the Oceans and Fashion Revolution, all of whom are key drivers for Sustainability in the Fashion Industry. In the summer of 2016 I went to Boom Festival in Portugal, and it was there that I got the inspiration to set up my own brand. There was a market there where people were selling their own handmade items. I remember thinking how incredible it would be to go back to the festival with some things I had designed - hopefully this will happen for me in 2018! After watching ‘Before the flood’ and ‘The True Cost’, both films highlighting the fashion industry as being the second most polluting industry in the world, I felt it was really important to make sure any items I produced were having minimal impact on the environment. Is there a particular story or experience relating to the item you have sent to NSN magazine? The loose fit mandala t-shirt is the first design t-shirt that I made and the Moon print is the most recent (released in 2017 from my new collection). I started drawing mandalas last year. The design of the mandala is supposed to be visually appealing to completely absorb the mind and thoughts when being viewed - almost like a meditation - allowing the busy mind to take a break while the creative mind runs free. Mandalas are also a symbol of natural energy and spiritual essence which is supposed to allow a higher consciousness or awareness and are well known for being a source of healing or wholeness in your life. Regarding the story of the actual products themselves, every part of the end to end process, from the moment the tops are designed to final shipping, has been thought about and considered. Wherever I could I have swapped for an eco alternative. As a consumer I get so annoyed when I order what claims to be an ‘eco product’ and it turns up on my doorstep double wrapped in polypropelene wrap, so I have done my best to tackle these challenges. All the items in my store are printed locally in Nottingham, UK and they are packaged in the most sustainable materials possible. I do not use polybags - only paper to wrap the items in and this is always recycled. The polybags I use are alternatives to the usual polypropelene sleeves and are fully biodegradable corn starch wallets. I hand draw all my designs that you see featured on the products. I then scan them in and re-colour them digitally. I also sell mandala art prints. These are printed on 100% recycled paper at a print studio which is about 100 metres away from my house! How do you wish to contribute towards the sustainable fashion industry? I hope to lead by example, making better and longer lasting products that are less damaging to the environment than the usual ‘fast fashion’ items you would expect to find on the market. I hope to inspire and uphold pure, positive practices whilst being committed to having a zero waste output by only releasing new items when the older ones have been sold. In this way my designs do not fit into classical ‘fashion trends’ because I have designed them to last. I always choose natural fibre products that are biodegradable, so that when eventually these products do reach the end of their life they can be disposed of responsibly, by being recycled

or composted. I make products that I would buy as a consumer and it feels good to know that I am contributing to a better manufacturing process. All the products are made in safe, socially responsible, energy conserving factories. What are your key motivations in what you do? I love making things. From drawing to sewing and conceptualising to a final piece, I love being ‘hands on’ and I think that shows through the Green Moon pieces. It is also hugely important to me that I am also doing something that I believe in. Everyone that buys from Green Moon is contributing to a better, slower and fairer fashion industry. With our current consumption of resources at a rate of 1.6 Earths, it is fair to say there is a huge environmental problem. This is a problem that needs to be tackled head on and sitting back and hoping that other people will sort it out is not really going to inspire any change. Whilst these facts are true (and quite overwhelming!) I try to remember that this situation is not completely hopeless. I think the only way to initiate a big change is to make smaller ones first. The exciting part is that we can all work together to do something about this, starting with the realisation that we are responsible for our own actions. I also think there are many who are already actioning small changes to improve our current environmental situation. Everything can help, from switching off a light when leaving a room to a complete dietary lifestyle change. All these things can contribute to making a big difference. Green Moon is my step to making a change and my customers also make up a lot of steps in this process, as without them none of this for me would be possible. It is amazing to be at the front end of a far bigger and greater change than I could ever possibly achieve on my own. The actions speak louder than words in this case! Every single sale motivates me to continue and keep evolving the project, brand and items. What’s next for your brand? I am currently researching deadstock and pre-owned items for a new range of products I hope to release in the near future. Rather than ranges of products, I am going to be doing a lot more handmade and one off pieces. I am hoping there will be a variety of the classic ‘Mandala’ t-shirt designs as well as some new shapes and styles. I also have a selection of new drawings and paintings I have been working on that I can’t wait to share with you, so it is a very exciting time for Green Moon! G et in touch:

Website: www.greenmoondesigns.com Facebook: @GreenMoonDesigns1 Instagram: @green_moon_designs

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Buds & Roses Kelly Fannon created Buds and Roses, a brand dedicated to making t-shirts for kids and moms. What initially inspired you to create the items or source the items that you are sending? Please detail your journey and key experiences along the way. A confluence of ideas and concerns inspired me to design t-shirts for women and kids. With my background in textile design I have always loved working with colour, pattern, design and fabrics. In recent years I’ve been working in trend research with Fashion Snoops based in New York. Through this work I have researched, reported, reviewed and studied the movements behind the ideas that encompass fashion. All this work feeds my imagination and my need to make something beautiful. Most think of sustainable and ethical clothes as “hippie”, unfashionable or way too pricey. Another factor that led to wanting design t-shirts for women and kids is my concern about the ethics in the fashion industry; the long hours and low pay, working in the unsafe conditions for mostly women (think for example about Rana Plaza). There is the pollution to people and the environment in producing synthetic yarns and fabrics. T-shirts are fun and everybody has a favorite tee; they are expressive, but can be stylish and ethical. What can you tell us about the items that you have sent to NSN Magazine The t-shirts for mothers and daughters are from my experience with my daughters, my mom, my sisters, my women friends and their daughters. We all love and care for our little ones and have that need to give them the best. How do you wish to contribute towards the sustainable fashion industry? Every time someone somewhere buys a garment made from natural materials that is linen, cotton, silk or wool is making a contribution to the sustainable fashion industry, best if it is from independent designers. The t-shirts I use come from Mantis World, a manufacturer committed to producing cotton that is grown in organic conditions, fairly traded with GOTS certification. Also the garment workers are paid a living wage. I met the owners when they sponsored a screening of The True Cost. If my contribution can break through the market perception of sustainable fashion being “unfashionable”, but rather that it can be fun, pretty and funky, that would be great. You can still be stylish and responsible.

Skirt by

Elsie Jayne Top by

Buds & Roses

What are your key motivations for what you do? My key motivation is the art process from my textile design roots. I love seeing colour whether in dye, paint, or ink being absorbed into fabric, it is a moment of zen. I have also been using indigo, real indigo and seeing the magic of colour change before your eyes is a thrill. There is the need in me to make something beautiful with colour, pattern, texture, line, form and shape, movement and rhythm. Do you have any further ideas in the pipeline for the brand? Yes, one idea for the brand is to introduce a collection of tees for men and I have had many requests for more children’s clothes. It will develop, all organically. Get in touch:

Website: www.budsroses.com Etsy shop: www.etsy.com/uk/shop/budsroses Instagram: @kellyfannon

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Twist e d Fer n D esigns Victoria, tell us about your brand and how it started.

100% recycled Sterling Silver, accented by upcycled glass beads, semi-precious stones or hand picked sea glass. When I learned that metal mining is one of the largest polluters of land and groundwater worldwide, I knew that finding an alternative would be my first step. When I found there was a company in the US recycling silver from medical and industrial machinery, I knew I could provide a viable alternative to traditionally mined Sterling Silver jewellery. That was a great inspiration. As a consumer I had found it difficult if not impossible to source jewellery that was sustainable, handmade, unique and cruelty free. In the beginning, my main goal was to make pieces for myself, family and friends, as well as providing an outlet for my crochet addiction. Knowing I wanted to sell complete pieces of jewellery, I had to look for a sustainable, cruelty free alternative to silver chains and leather cord. I found a small father and son business making sustainably harvested cork cord in Portugal, they have been fantastic. The cord they make is comfortable, waterproof, chemical free, and really hard wearing, from the first sample I received I knew it was the look I had been waiting for. Meeting other small businesses, like theirs, wanting to make a difference inspired me even further. As far as the designs themselves go, my influences are very varied. During my time studying history and later working as an historic researcher, I found a great love for 19th century textile arts and fashion, especially that of the British Arts and Crafts Movement. The patterns they created were so expressive and very much centred around the natural world. Organic geometry and representations of nature are very much a key influence for me as you can see in these pieces. My passion for history and heritage can be seen in all of my designs. From the old Irish crochet patterns and 19th century lacework that inspire my crocheted recycled silver plucked from medical machinery, to the Czech or Murano glass beads upcycled from vintage broken jewellery.

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Twisted Fern Designs was first imagined in January 2016. Meandering through the craft markets of Cusco, Peru and Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica, I saw high quality, handmade and most importantly sustainable crafts being made in front of me. The vendors I spoke to were so passionate about their craft, it sparked a fire in me I wasn’t aware I had. I remember turning to my partner Alex, outside of a restaurant in Cusco, and shouting, ‘I’m going to crochet wire!’ It was my lightbulb moment and that level of passion for what I do has never faded. We returned home a month later and I began sourcing wire and jewellery supplies. At the time we were living in a remote valley on the Central Coast of British Columbia, managing an Eco Mountain Lodge, so sustainability and living responsibly was always at the forefront of my mind. It was at this time that I made the decision to follow a plant based diet and transition to a cruelty free life, it was one of the best decisions I have ever made. I knew that I wanted my craft to reflect these ideals. By August, I was selling a couple of pieces at a local farmer’s market. In December I took part in my first UK Christmas Fayre and had my jewellery for sale in art galleries and shops on both sides of the pond. In June 2017, I decided to make the leap and was fortunate enough to turn Twisted Fern Designs into a full-time business. I have never looked back. What inspires you to make your jewellery? I always knew that if my passion for jewellery design was going to be realised in the way I had imagined, I would have to stay away from the mass produced, mass imported items from faceless conglomerates, as that just wasn’t me or how I chose to live. Instead, I took time to source my products from reliable, small businesses with transparent production lines and supply chains. Running the lodge in Canada, sourcing all of our products locally and sustainably had taught me a lot. It was certainly not easy, there were many dead ends and a lot of corporate jargon to wade through. Many companies didn’t know where their Silver came from, or if any of their products were cruelty free. I didn’t want ‘I think so’ to be good enough, so I kept asking the difficult, prying questions until I found the answers I was looking for. These three pieces, like all of my designs, are made from

Is there a particular story or experience relating to the items you are sending? The flower mandala necklace and flower earrings are an example of the role organic geometry plays in my pieces. They are inspired by life in Canada’s Great Bear Rainforest. The Jade stones in the necklace have a beautiful, natural colour to them, reminiscent of water droplets running off the face of a leaf. The flower earrings are accented with a purple Czech glass bead my favourite colour. I spent three wonderful years living in the Bella Coola Valley in a community formed of the most beautiful, generous and creative people I’ve ever met. The valley is tucked away deep in the Coast Mountains of British Columbia, surrounded by untamed wilderness, breathtaking scenery and one of the world’s largest coastal temperate rainforests. The name Twisted Fern actually comes from my time there and the inspiration I gleaned from long walks amongst the ferns. My passion for history and nature can also be seen in

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the recent creation of my Sea Glass range. Deciding to use these small remnants of England’s North East Coastal history, allowed me to further the unique story of each piece. I love the history of Sea Glass. The pebbles I use can be dated between 1853 and 1921, when Europe’s largest bottle works stood in the North Eastern Coastal town of Seaham. No two pieces are the same; they are a tribute to the rich heritage that surrounds the area, as well as the power and beauty of the northern waves in which they were created. My family and I often go beachcombing in the North East, however it wasn’t until recently that I learnt the cultural importance and growing value of Seaham Sea Glass. Now I’m on the beach whenever I can, looking for these natural recycled treasures. The three-drop necklace is representative of my love of the ocean. I always feel most myself when on a beach or at sea. The nautilus, shell, and starfish are accented by deep aquamarine glass beads and a drop of Seaham Sea Glass. It was hand-picked and hand drilled one drizzly December afternoon after a high tide; we were the only ones on the beach, it was bliss.

true to my own ethics. After reading Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert, I have learnt to constantly challenge myself when it comes to my art and not judge myself too harshly as we all do so frequently. I love the quote ‘what would you do if you didn’t have to be perfect?’ I apply it to my designs and my life in general every day. Sitting down in front of a blank piece of paper (recycled, of course!) with a pencil, not knowing what may be created gives me a great sense of joy and freedom.

How do you wish to contribute towards the sustainable fashion industry? The quote ‘activists raise awareness, entrepreneurs offer solutions’ really stuck with me. Twisted Fern Designs is certainly about raising awareness, however it was also created to provide an eco-friendly alternative. As consumers we all have a strong voice. What we choose to buy matters. There are so many great sustainable fashion alternatives out there now that there is beginning to be a great amount of choice. I am so glad I am part of it and hope to continue learning from others setting great examples both for consumers and small eco start-ups like mine. Creating handmade, unique pieces from high quality sustainable materials is very important to me. Most of all, I would like to encourage everyone to ask the difficult questions, ask what items are made of, where they got the materials, who made it and under what conditions. It is in asking these questions and challenging current industries that we can continue to affect change. I intend to build my brand firmly within the sustainable fashion industry, continually growing and offering new alternatives to mass production and mass pollutants.

Do you have any further ideas in the pipeline for the brand? One of my goals is to offer as many alternatives to pollutants and animal products such as plastic and leather as possible for use in everyday life. As well as jewellery, I have been working on a sustainable range of crocheted and upcycled items. All of which are cruelty free, reusable and offer alternatives to plastic items, reducing waste. The growing availability of sustainably harvested cork is very exciting for me. I am talking to my current cork cord supplier in Portugal to see what other cork items we will be able to offer in the future. My Dad and my partner, Alex are wood turners, they make all of the recycled wood aspects of my jewellery as well as beautiful yarn bowls and wooden crochet hooks. We are designing new things every day to replace single use plastic items with reusable ones made of wood or yarn. I would love to do some more collaborations, really get the word out, and work with like-minded people. I have so many different ideas, I often have to remind myself to focus, go back to basics, and keep doing what I love, the rest will follow. Definitely watch this space, we have some very exciting products coming soon, this is just the beginning.

What motivates you? Spreading the word about sustainable fashion, and being part of this fantastic growing community matters to me a lot. However, the motivation that drives me to go to the Studio every morning and get up at 5.30am to go to craft fairs is the passion for creating something new. Being able to make a living out of my passion is something for which I am very grateful. I love running a business that allows me to live and work staying

G et in touch:

Website: www.twistedfern.co.uk Instagram: www.instagram.com/twisted_fern Facebook: www.facebook.com/twistedfern

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BeWooden: Handmade Wooden Ties Interview by NSN Team BeWooden is a young and fashionable brand. From a humble piece of wood, BeWooden develops stylish bowties to promote timeless fashion and revive traditional artisanship. But it doesn’t end there, they have also partnered with similar companies to provide whole outfits. What inspired you to start BeWooden? We are a group of friends who decided to share our love for craftsmanship with the world. We saw that the fashion world was more and more about fast fashion, about production in China and bad quality. We want to change that and show that through honest handwork and professional craftsmanship one can bring back the joy in wearing unique accessories. In BeWooden, who is the craftsperson? Are you directly involved in the making of the bowties? I am responsible for the international marketing and sales. So I am not directly involved in the production process. At the moment our family counts 25 members, so you can imagine that there are professional craftspeople who do the job way better than me. We also do not work only with one craftsperson, our philosophy is to connect sev eral craftspeople in the region and also across Europe to create the best product available. Were bowties traditionally made of wood or is it something that you came up with? Actually we hear sometimes that twenty years ago there were wooden ties and people were already wearing them at that time, but traditionally bow ties were made from silk or normal fabric. We just loved wood and thought why not create bow ties from wood? Which traditions inspired you to start a wooden fashion business? Is it something inspired by your country? The original idea of BeWooden was created in Czech Republic in the region of Ostrava. This region is very rich of skilled craftspeople, so for us it was a mixture of our inspiration but also the possibility to create the products locally. We see that you sell suspenders and other items inspired by the fashion of the mid 20th century (1930s up to the 1970s). Why were you inspired to revive this trend? Similar to our production philosophy (honest craftsmanship, handwork, etc.) we also want to revive products from earlier days. As you know that fashion is very cyclic and trends comes back. The suspenders were a perfect addition to our cufflinks and bow ties, as our customers love the combination of the same type of wood in different accessories. Can you tell us a little bit more about sustainable forest management in your local area? (How trees are cut and replanted for example) We started at the beginning with the upcycling of excess materials from furniture production. As our production has grown, we cannot use only excess wood anymore. We

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are planning to support an initiative for re-planting trees and also we engage in social activities, such as rebuilding schools in Africa. What are the key steps that you take to maintain the business environmentally sustainable e.g. zero miles, compostable etc.? Our focus lies on regional handmade production. Through that we create local jobs. We also use only natural materials when it comes to packaging. What connections do you see between handmade traditions and the protection of the environment? Do you think that artisanship could teach people something about dealing with our current environmental crisis? Yes, for sure! The traditions of craftspeople show how complicated it actually is to produce such products, how many small production steps are needed and, most importantly, that there are humans behind the products. It always make me think, how mass production in China must look like. Do we really need to have t-shirts, which we throw away after 4 months? Brands, which focus on craftsmanship and sustainable production do a great job and through them this topic is attracting more and more the attention of the media, so I really hope that we all can make a difference. We are fascinated by the 150 steps and 40 artisans required to make a hat, as stated on your website. Can you tell us a little bit more about your partnership with Tonak? Tonak is a very traditional hat producer from Czech Republic. We teamed up with them to create a beautiful story and raise awareness around tradition al craftsmanship. Especially for our target group, which is a bit younger than theirs, it was for both sides a nice cooperation as we were able to show that hats (and how they are produced) are indeed trendy! This is exactly the philosophy I mentioned earlier: connection of local craftspeople to create unique and high-quality products.

 FIND IT ONLINE Website: www.bewooden.com Facebook: @BeWooden Instagram: @bewooden Twitter: @BeWooden_com

UPCYCLING HUB

Upcycling & Ferrous Impressions

Form the top:

Jatobรก sawdust, onion skins, annatto, hibiscus and pomegranate on a selection of cotton, silk and linen

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F r o m F a s h i on to U pc y c li ng W i t h DIY N a t u r a l C o lo urs Words by Maibe Maroccolo and NSN Team Photography by Nathalia Frensch Tutorial photograby by Artur Galeno

Natural Dyes in Brazil: Maibe’s experience natural plants and mineral resources are used in Brazil as raw materials for extracting a wide range of natural dyes. Many of these plants are used by traditional communities in their daily lives, such as annatto, genipap, saffron-the-land, anileira, açaí and many others. To this day, her brand, Mattricaria, is dedicated to carrying out intensive research of Brazilian dye plants, such as annatto, a seed widely used by Brazilian Indians for body painting (which produces a beautiful dye in shades of red and orange) the leaves of crajirú that are found only in the north of Brazil (which produce a beautiful reddish tone) or Jurema, a plant of the legume family, common in Northeast Brazil (which gives a beautiful pink colour). All of these plants are widely used in Brazil for their rich medicinal properties.

In 2011, Maibe was working within the fashion industry in Brasília. She worked there for four years before becoming frustrated with the fashion brands’ approach to environmental issues and labour exploitation. It was only later when she went to London to study Fashion Design and Development at the London College of Fashion that she really began to think deeply about the whole process, especially the amount of waste and pollution that the fashion industry creates. At that point, her interest in natural dyes began and when she finally returned to Brazil, Maibe was determined to make a positive impact. As a first task, she focused on mapping the plants of the Brazilian cerrado, a savannah-like ecosystem that covers a fifth of Brazil’s territory, alongside artisan cooperatives in Distrito Federal, Goiás e Minas Gerais that use traditional recipes of natural pigments and dyes. A huge variety of

pomegranate

hibiscus

onion skins

annatto

jatobá sawdust

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Mattricaria: reconnecting the consumer to the product

Jatobá sawdust on cotton, silk and linen

As a result of Maibe’s experience abroad and her knowledge acquired during her research, Mattricaria was born. One of Maibe’s greatest motivations for creating this brand came from simple moments such as walking in her neighbourhood and seeing stains on the pavement from fruits that fall from a jamelão tree, or from cooking and seeing that the colour of the beetroot stained her hands. She tells us how she would allow a few drops of açaí fall on her dress as she became aware of the effect of nature on people. As she gathered all these experiences together, Maibe realised that many methods are at risk of being lost, especially as a result of the emergence of large-scale industries. Mattricaria developed out of this process of reflection and development. The project was initially meant to be a clothing brand of natural dyed and printed pieces, produced according to the principles of slow fashion. However, Maibe also felt that she needed to tell consumers the whole story; she wanted her customers to be more involved and learn more about how the colours and the products are created. So, she started holding workshops with the goal of empowering end consumers to create their own pieces, reconnecting with nature and becoming responsible for the process. As a result, now Mattricaria has also launched a collection of natural dyes, which allows the consumer to dye with safety and practicality wherever they are. This kit may also have other uses, as in addition to dyeing fabrics, natural dyes can be also used as a pigment to mix water based paint. How does Maibe ensure that the process remains as sustainable as possible? She tells us, for example, that in the rainy season she collects water and stores it for dyeing. She also reuses the water multiple times before it gets discarded in her garden bacause, she says, the minerals and leftover organic matter in the water feed the soil. In addition, Maibe tells us that Mattricaria has established partnerships with local markets that supply raw materials, such as onion peels, carrots, beet leaves, and remains of foliage so that the life of waste materials can be prolonged. As mordants Maibe uses potassium alum, vinegar and ferrous solutions, which she believes are safe options for her dyeing work. As for the choice of fibres used, she prefers fibres that are organic. She uses twill, denim, knit and cotton fabrics. Mattricaria has established partnerships with cooperatives that produce organic cotton in the north of Brazil, which she defines as ‘ecological chains of solidarity cotton’. For the following tutorial (pages 44-45) Maibe used organic cotton.

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FIND IT ONLINE Website: www.mattricaria.com.br Facebook and Instagram: @mattricaria

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Rust Dyeing Tutorial By Maibe Maroccolo The methods describe here are my personal experiences. They are not intended to be a definitive set of instructions. You may discover there are other methods and materials to accomplish the same end result. Have fun! SCOURING FIBRES Pre-washing removes any oil, starches, or other elements left on the fabric from the manufacturing process. Instructions: Use neutral pH soap. The pot size depends on the size of your fabric, the important point to keep in mind is that the fabric must be able to flow freely. For each 500g of goods you need 1/2 teaspoon of neutral pH soap. Let it dissolve in the pot before adding the fabric, bring the water to 180 F, hold for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow the goods to cool. Rinse fabric in cold water.

Fold the fabric over carefully so that the rusted pieces stay in place. The cloth will have prints on both sides of the fabric.

First wet the fabric to be dyed.

Place it in contact with rusty objects such as iron nails, steel wool and iron shavings.

Fold it back up until it looks like a small package.

Cover the piece with a light fabric.

Tie with a cotton string.

Soak your piece in your choosen dye-bath, and bring to a simmer. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t boil them! Even though it might seem that it will speed up the process, I found that that slow simmering works much better! We have prepared previously the dye bath with onion skins: 7 litres of water and 300g of onion skins boiled for 30 minutes. Remembering that, as we are using rust, the dye bath will darken.

Open the magic pack at most within 3 days for best results!

Wait to cool and remove your piece from the bath.

PS: You should remember, however, that rust dyeing involves a corrosive process. If you leave the fabric to colour for too long, the rust can damage the material and cause holes. I recommend to do a neutralising rinse with baking soda to help slow down this deteriorating process; use approximately 1 cup baking soda to 1 gallon water, let stand for 1 hour and rinse in cold water.

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Bridget O’Flaherty: Thread Painting Art Interview by NSN Team Bridget O’Flaherty is a fibre artist who makes beautiful landscape art by using the needle of her sewing machine like a drawing artist would use a pencil. We asked her questions about her interest in environmental issues and how she incorporates this in her art.

Hi Bridget, first of all we want to say how wonderful your work is. Your work really asks to be seen in person. How would you like to introduce yourself?

and fibre art, though it’s growing in popularity. When I first started creating landscapes, I added embroidered details with a little grass, or veins in leaves, or shading. Eventually I became so obsessed with the details that it became my main focus. Over 20 years ago, internet was new, social media didn’t exist and there were very few books on this type of work, so I embarked on a lot of self-exploration and personal development of the technique. When I work on my domestic machine, the needle is stationary, and I move the fabric to create my stitches. Recently, I purchased a long-arm sewing machine to do my large thread paintings. The fabric is held on a frame and I move the machine, which is on tracks to detail the work. There is no computer on the machine, it is all free-hand. It’s a bit cumbersome, kind of like hugging the pencil to draw, but I love working with big pieces.

I like to refer to myself as an eco-fibre artist or quilt artist. I create large landscape wall art in thread using earth friendly materials. I love to share my work in galleries, exhibitions and through teaching the technique in workshops. Tell us something about the fibre art that you do, how would you define it? We were fascinated to hear that you use the ‘needle like a stationary pencil to create the images and the detail’. Where does this art tradition come from and how did you find out about it? I use free motion machine embroidery to detail landscapes, flora and fauna. Machine embroidery has a long history, but free motion work hasn’t traditionally been used in quilt art

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awareness, many of them artisans choosing to live off the land with a low impact lifestyle. We still live here and we, along with our neighbours still hold these values.

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to ask you about the tradition of quilting that you started with. Has the craft of quilting inspired in some way your environmental consciousness?

At what point in your artistic career did you decide to have a sustainability focus? What different factors have influenced your decision?

I began quilting with my mother, as many do. I was not really enamoured of the traditions at the time, but as I developed my art, I was continually drawn back to those traditions and wanted to find some way of incorporating a nod to the women in the industry and their only creative outlet for many years. I try to find ways to bring those two together in my work. The environmental consciousness really came more from the lifestyle I was introduced to when I met my partner at the age of 21. He lived in what was originally idealised as a commune in the 60s, but developed into a close knit community of like-minded people who have an environmental

After stepping away from my art for almost 10 years to pursue other career options, I came back to it in the last couple of years. During that time, we built our off-grid home, I continued my BA degree at university in Environmental Studies and I pursued training in sustainability. It had been an interest that started with building our own home and wanting to leave a low impact on our environment. When coming back to my art, it seemed like an opportunity to explore the environmental impact of the textiles I use. I hadnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t considered the source and chain of custody of goods previously. My work in the building sustainability industry introduced me to the processes and certifications available to many products. I was curious to see what the textile industry was doing. What are the key steps that you take to ensure that your art is as environmentally sustainable as it can be e.g. zero miles, compostable materials, cradle to cradle design etc.? What do you think are the most important steps that an artist should take at the beginning of their journey? The textile industry is doing some good work at making safe products available, but there are limitations as the demand has not moved a lot of the industry in that direction yet, in my opinion. First, I look for local products, I do not live in a textile country â&#x20AC;&#x201C; cotton, hemp and linen are my first choice

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in fabrics and they are not made in Canada so I would look at getting the “most sustainable” option next. I have started investigating use of felted wool. I have a neighbor who raises sheep, albeit for meat so the wool is not ideal for clothing, but I am experimenting with it for my art. I have access to a local fibreshed that allows me to support farmers and local crafts people, but again I am limited to animal fibres. I can’t get all of my materials this way though. So, I look for certified and natural products next. Again, not every item I use in my art has eco-options. Stabilizers are limited, batting options and thread are all limited in variety, carbon footprint and true eco options. I keep asking manufacturers and distributors for those options, I figure the more they get asked, the more likely they are to deliver. In the past I had never thought of my work with the consideration of cradle to cradle. It is a delicate balance of creating the art I want that speaks to the

narrative of biodiversity and protecting our environment and sustainable materials. The industry is just not fully there yet. Many of the materials I use are compostable, but not all, it is something I am working towards. Important steps for the artist? I think determining what is most important to you. There are many ways to look at the term “eco”: is it local, recyclable, compostable? What is the statement behind the work? What do you want to achieve with your eco options? Once you have determined this, you can choose which path suits your work. I think it can be overwhelming to be all things eco – we each do our best to do our part. That can also evolve as your work does and options become available, you are not tied to any one narrative forever, in my opinion. Where do you find inspiration for your landscape art? What connection do you have with your surroundings? The images I use are a natural fit, I am passionate about bringing awareness to endangered species, invasive species and our natural environment. I am at my most content when I walk in the woods. I live on 7.5 acres of land, surrounded by 1000s of acres, both crown and privately-owned land. The beauty of the trees, water, plants, animals, vistas, even something as seemingly insignificant as moss or a little bug astounds me and brings me so much peace to witness it. I feel compelled to share that. These are precious resources. There is so much beauty here that needs to be preserved. Which botanical materials do you like the most when you dye fabric and why? Do you use locally grown plants or do you grow your own? I really love playing with natural indigo. The process and results seem magical. I save my onion skins, avocado and pomegranate skins. These are not locally grown, but available at times in my local grocer. (Again this comes back to the question of what is eco? For me it’s about getting the natural dyes – the shipping has already occurred – I can’t change the carbon footprint and I am utilising the whole fruit. It’s a tricky process!) I also love to use some of the more traditional plant dyes like madder, osage and logwood and use Symplocos as a mordant. I use ethical sources and support fair trade companies. I do use local plants when I can. I harvest goldenrod, black walnut and sumac – it’s everywhere here! I have a friend

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who has a market flower garden and she saves many of the deadhead plants I can use like zinnias, marigolds and sunflowers. I am planning to use many plants that I know are in the gardens of my neighbours like comfrey and hollyhocks, and I would love to explore moss, lichen and mushroom dyeing, that is on the someday list!

When I am looking for thread, the primary factor is generally colour, since thread is my palette, I require many different shades to create the landscapes and nature images of my work. Depicting my art and subject is first on my list of priorities, fitting eco into is important as well, but not the only factor. My work is not wearable so the expected life of it goes further than that of a garment. Most of my work is intended as a keepsake but will in time break down. I feel if I am making a choice based on colour - and I had to choose polyester as it offers the largest colour range - I would prefer that it at least contain recycled content. Removing plastics from the environment and utilizing them in a responsible way is a better option than doing nothing in my opinion. There are really limited choices in palette when it comes to thread that is “eco”. Weighing the impact of (non-organic) commercial cottons vs. (non-recycled) commercial polyester with manufacturing processes and shipping has many factors and is specific to each company. As more eco options become available I will change. I actually just found out that a certified organic cotton thread distributor in the US that dyes the certified (GOTS) organic thread with natural dyes, (www.fiberactiveorganics.com/organic-cottonthread/ sewpure/ ) are releasing their product this spring and I intend to introduce it into my work. Again, the raw threads are manufactured in India, so the carbon footprint is a factor, but responsible manufacturing, fair trade industry and responsible partnerships come into play. The palette looks great and there is also an option for natural cotton that is untreated, so I can play with dyeing some myself. They are all steps on the road to better products and lower environmental impact!

What kind of fabrics and threads do you use for you artwork, do you also upcycle? Because I had a business previously and my mother owned a quilt store, I have a lot of supplies left on hand. Mostly commercial cottons and polyester sewing thread. I feel compelled to use it as much as possible before buying new. When I do buy new, I primarily use organic cottons for my fabric, I try to source organic cotton thread and recycled content for my paper products. Researching and sourcing these products is much easier now with the internet, but there are additional factors, such as shipping and manufacturing practices from other countries. Sometimes buying a small amount of a product from a local business fits my needs better than shipping a large amount of organic or recycled from another country. I have to weigh the options in the moment. The other factor for me is cost, as much as I would love to always be altruistic, my budget just doesn’t always allow for that.

We saw on your website that you sell 100% recycled polyester thread made from PET bottles. We were curious to find out how you fit polyester thread in your environmental philosophy, as we imagine once the thread has been it is difficult for it to be separated from garments and be recycled again? Interesting question. This comes back to having options.

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IN THE PICTURES: Precious Moments (22” x 64”) Every summer, my family spends a few days in the wilderness on an island. It is so serene and beautiful. We love canoeing, hiking, swimming and taking in the landscape around us. We often spend many hours drawing and sketching the vistas. Background fabric is hand dyed with indigo. The thread painting was completed freehand on the long arm sewing machine. Photgraphy by Jasper Nault

in a friend’s garden this summer and fell in love with Zinnias. This was my first work on the Long arm Sewing machine. There is no computer assisting, it is all free hand machine embroidery. The background is organic cotton dyed with Natural indigo and the thread is primarily rPet polyester. Photography by Bridget O’Flaherty Bursting Zinnias Detail Photography by Bridget O’Flaherty

Bridget Portrait Doing demonstrations at a Studio Tour with my Janome Sewing machine. Photgraphy by Jasper Nault

Bison in the Woods_Manitoba Quilt size approx. 3’x 5’ Bringing attention to the ever-shy Bison, once an endangered species and still requiring careful protection in Canada. There is over 4000m of thread in this work. It is an original design that was part of a solo series exhibition called Quilts of Canada that took place in 2000 at the Mississippi Valley Textile Museum in Almonte Ontario. Photography by T.H Wall Photography

Lone Pine (7” x 13”) This is a sample for the intermediate thread painting by numbers workshop. Students learn about design and colour theory and explore the details of free motion embroidery.. Photography by Bridget O’Flaherty Poppies (9” x 16”) The sweet curves of the poppy are so special to so many. This is a commissioned piece. The background is organic cotton and dyed with natural indigo. Photography by Bridget O’Flaherty

Beginner Patterns Working with a pre-printed pattern (on organic cotton) takes the pressure off the design element. Students create a small free motion embroidery and learn the basics of thread painting.

Bursting Zinnias (21.5” x 26.5”) I have a love of flowers, I had the chance to wander

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FIND IT ONLINE Website: www.threadpaintedart.com Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest: @ecothreadart Etsy Shop: EcoThread Art Youtube: Thread Painted Art Channel

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Live, Laugh, Learn On a Journey of Indian Culture and Creativity Words by Kate Stuart Photography by Creative Art Safaris India demands the attention of all your senses. A rich tapestry of textile heritage, light and colour like nowhere else on earth, contrasting soundtracks between chaotic city chorus, sweeping farmland and desert. India’s architecture will make you gasp and her people will welcome you in to share culture, colour and creativity – people like Fiona Wright and Praveen Nayak. This husband and wife team seamlessly blend their talents in textiles, teaching and tourism to run Creative Art Safaris and The Stitching Project in rural Rajasthan, bringing work to local people, and drawing textile creatives from every continent to savour the vibrant experiences of Indian Culture.

see how low everyone’s income is… our intention is to create work for as many hands as we can, with a strong emphasis on handmade.” Social enterprise is a given for them, after all, as Fiona and Praveen attest, “why would you work any other way?” Materials are sustainable and ecologically considered. Recycled sari silk is bought in from local dealers, handpicked by Fiona and her team, washed and hung to dry in great waterfalls of colour around the house. Once dried the silk is ripped into strips to be sewn back together as a patchwork of new fabric, ready to turn into garments and household textiles like quilts and cushions. “It is a very hard day’s work” Fiona tells me, “but then it comes back from the ladies all stitched, they are happy and it looks beautiful”.

The couple met in Delhi in 2003, and using Praveen’s extensive experience in the tourism industry, and Fiona’s award-winning textiles talent, they held their first Creative Arts Safari in 2006, taking small textile groups to places like Morocco, Ghana, Vietnam and their beloved India, and immersing them in local creative life.

Khadi hand-loomed cloth is the other main material used by The Stitching Project – bought direct from the weavers so they receive all the money for their skilled work. Khadi cloth is made entirely by hand – cotton, but sometimes silk or wool, is spun on a spinning wheel known as a charkha. Small, portable and operated by hand, it is amongst the oldest known spinning wheels in the world, and in a country where waste, especially from the textile industry, is a massive problem, keeping electricity out of cloth production is a great step to reducing the environmental impact. “Stepping lightly on the earth” is imperative to Fiona and Praveen, in business and in life.

In 2008 Fiona left her teaching and textiles career in Australia, moved to India, and The Stitching Project began - first as a sideline to the art tours, but a successful independent operation by 2012. Inspired by the Fairtrade Movement and self-sufficiency model of Barefoot College, The Stitching Project is a gathering of local textile talent, where each person is paid fairly and directly for the work they do. As Fiona says, “we started wanting to make work for local women, there is not enough work in India for everyone and woman are stuck at home, we live out in the village and can

ISSUE 12 SPRING 2018

Khadi cloth arrives in its natural unbleached state, is washed and then either dyed using traditional methods like indigo, mud resist and black iron processes, or block printed with teak blocks hand-carved by Mr Satnaryan, who despite being officially retired, still turns skilled hands to faithfully realising their designs. The focus on handmade is clear in everything they do, as Fiona explained to me: “all the cloth we use is special because we know the person who made it for us… Khadi has a feel, a presence of the human hand, we add to that with our processes…each piece is a story of people, if you know how to read it…and we label all our work with a tag bearing their names.” People and connections are important too. Building working relationships and friendships through textile work seems to come as part of the package with them. Praveen told me, “people we work with across the world from suppliers to those who buy and sell our stuff [are] all people we know and like to know.” They are both so passionate about their work and the people they work with that it’s easy to see why the tours are so successful, and why people return time and again to follow the paths Fiona and Praveen lead through awe-inspiring textile landscapes. Sharing off the beaten track experiences, sightseeing, and learning heritage crafts like tribal embroidery, indigo, batik, chundri tie dye, mud resist and more, from people who have spent their lives perfecting such skills. Who indeed could resist the opportunity to eat local food, visit temples and palaces, see behind the scenes of the usual tourist spots? It’s a fantastic thing to share

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experiences of cloth, loom and dye with others on the journey and to leave with journals bursting with sketches and samples to feed into new creations, and with souls full of colour, connection and inspiration. The Arts Safaris are a perfect balance of joyful exploration and grounding. There’s a balance too for Praveen and Fiona, between the social enterprise at home and the escape and inspiration of the creative tours. Both important, both vital to keep life full of creativity for them, and both tied so deeply with the other that it seems the two parts of the business were destined to evolve as they have. And evolving still – this inspiring pair have plans to grow more organic plant dyes, to create space for a library and community workshop, and more tours are planned. Fiona tells me “The Stitching Project hosts an annual Indian Inspiration Creative Camp at the Festival of Colour, that we promote through Creative Arts Safaris. We’re working on offering homestay accommodation at our farmhouse, [and] we have groups visiting already for workshop experiences.” Their motto is “live, laugh, learn”, and they certainly achieve it. Turning the tide of the mass-produced textile industry created in India by the west, is a long journey, but seeing the impact that Fiona and Praveen are having on a local scale, bringing textile communities together in shared purpose, and sharing both purpose and place with international visitors, there is hope for the continued veneration of heritage crafts the world over, the people who practise them, and the bright, vibrancy of places that need us all to step lightly.

Inspired to join a Creative Arts Safari? Find out how here: www.creative-arts-safaris.com Interested to know more about The Stitching Project? Look here: www.the-stitching-project.com Buy handmade creations from The Stitching Project and help support a community of craftspeople here: www.etsy.com/uk/shop/Glitzandpieces

ISSUE 12 SPRING 2018

Traditional Spring Table Decorations in Shades of Pastel

KITCHEN CHRONICLES

Recipe by Nausicaa Frusi In the past, one of the most exciting things about the run-up to Easter was the practice of dyeing hard boiled eggs.Traditionally, dyeing eggs was a family activity and carried out using plant-based products and spices… the kitchen would fill with aromas and the food would be intoxicated with the unique alchemy of love and sharing. Even at other times of the year, egg dyeing is a good way to experiment with vegetable dyes because it does not require much time nor space. All you need is a few small saucepans (one for each colour you want to make) and off you go!

Plant materials and colour hues: •

You will need to use eggs with a white or very light-coloured shell.

Method: • • • • • • • • • •

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carefully clean the eggshells; place three eggs in each saucepan with the various dyeing materials, which should have already been thoroughly washed and broken into pieces; completely cover the eggs with water; heat each saucepan on the hob over a low flame; add a tablespoon of white wine vinegar to set the colour; bring to the boil then cook for at least 10 minutes, or longer if you desire a stronger colour; check the shade by raising the egg out of the water with a wooden spoon; once cooked, remove the eggs from the saucepan and place them on a plate or chopping board to cool and dry; once dry, they can be used as a centrepiece or personalised place settings – you can eat them straight away as part of your Easter breakfast or lunch; the leftover vegetables such as beetroot can go on the table, or simply used as plant fertiliser.

The possibilities are endless! You can obtain so many different shades, which will never be as bright or intense as manufactured dyes, which are made from synthetic chemicals.

CONTACTS: Website: www.cakeparty.it Facebook: @cakepartyitalia Instagram: @cake.party.mi

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For a striking purple-pink, use a raw medium-sized beetroot. Clean, peel, chop, and add to the saucepan with the egg before completely covering with a tablespoon of white wine vinegar and water; Use red cabbage for pastel purple. Cabbage cooks very quickly, so you must leave enough time to let the eggs cook; For green you can use a handful of fresh spinach, or a green tea bag produces a very spring-like shade between sage and light green; Use a tablespoon of coffee powder for a warm brown; Turmeric is ideal for a lovely golden yellow (use half a coffee spoon per egg).

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nibs etc. Tackling Food Waste in the UK Interview by Paige Perillat-Piratoine

issue in the UK. Chloë has decided to focus on retailing two of her most popular products: her juice pulp crackers (made of fifty per cent pulp) and the juice pulp granola (made of thirty per cent pulp). She sells them at markets or through several local Food Assembly* locations. They are packaged in tin-tie bags that are reusable and recyclable, though she is hoping to switch to a compostable solution soon. When she started baking with food waste, Chloë had to overcome quite a few barriers. Because regulations are not always clear, businesses are not sure they can give their waste away. As it turns out, even charities have to be picky about what they can take. Not only that, because she uses food waste it can be difficult to find a manufacturer that will agree to work with her products. The other big challenge is the actual cooking process: waste ingredients have challenging textures to work with, so crafting recipes can be quite a journey of experimentation and takes a longer time than crafting traditional dishes. And yet another trial is swaying customers. That the food is made with waste is not an immediately appetising idea and there is a fair bit of education to transmit before people are willing to try her crackers. But to Chloë, this is a satisfying challenge, one that changes the world a tiny bit more, one conversation at a time. Website: www.nibsetc.com Facebook and Instagram: @nibsetc

businesses in the United States planted a seed and gave her the confidence to go further with the idea. Today, she sources her ingredients from local juice bars and independent markets, gathering the remaining juice pulp and other bits that no one else wants to use. To them, it is waste, and they are very happy to give it away instead of paying for waste collection. Sometimes it is organic, sometimes it is not.

* Food Assembly is an app that you can download on your phone, which you can use to shop directly from farmers and food producers. Once you placed your order, you simply collect your shopping from specific locations at specific times. Each assembly is run independently and currently there are around 700 assemblies all over the UK and Europe. See more here: thefoodassembly.com

The reality is food waste like this is pervasive in the hospitality industry: the take-make-dispose model of consumption is how things work. We can always buy more and products are cheap, so why bother to use produce to its fullest? As it turns out, in the UK we waste forty per cent of what we produce, and the average food waste per family amounts to one hundred pounds each year. While the government has identified food waste as a «priority for action», not much action is actually emerging compared to other countries like France where ugly fruit and vegetables are sold in supermarkets or Milan where produce is redistributed to those most in need. Either way, this variety of sources has really allowed her to experiment in many directions; going with the wind of ingredients and events this year has taught her what she truly wanted to focus on: retail. Now nibs etc. is one of the small social enterprises that is successfully tackling this

ZERO WASTE - STORIES BEHIND EVERYDAY OBJECTS

As I interview Chloë Stewart, founder and sole operator of nibs etc, she is in between baking batches of granola that she will sell at Borough Market. She is excited to be there for the first time to sell her products and interact with customers about what she does. Chloë is a solo woman entrepreneur: she makes snacks and recipes from food items that would usually be discarded. In other words, she is a relentless recycler of London’s food waste; seeking opportunities wherever she goes and crafting bespoke ingredients for picky palates. The idea behind nibs etc. partly originated in her days of being a student: the combination of inherent frugality and laziness to go to the store triggered in her the creative spark to play with what was left in her fridge. Later on, witnessing similar

ISSUE 12 SPRING 2018

CLEMENT HEMPEL FROM DENMARK

Democratising Plastic Rec

Interview by Lisa Cole Community member, product designer, researcher and machine builder Clement from Denmark gave us a bit more of an insight into the inner workings of the project. How many times can plastic really be recycled? Is there an end of life for this type of material? Every time you heat up plastic, it degrades slightly, that is especially true if you heat it up too much. Another factor shortening the lifespan of a plastic object is the ever so harmful UV light, which slowly but surely breaks down plastics, but overall I would say that a given piece of plastic can last a very long time, especially if you mix it in with newer plastics which havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t degraded as much yet.

Plastic website that shows beautiful baskets, tiles, bowls and furniture. Colour combinations are endless and the shredding and mixing process creates beautiful gradients and subtle tones within the objects. Most of the end products are useful but many are purely decorative. The end result is only limited by the imagination of the recycler, so the possibilities are nedless.

How much garbage do you think overall you have managed to divert from general waste with your machine? It depends greatly on the materials available, but in a best case scenario you could shred around 2-10 kg of plastic an hour but again, it depends on a lot of factors. What do you see is the long-term potential of the plastic recycling machine? The long term goal for the machines are to recycle plastic locally in a community or town, on a small to medium scale

What are the risks of recycling plastic that will be then sold in the marketplace? For example, the likelihood that will not be recycled again and will end up in the general waste? The risks of recycling plastic depend greatly on what type of plastic is being recycled and where it comes from, but if it is just household waste the risk is minimised. As for the types of plastic, if you use things like pvc or similar, you have to be very cognizant of the fact that it contains chlorine but if you use HDPE or PP, it is very safe, there is of course the dangers of burning hot plastic and shredder blades. What are the most produced items by artists who use your plastic machines? The items produced vary greatly, from fruit bowls to climbing holds. To get an idea of what is made go check the precious plastics bazar: www.bazar.preciousplastic.com/?category=products Do you encourage the making of durable items? Of course, there is no reason to go through all the effort of recycling plastic, only to have to have the item being thrown out or recycled again shortly afterwards. What do you think about the Zero Waste movement, i.e. people who are actively campaigning against the use of plastic products? I think it is a great idea, and I would love to live a plastic free life, but in the world we live in, there is a huge amount of plastic in circulation, and the precious plastics goal is to deal with that as best as possible. Uses for the plastic: Once sorted and shredded, the plastic can be molded into new objects. There is a growing bazaar on the Precious

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cycling Around the World FB + IG: @preciousplasticla Words by Marcus Rosenthal Precious Plastic Los Angeles was started by Marcus Rosenthal in November 2017. When hosting the first meeting, he met Brian Chung, the founder of Bioplastic Recycling, who is also passionate about solving the plastic pollution problem through recycling. Brian had already purchased the parts to build the shredder box for a Precious Plastic shredder but had not yet been able to assemble them and agreed to donate them to Precious Plastic LA. Marcus agreed to donate the rest of the parts and his time to build them.

In early February, Parley for the Oceans, an environmental organization that fights ocean plastic pollution notably in collaboration with Adidas, agreed to rent a shredder and two injection machines from Precious Plastic LA which would be used as an Adidas 747 Warehouse St. event in Los Angeles. The only problem was that the machines were not built yet and we had only 10 days to make them before this event. More than ten people from the Precious Plastic LA community rallied together to get them completed in time. We built the machines at the Advanced Prototyping Center at the LA Cleantech Incubator, which included also a number of long nights. We succeed in getting working machines ready and built more than 400 keychains over the time of the two-day event. There was typically over a two-hour wait to get the keychains.

Long Term Objectives Precious Plastic LA aims to build a community in Los Angeles who are passionate about coming up with real solutions to solve the global plastic pollution problem. We plan to develop five main functional areas including: 1. Building machines and creating recycled plastic objects 2. Education about the plastic pollution problem, recycling, materials and solutions 3. Community recycling and prototyping to collect clean and sorted recycled plastics from organisations including schools, businesses and local communities 4. Networking to bring together individuals, organisations and companies interested to be a part of the local recycling ecosystem in Los Angeles. 5. Contributing knowledge and experience to the global Precious Plastic community.

IN THE PICTURES: 1. Four recycled plastic keychains made out of recycled polystyrene cups and coffee lids using a Precious Plastic designed shredder and injector. These were made live onsite at the Parley for the Oceans installation at the Adidas 747 Warehouse St. Event on February 16-17, 2018. Photo taken by Diana Kim. 2. Completed Precious Plastic LA shredder at the Adidas 747 Warehouse St. Street Event. Glass box of shredded plastic shown in the foreground. Photo taken by Marcus Rosenthal. 3. Logo of Precious Plastic LA designed by Jasmin Druffner. 4. Precious Plastic LAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s shredder in process of building with the shredder box, motor and gearbox mounted to frame. Built at the Advanced Prototyping Center at the LA Cleantech Incubator. Photo taken by Marcus Rosenthal Precious. 5. Plastic Los Angeles team in action building with the Precious Plastic injector machine on February 16, 2018. Sanjay Purswani, Brian Chung, Garrett Cadou, and Sofia Ratcovich pictured. Photo taken by Diana Kim.

ISSUE 12 SPRING 2018

Lifestyle choices for the EarthWords by Kate Stuart, photography by the respected artisans

The zero-waste movement is moving fast. Growing fast. Changing the face of our economy fast. The notion that we can’t keep buying stuff and throwing it away to landfill (or the oceans) or incinerating it (thus producing toxic air emissions) and then buying more, has slowly but surely permeated our collective consciousness, and from this awakening, the zero-waste movement has begun to flourish. From those who can get a whole year of trash into a jam jar, to those just starting out on the journey towards less, there are thousands of people thinking more about the waste they produce, with almost as many ways to make changes to reduce it. Here are some of the people on the zero-waste journey, with their top swops and zero waste makes.

CARLA BROWN is from Reston, Virginia, USA. Her journey with zero waste began in the 1990s, when she began making art from recycled materials. After a week of volunteering on Hornby Island, British Columbia, she found herself asking questions about what new ways she could adopt to tackle the waste issue. Carla makes weavings from plastic bags, and storage containers from flexible food packaging. Finding ways to give longer term purpose to single use plastics is her goal, and she collects materials from friends and a nearby Upcycle Reuse Centre. She weaves using a loom, with braided loops of plastic bags, and sews the food packaging together to make storage boxes using her sewing machine. Her journey has involved creating a podcast, which you can – find it at www. trashmagination. com. Here you can listen to her talk about her experiences in zero waste. My favourite podcast is “gift MADE: Storage boxes ideas for zero-waste made of plastic enthusiasts” where she talks about some of the things she has bought or been gifted, like metal straws to replace single use plastic ones, bamboo toothbrushestooth brushes and silk dental floss. Some great ideas – Get in touch with Carla on Facebook or Instagram and let her know what you think!

cloth which she uses to replace cling film. She has made lots for the family but also to gift to others on the journey. Emma’s favourite purchase is her cloth alternative to paper kitchen towel, – she uses Cheeky Wipes, a UK brand of cloth wipes instead. Any good, absorbent cloth can be turned MADE: into a set of “UnPaper Towels”, simply by cutting Beeswax wraps to size and hemming the edges. Using cloth in this way can have a huge impact to reduce waste, and the resources required to create paper kitchen towel in the first place. Emma is charting her journey on Instagram, find her there and follow her progress at @fairlyethicalfamily.

BOUGHT: Metal straws, bamboo toothbrushes, silk dental floss

EMMA MCEVOY is from the Isle of Man, UK. Although she has been making small but subtle changes since December of 2016, she told me that Plastic Free July last year was a real eye-opener and inspired her to make one change a month. Her favourite homemadehome-made zero waste solution are her beeswax wraps – wax covered

PIPPA MAUDSLEY is from Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire UK. She began her journey to zero-waste after taking part in Plastic Free July last year, BOUGHT: Milk in bottles, trying since to maintain a more conscious block soap, lifestyle. Crafting items instead of buying loose produce them has helped her in this process. At Christmas, in an attempt to reduceing the amount of plastic covered wrapping paper and sellotape the family would use, she made hertheir own, from plain brown wrapping paper, printing stars all over it with poster paint and an old star shaped cutter, then tying the parcels with recycled ribbons or dried grasses which had been part of a flower arrangement. MADE: Pippa tells me that the purchase she feels has Upcycled wrapping made the greatest impact for her is milk – she has paper switched from buying it in plastic to having it delivered in glass bottles. She’s made lots of other changes though – like using block soap, shampoo and conditioner in the bathroom, and taking her own containers to the shops to buy loose produce. Each small action massively reducing

BOUGHT: UnPaper Towels

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-conscious: Crafting or Buying?

the amount of plastic consumed. Pippa is thinking about starting a blog to share her experiences and creations – we think she should do it!

posting back nonrecyclable single use plastics to supermarkets to protest about their use. Claire’s favourite handcrafted zero waste alternatives are washable baby wipes, made from squares of fabric, which she MADE: Baby wipes, can use wet or dry to wipe sticky baby fingers beeswax wraps and faces. She is also a big fan of homemade beeswax wraps, and of how easy they are to make. There are lots of methods out there, from dipping your fabric in a pot of melted beeswax, to painting it on and ironing it – but Claire’s is one of the easiest methods I’ve seen. She simply cuts a baking tray sized piece of cotton, sprinkles beeswax pellets on, pops in the oven on high heat for a few minutes, and then air dries until the wax has cooled. Her top tip is using beeswax wraps from gifting cake or biscuits, tying them up with string or ribbon, instead of wrapping in cling film or plastic bags. Claire’s best buys are the family’s re-usable coffee cups and water bottles, Cloth sanitary products from UK based Grow Up Green, and solid soap from LUSH.

AMY SENN lives in Knoxville, Iowa, USA. She began her zero-waste journey before really knowing that it was a way of living. Moving her family from the city to a homestead in 2016, she found that growing their own food and having to deal with their own rubbish MADE: Family cloth, meant they became more careful about the crochet soap waste they produced. One of the items she savers has crafted for her home is “Family Cloth” – these are reusable, washable cloth wipes which replace toilet roll. Usually made from cotton flannel or towelling, with a cotton backing, family cloth can have a huge impact on the waste a family create, works out cheaper, and reduces the environmental impact of using paper-based toilet roll. Amy also makes crochet soap savers – little bags made from worsted cotton which help solid soap last longer (and make less mess). BOUGHT: Water bottle, Amy’s best buys are her stainless-steel water snack bags and bottle, her reusable snack bags, and her dryer dryer balls balls. Dryer balls are made of wool, and you can add essential oils to them to fragrance your washing. They help to dry your laundry faster, using less energy, and help your clothes come out softer without having to use chemical laden fabric softener in the wash. Amy has a Facebook page full of her inspiring creations called “Homespun Zero Waste” – give her a follow!

If you’ve been inspired by

the stories you’ve read here, follow the magazine on

Facebook and Instagram and look out for the next call to

action – we want to share your

CLAIRE HUTCHINSON lives in Newcastle BOUGHT: upon Tyne, UK. Zero-waste has always Coffee cups, water been part of her life, with a deep love of bottle and cloth period pads, block the environment and an understanding of soap the implications of waste creation coming from her mother, who taught her to protect the planet in all the ways she could. Now a mother of three herself, Claire is passionate about zero waste living, even

zero waste success stories too – let’s help inspire others to

make positive changes to the

amount of waste we produce.

ISSUE 12 SPRING 2018

Targeting pl astic waste across the uk’s tideline NSN Magazine is impressed with Surfers Against Sewage’s (SAS) efforts to create plastic free leaders and plastic free communities so we wanted to share the news that SAS is currently looking for volunteers all over the UK as they organize a massive effort to clean the nation’s beaches. This beach clean will happen in April 2018. During this initiative, SAS aims to collect over 100,000 sacks of plastic pollution from over 1,200 beaches and waterways. In past years, 20,000 volunteers have been engaged in the Big Beach Clean. SAS particularly aims to document single-use plastics found on the tideline such as cutlery, straws and stirrers, plastic drinks bottles, coffee cups and condiment sachets. SAS calls this a “mass ‘citizen science’ evidence gathering effort”. This is especially important now, as the government is considering taxing avoidable and single-use plastics. Volunteers will be encouraged to share images of these items using the hashtag #AvoidablePlastics and #PlasticFreeCoastlines. Anyone can find their nearest Big Spring Beach Clean by going on the SAS website or register their favourite beach or waterway with SAS in order to become ‘Beach Clean Leader’ (just email beachcleans@sas.org.uk). All beach clean leaders will receive a limited edition stainless steel beaker from Klean Kanteen, a partner of the Big Spring Beach Clean. FOLL OW SA S

FaceBook: @SurfersAgainstSewage Twitter: @sascampaigns

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Issues for Ethical Businesses PACKAGING

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READING LIST

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Here are some selected comments from our Facebook conversations we had with our readers, social media followers and members of our group ‘Eco Friendly Crafters and Entrepreneurs’. Gemma - Gemma Textiles: ‘Packaging is a big one I think. Finding sustainable solutions that still look beautiful and professional. My solution for my Gemma Textile Clothes is to wrap in an ‘envelope’ style package of brown kraft paper. This is fastened with branded stickers but no tape, and tied around with strips of cloth torn from reclaimed sheets. This then goes into a paper ‘potato’ sack. These I found on eBay, and they look new but have writing on them so I’m not 100% aware about their previous life. The paper sack is fastened together with gum strip, which is paper tape with water activated glue on the back from an art shop. These packages have been successfully posted in the UK. Although they’re not 100% waterproof, I’m fairly happy that the potato sack is robust enough to stand the post. Everyone’s product is different, and my focus is primarily on the recyclable post-use end.’ Sharron - Losana B: ‘I use paper and card (recycled of course!) but struggle without tape, have some paper tape but it still has nasty glue on it and is horrendously expensive. I remember the gummed paper tape but don’t have any now, will have to look for some. I use a plastic bag occasionally on the outside if I feel it needs it and currently use recycled ones but looking to find some degradable ones. I won’t buy jiffy type bags as I can’t find any of those that can be separated for recycling but I have re-used the ones that I have received things in before (I have fun opening them without damaging them lol). I refuse to wrap everything in tissue despite what people say, as the tissue is only there for show and gets binned. I’ll look at the potato sack idea too!’ Sue - The Woolly Pedlar: ‘Just wrapped a customer order for baby blanket in recycled tissue and brown paper using this method. Great job! Off to buy some potato sacks so i can finally ditch the plastic. Packaging was high on my list, but even higher is sourcing textiles to upcycle. I used to buy wool knitwear in bulk from big textile recyclers but they all pulled the plug on it this year. No one, it would seem, is prepared to grade textiles and sell here in the UK. I don’t want acrylic so lots of knitwear is no use to me. I only work with wool. I am trying to talk to the charities to see if we can arrange something at their depots.’

USEFUL LINKS: • • •

www.novamont.com/eng/mater-bi www.eco-craft.co.uk/packaging/bags/clear-display-bags.html www.jonesandcane.co.uk/sacks-hessian-polypropylene/ paper-sacks.html

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www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/414542340692585161/

JOIN THE DISCUSSION www.facebook.com/groups/Eco.Designers/

ZERO WASTE • •

Zero Waste Home by Bea Johnson Practically Green: Your Guide to Ecofriendly Decision-Making by Micaela Preston

UPCYCLING • •

Upcycling Outdoors: 20 Creative Garden Projects Made from Reclaimed Materials by Max McMurdo Just Junk: “New Looks For Old Furniture“ by Linda Barker

CRAFTING • •

My Learn to Sew Book by Janet Barber Sew Eco: Sewing Sustainable and Re-Used Materials by Ruth Singer

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Where Does the Garbage Go? By Paul Showers Michael Recycle Meets Litterbug Doug by Ellie Bethen

CHILDREN’S BOOK

ISSUE 12 SPRING 2018

PROJECTS FOR Words by Holly Float Photography by Qurkies, Mexiuan, Livin, Wibes, Be and Ragamuf We all do our best for the planet; try to reduce our waste, recycle what we can but what if we could do more? What if we could help someone else start something bigger? Well, we can! Crowdsourcing is now a huge business and we’ve been trawling through Kickstarter and Indiegogo to bring you some of the most innovative and sustainable projects around. We love the ethos of these ideas, they are all about minimising environmental impacts and maximising positive social impacts. Whether you’re looking for something beautiful for your home, something to wear or something for you kids, we think we’ve found some great projects that you might like to support! Think you’ve found something even better? Let us know on social media or drop us an email!

QURKIES

from their purchase. They aim to improve the quality of life of the artisans and ensure that they receive a fair pay for their work. They plan to use a percentage of profits to work with local foundations to build play areas, improve living conditions and build houses as part of a social action plan. This project has nearly reached its funding target and could have the potential to inspire others to set up similar online sales platforms to promote local crafts and bring in revenue to local people in more remote areas.

Everyone knows the pain from standing on lego and this campaign is hoping to stop it! Well, not exactly, but they are offering a pain free alternative to lego duplo (the chunky lego for toddlers) which is also eco friendly! The idea came from product designer and father Ruud van den Heijkant who was amazed by the huge quantities of plastic toys available. He wanted to see more natural materials in children’s toys so set about creating Qurkies. Made from cork left over from the production of wine bottle stoppers, Qurkies are a soft alternative to duplo but are compatible so there’s no need to throw out the plastic bricks. Made in Portugal, the production of the cork is both sustainable and supports an industry which is under threat primarily from plastic alternatives to traditional wine corks. The cork is stripped by hand and each tree can only be stripped once every nine years to allow the cork bark to fully grow back. From a child’s point of view, the bricks are a little different to Duplo as they arrive in their natural cork colour but can be easily adapted with felt tip pens. They also float so make a great alternative to plastic bath toys! Qurkies are still at the prototype stage, but as they reached their funding target, they will be investing in product molds and start production soon!

Check out their Kickstarter: www.kickstarter.com/projects/1228185106/mexiuan-a-clickaway-from-making-a-change Or their website: www.mexiuan.com

If you love a bit of tech, but struggle to find something that matches your ethics, you’ll love Livin! It even has its own app! Although not as environmentally friendly as it perhaps could be (we don’t know what it’s made of), the idea behind the Livin shower is saving water and getting your shower the exact right temperature for you. I think most people start their morning routine but starting the shower running then wandering off whilst it gets up to temperature. The trouble is, when is it ready? Some people can hear the change in water temperature (yes, it is possible – hot water sounds different) but most of us just leave it and come back when there’s a steam coming out. This is where this clever gadget comes in. To save water and the energy to heat the water, the Livin shower pauses the water stream once your shower has reached the temperature you ask for. So once you’re in and hit the button, your shower

Check out Kickstarter page: www.kickstarter.com/projects/1636058758/qurkies-ecofriendly-duplo-blocks-made-of-cork Or their website: www.qurkies.com

LIV IN

MEXIUAN

Founded by four young professionals, Monserrat Martínez, María Mena, María Mendoza and José Paoli, Mexiuan is an e-commerce platform set up to promote and sell brands made in Mexico with a positive social impact. The key message of this project is “It’s time to stop, think and change the way we consume; buying consciously, helping talented Mexicans in vulnerable conditions to improve their quality of life.” The ethos of the online sales platform is that people do not buy products in isolation, consumers learn who made each item and how the local community benefits

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R THE PLANET will be the perfect temperature for you. Although this idea seems primarily targeted at the American market where the shower temperature control is on the same dial as on/off (it won’t work if you already have an electric or thermostatic shower), the added features like music control via bluetooth, a setting for each person, a setting for babies and a handy app that tracks how much water you use, are very appealing. Designed by a team of engineers and designers from California, the makers estimate that this will save up to 1,875 gallons of water per year for an average household.

the last three years, Be is the latest project from Patrick Triato and Summer Triato and their team of engineers. They claim the brush is totally sustainable as the heads are compostable and bristles are made from a bamboo/starch material. The brush body is recyclable and made from 90% post-consumer material. They even use recyclable packaging too! Check out their Kickstarter: www.kickstarter.com/projects/goodwell/be-the-first-batteryfree-powered-toothbrush

Check out their Kickstarter: www.kickstarter.com/projects/livinlife/livin-showerredesigned-in-a-smart-way

Check out their website: www.thegoodwellcompany.com

Or their website: www.livinshower.com

WIBE S

RA GA M UF

As a huge fan of beautiful textiles, this is my favourite innovation of the list. Set up by Martta Leskelä, Ragamuf creates beautiful rugs which transform almost any chair into a thing of beauty. Inspired by an old sofa and a roll of flexible fishnet, designer Tuula Pöyhönen came up with the idea of rug covers. Using a stretchy net-like material to cover old chairs, with designs added to the net by knitting rag like fabric strips into it. The fabrics are leftovers from the textile industry in Turkey meaning that not only does this project make use of what would otherwise be unwanted furniture, it’s making use of scraps too! The other great thing about Ragamuf is that all these covers are made by Syrian refugees in Turkey. These covers really are amazing. Each rug is unique as the Syrian makers pick the colours and patterns to create a gorgeous one-of-a-kind piece. Working with a humanitarian aid organization locally in Sanliurfa, Turkey; Ragamuf can find and employee Syrian refugee women and ensures that they are paid fairly.

Created by Aurélie and Nicolas, Wibes combines their love of Africa with their passion for fashion. They have designed and produced these eye catching ethical shoes. Using batik style waxed cotton sourced from Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) West Africa, Wibes creates one of a kind ethnic style sneakers. They offer either a smart looking leather shoe with the batik style heel or a more casual trainer with the waxed cotton side finished with recycled cotton and polyester. Each shoe has ‘#I CARE FOR AFRICA’ written on the side of the sole and for each pair of wibes shoes sold, they will fund one day of school for a girl via their partner AIFCI (International Organization of Women in Côte d’Ivoire). Handcrafted by artisans in Portugal, Aurélie and Nicolas have met and developed good working relationships with the men and women making the shoes. They chose a family owned manufacturer and ensure that their shoes are high quality and produced in good working conditions.

Check out their Indiegogo: www.indiegogo.com/projects/ragamuf-the-most-soulfulhome-textile-innovation-unique#/ Check out their website: www.ragamuf.com

Check out their Kickstarter: www.kickstarter.com/ projects/119148439/wibes-trendyand-colorful-shoes-with-authentic-afr Check out their website: www.wibes-store.com

Designed to eliminate the need for batteries, Be (meaning Beyond Electric) is an electric-style toothbrush which can be charged by a simple twist action. Ideal for travellers and minimalists alike, the brush comes with a stylish lid and is available in 2 colours. It comes with a supply of reusable heads which are 100% biodegradable and therefore means there’s no need to keep buying plastic toothbrushes or unrecyclable electric brushes. The brush works by harnessing the kinetic energy you exert to turn the end of the brush into oscillating brushing action. Designed by the Goodwell Company who have been making bamboo toothbrushes for

Do you have your own project on a crowdfunding platform? Would you like to see more crowdfunding projects in the next editions of No Serial Number Magazine? Email us your opinions editorial@noserialnumber.org

MULTIFUNCTIONAL GARDEN

ISSUE 12 SPRING 2018

A No Air Miles Florist Words by Lucy Sobrero, photography by Tuck Shop Flowers

I visited Carole from Tuck Shop Flowers at her home, formerly the sweet shop next door to a boys’ school in South Birmingham.

and much thought about biodegradable arrangements without nylon ribbons, oasis or plastic supports. She even dyes her own silk ribbons in lilac from blackberries and dusky pinks from avocado skins and other natural tints that complement the colours of the flowers. A turmeric dyed ribbon is a perfect match for sunflowers and many other of the brighter blooms. Her Christmas wreaths are uniquely wintery with silver white seeds from honesty and dried gysophila.

About 90% of cut flowers bought in the UK are not grown in the UK: for weddings, gifts, presentations or funerals, very few of the flowers we choose have not travelled half way across the world to reach us. But what is it like to see a cottage garden in a bouquet? Not one from a catalogue but one that looks and smells lovely on cutting day, the day you receive them? Many of us would prefer the freshness and bounce of wild flowers and flowers with natural scented perfumes cultivated in a beautiful garden. So why do we choose flowers packaged in a sweat warehouse in, say, Colombia where blooms might be treated with ethanol to keep them looking perfect. Why do we buy flowers from Holland when we have everything we could wish for here, even in an urban garden like Carole’s.

Carole only delivers within a 6 mile radius, so she often puts people who live further afield in touch with other members of Flowers from the Farm, a nationwide network of cut flower growers, including farmers, smallholders and gardeners. She is one of the 20 most creative florists in the country and though never dismissive of choices of exotic flowers from far away, she simply caters for arrangements that are local and represent a garden in a vase at that time of year. I asked Carole a few questions:

We sat in her beautiful garden amongst the roses and the bees and then wandered round her charming workshop with its vintage and quirky containers, natural confetti from dried petals and boxes of natural dyed ribbons. She tells me she also has an allotment for her cut flowers. Carole has always been a gardener and has won awards as one, but she began to make unique and meaningful arrangements for friends and family for special occasions and gradually her business grew.

“Do you find you have to use pesticides for your beautiful English Roses” “Only the squishing of my fingers” she laughs.

Many people do not know what is available, or the names or seasonality of British flowers. Future brides often turn to magazines and find themselves following the latest trends; they might ask for blush colours, apricot hues, for lilies, gysophila, freesias that would all need to be flown in from miles away at certain times of year. For funerals grieving families often choose the traditional wreath or a word in flowers. Carole gently helps her customers choose what they really like from the very best the season offers. More and more people organise an Eco burial in a woodland setting, with a wicker, cardboard coffin or even a felt pod or linen shroud. These all require kind discussions

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WORKSHOPs station A Summer to Remember The complete Eco Printing course June 17 to Sept 30

“Is there a fashion element in what people choose” “Definitely, especially for weddings; but it’s because people are looking at magazines and catalogues and haven’t seen what can be done with local seasonal flowers and foliage”

Worldwide with online format Learn all eco printing skills in one summer! From the basic plant printing through natural dyes, put it all together successfully with instructor support and coaching. www.kathyhaysdesigns.com

“Do you ever get any really weird requests?” “Blackberries, not too ripe of course. Something highly scented as we’re using our own car and a shroud for the deceased…… and a David Bowie black star. Sometimes I hesitate but then if I can, I will!“

Eco Print, Natural Dye and Surface Design

Carole definitely treads lightly on the planet with her lovely, local flowers and foliage, grasses and seedheads, wreathes and bouquets for joy, sorrow, memories or celebrations. She delivers the day she picks and creates, and only ever over short distances.

July 19-21 Dunedin Fine Art Center, Dunedin, Florida

A 3 – Day intensive course with Kathy Hays learning how to make unique fabric art prints using natural dye extracts combined with eco printing, surface design and screen printing methods. www.kathyhaysdesigns.com/ workshops.html

Get in touch: Website: www.tuckshopflowers.com Facebook and Twitter: @TuckshopFlowers Instagram: @tuckshopflowers

Marta Stefanicka Felt Maker Rome, Italy

APRIL 2018 Nunofelted shawl MAY 2018 Wet felted bag CONTACTS Instagram: @cucu_studio_felt Facebook: www.facebook.com cucustudiofelt Etsy: www.etsy.com/shop/CuCuSTUDIO ECO PRINTING AND MORE IN FRANCE Instructors: Caroline Nixon and Nicola Brown Venue: Charente, France Date: 5-19 May ( 2 x 1 week workshops) Eco print and natural dyeing residential retreat with the added fun of searching for textiles and pots in flea markets and brocantes. Come and discover the France we love! WEBSITES www.handmadetextilesbycaroline.co.uk www.nicolabrown.ie/

u More

WORKSHOPs station FELT TO PRINT WITH NICOLA BROWN Canandaigua, New York, USA SEPT 22-26, 2018 Contact details: Sara Burnett, sjburnett@frontiernet.net Explore how to achieve beautifully complex and consistent eco prints on well finished hand made felt in an environmentally friendly and health conscious way.

Family Feltmaking with Abigail Thomas 5 April 2018 Royston Museum, Royston, Hertfordshire

COLOUR COMBINATION Ecoprint with natural dye workshop with Caroline Nixon

Spend the day with your kids learning about the ancient craft of creating felt from wool fibres in a fun, friendly atmosphere.

Warwickshire UK, 2-4 June 2018

Contact the Museum to book: www.roystonmuseum.org.uk

Learn to combine eco print with natural dye techniques to produce vibrant textiles with coloured backgrounds and clear prints on both protein and cellulose fabrics. For students with previous eco print experience.

Feltmaking around a Resist with Abigail Thomas 21 April 2018, 10am-4pm Busy Bees Patchwork, Newport, South Wales

WEBSITE

www.handmadetextilesbycaroline.co.uk

Mamieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Schoolhou se

Students will learn about the magic of 3D feltmaking with wool, forming pods or pouches. Skills covered: wet felting around a resist, producing strong felt, and how to shape it. Materials included. Contact Busy Bees Patchwork to book. ÂŁ40 www.busybeespatchwork.com

Su stainable Fibre Arts

Cape Breton Island, Opening Summer 2018 September 19-23 2018 September 26-30 2018

Irit Dulman, inaugural artist in residence, will lead two five day workshops in natural dyeing and eco printing. Website coming soon for online registration. To be added to the mailing list contact melsweetnam@gmail.com L e a r n a b o u t C a p e B r eto n Isl a n d visit

www.cbisland.com

Spring Clean Your Life Available on demand from 1 April to 1 June Online at www.susieramroop.com/springcleanyourlife Spend 21 days detoxing your thoughts and disrupting your habits to kick start a better, truer version of you. Reenergise in just 15 minutes a day.

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Annie Sloan Method for Painted Furniture Workshop - The Basics Creative and highly personable La Di Da Interiors are delighted to bring Jonathon to this exclusive event where he will demonstrate some of his favourite techniques and secrets to his signature style. A hugely talented furniture painter, Jonathon was Annie Sloan’s Artist in Residence for 2017. Prepare to be inspired and delighted. Saturday 7th July 1.30-4.30pm The Guildhall, High Street, Andover What’s included? A seat for the demonstrations, lots of tea, coffee and cakes and a goody bag to take away including notes and vouchers. There will also be a Q&A session. Places are strictly limited. Tickets will be posted and required for entry on the day. www.ladida-andover.com

Upcycled Yoga Mat Bag- Easy Sew Sat 7th April 10-1pm Can you thread a sewing machine, wind the bobbin and sew in a straight line? That's all you need to know to join, we'll teach you the rest. upcycledworld.com/event/ easy-sew-yoga-mat-bag-apr-2018/ These and other workshops run regularly. More on the website shortly. www.upcycledworld.com Upcycled World is a social enterprise committed to growing the upcycling community. We mostly use curtains for the bags!

One Day Sewing Workshop They run on the following dates: Sun 8th April, Tues 10th April, Sun 13th May, Sun 10th June and Sun 8th July from 10am - 4pm At Susan's House, 49 Pankhurst Crescent, Stevenage, Herts, SG2 0QF Unlike any other sewing classes this is an opportunity to design and make whatever you desire according to your ability, 6 hours tuition is £55.00. Includes lunch and refreshments. Workshop events available on the Facebook page @SusansHouseVintageDesign. Website: www.susanshousesewing.co.uk There is an events page and a sewing tuition page.

ISSUE 12 SPRING 2018

Eco Print Workshop Words and photography by Lucy Sobrero of branches, sprigs of leaves, and even some rather dark gungy ones soaking in a bucket which we were assured would work really well. Arranging leaves on the fabric is really individual and creative: we were taught to bundle the fabric tightly and even re-do them in some cases! We had plenty of elbow room at a few different tables in the garden, and plenty of shade and cold drinks were provided on what was a very warm day. Leaving our bundles to steam away it was back to the kitchen for some more instructions, back out for a different ecoprint recipe and a new bundle and soon it was time for a delicious shared lunch. No siesta or slacking but more magic followed in the afternoon under the watchful gaze of Caroline, helping us, giving advice and with more than a nod to health and safety too. She really wanted us to get the most out of our workshop.

Caroline Nixon, featured in previous issues of NSN is one of the doyennes of eco printing. I had bought one of her beautiful scarfs at a craft fair at Compton Verney last year, having fallen in love with the wonderful colours of the leaves and especially with her arrangement of them on the fine wool. Learning she was holding a 3 day workshop at her beautiful house and garden in Long Compton this July, I treated myself to Day 1 of the course, which was one of the options. Off I went, feeling an acute bout of my usual imposter syndrome and quite sure I would be the only beginner on the beginnersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; course! To be honest other participants were a talented group of women in other textile and botanical fields but we were all learners in eco printing. Caroline is an excellent and extremely organised teacher: she steers the course with a firm but gentle hand and knows exactly how to help each participant.

Finally, when the afternoon of this Day 1 was nearly over, we spread our printed fabrics on the grass and admired and analysed our beautiful results.

And so we began, with introductions and coffee and then seated round the kitchen table to read the notes given to us, listen to some theory and see some beautiful examples of ecoprinted pieces and finished garments. We then followed Caroline into her delightful garden where a very large pan of water was already simmering away and various mysterious basins of solutions awaited us. Samples of material were distributed and we chose our leaves from a veritable buffet

Other lucky participants were to carry on with Days 2 and 3 but I was nevertheless very pleased with my first foray into ecoprinting and have been practising ever since. I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t wait for Caroline to run more workshops in the future and I hope to be a most proficient absolute beginner by then!

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ISSUE 12 SPRING 2018

THE ECO CRAFTER AND ENTREPRENEURS AWARD MELISSA ROSE About the designer: Melissa Rose is a graphic designer, a meditation guide and a weaver. Weaving is her moving meditation. Weaving always feels like ‘coming home’ to herself and is a beautiful co-creation with nature Description of work: Kete Whakairo - ‘Kete’ is the Maori word for a bag and ‘whakairo’ means pattern. The tooth like pattern Melissa used is number 100 in Mick Pendergrast’s book ‘Raranga Whakairo’. HOW THE PRODUCT WAS MADE: Harakeke is a sustainable, renewable, wetland plant that grows abundantly here in New Zealand. Before and after Melissa harvests or weaves, she says a Maori karakia (prayer). When she harvests the leaves from the harakeke bush she removes the spine and edges of the leaves, then sizes the leaves into 5 mm wide strips. Melissa does this near the bush so she can leave the excess material in nature to degrade. Harakeke takes a long time to break down so it iss chopped up small at a little distance away from the plant. Melissa loves that she can be a part of the entire process, including giving back to nature as she cleans out the old leaves in the bush to make room for the new ones.

INTERESTING FACTS: •

• •

•

The plant from which these leaves come from is called harakeke (in the Maori language), New Zealand Flax, or Phormium tenax. It is actually a member of the lily family. European settlers called this plant flax because the extracted fibres are very similar to true flax/linen fibres. If Melissa was to dispose of any harakeke in the normal rubbish and recycling system it would need to go in the rubbish, not the composting bin. This is because the fibre in the plant is so strong that it is likely to damage the shredder machines that they use for the regional composting system. When harvesting she also collects the sap from the base of the leaves. Once processed, she uses this gel on her skin as a moisturizer and on cuts, as it has many medicinal uses.

For this bag, Melissa softened the strips of harakeke with a bone folder, in a similar fashion to curling ribbon. Then she began weaving flat and worked up a few rows before joining the sides to form a cylinder, with the right side on the inside. Once her pattern was complete she locked off at the top, joined at the base, then turned the whole bag inside out. She set the kete in shape with a folded towel inside. To get the fibre into thin strips for the handles she used a florist’s frog and then did a 4 strand, round braid.

ANY TIPS/ADVICE: •

•

How you process the fibre makes all the difference in how your overall product will come out. It is best to leave the sized strips a few hours or even overnight so some of the water content can evaporate before they are softened. This means less work and minimal shrinkage of fibres so not to cause gaps in the final piece. As you are weaving you might find your piece wants to be different then you planned, go with the flow and enjoy this beautiful co-creation with nature.

MELISSA’S LINKS Online Shop: www.etsy.com/nz/shop/MelissaRoseCreation Instagram: @melissa.rose.creations About Me: www.asoundsoul.com/healing-self-limiting-beliefsmelissa-rose/ Self-Healing Meditations Course: asoundsoul.com.pages.ontraport. net/selfhealing-yoga-meditations-course-coming-soon If you live in New Zealand you can learn through ‘Te Wanaga O Aotearoa’, a tertiary education provider: www.twoa.ac.nz You can also learn this traditional Maori style of weaving online through the ‘Hetet School of Maroi Arts’ www.hetetschoolofmaoriart.com

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JOIN US ONLINE: www.facebook.com/groups/Eco.Designers/

SUE REED Working from her home in rural west Northumberland, Sue Reed upcycles waste wool knitwear as The Woolly Pedlar. Description of work: Funky sweatercoat in shades of red, made from recycled wool knitwear, and sewn with seams showing for added texture and contrast using turquoise thread. How the product was made: The bodice is always the starting point, and needs to be firm enough to take the weight of the full skirt. A wasiband draws the design in at the waist, which then flares out in a full skirt. The panels of the skirt are made with the sleeves of lots of jumpers. The full liripipe hood adds a funky twist. INTERESTING FACTS: Textile waste neednâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be waste! There is so much good material that can be used. Even if a jumper is felted, or has a hole, the good bits can still be used. ANY TIPS/ADVICE: Sue only works with wool as she thinks it is a wonderful medium to work with. An industrial overlocker is needed to make a coat such as this, although a domestic overlocker could be used on finer knits such as cashmere. Get in touch with Sue:

Website: www.woollypedlar.co.uk Facebook: @thewoollypedlar

Instagram: @Woollypedlar Twitter: @woollypedlar

BAILEY EARITH JANE GRICE WASTE NOT, WANT NOT Jane Grice is an artisan, designer/ maker, upcycler. Description of work: The reuse of materials and components is key to this work, these upcycled pieces utilise denim jeans by using the garment features, structure and sewn embellishments. How the product was made: Sewn, machine and handwork ANY TIPS: Let your materials lead your designs, reuse materials and reduce waste.

Get in touch with Jane:

WASTE NOT WANT NOT Artisans and Crafters Facebook group FB: @spreadupcycled

Bailey is a mixed media fibre artist and teaching artist in Maryville, TN (USA). She creates eco friendly contemporary fabric art by upcycling. She also teaches extensively and has her work in collections around the world. Description of work: Silk Pillow â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Machine sewn, hand turned and stuffed. How the product was made: Each mini-puff is machine sewn, then turned and stuffed by hand. Each stuffed puff is then machine sewn to the pillow top fabric before assembling the pillow. INTERESTING FACTS: The pillow fabric is silk interior design samples. The puffs are made from upcycled silk ties, shirts, and dresses. TIPS: Sew all your mini-puffs on a sewing machine, then you can turn and stuff them on the go.

Get in touch with Bailey: Website: www.BaileyFiberArt.com Instagram: @BaileyFiberArtStudio

ROBYN MARYKE WEENING Robyn lives in small town Southern Ontario with her husband and four daughters. She enjoys writing, reading, and creating new art from old things, most recently, dolls made from second hand textiles. Description of work: Florence the Panda is a hand-crafted art doll made of natural fibres and recycled materials. She stands twelve inches tall or sits comfortably on her own. She comes with a dress, sweater, cap and lots of cuddly wool charm. How the product was made: The panda doll was made using a traditional jointed bear pattern that the artist altered to suit her needs. She constructed the head, torso and limbs using a sewing machine, then put the panda together by hand, using button joints on the limbs to make them posable, and a ladder stitch to attach her head and ears. She is stuffed with 100% organic clean, carded Canadian wool that is produced humanely. Robyn hand-knitted the cap and sweater, and machine sewed the little pinafore dress. The facial features are a combination of needle felting and handembroidery. INTERESTING FACTS: Aside from the stuffing, Florence is made up of entirely second hand materials found in local thrift shops. The items themselves had seen better days and came with flaws and wear, but the fabric used to make them had lots of life left. The white wool fabric is from a blanket, as is the pink wool on the pads of her feet. The black wool fabric is from a coat. The floral dress fabric was cut from a larger dress and both trims were vintage finds from the donation bins at the local thrift. Even the pure wool yarn of her cap and sweater was found second hand. It’s amazing what people give away! ANY TIPS: If you’re looking to start making things from second hand items, go often, visit as many different shops as you can, and keep an open mind. So often people say, “I don’t know how you find these things. Every time I go to a thrift shop I can never find what I’m looking for.” But that’s the problem. People go looking for one thing and if it isn’t there, they move on and assume only lucky people find gems. But it isn’t luck; it’s practice. You begin to get a feel of what each shop has to offer on a regular basis. You become more familiar with what certain fabrics looks and feel like, even from across a room. You can pick out luxurious fibres from cheap synthetic ones at a glance once you’ve been doing it for a while. And then the fun really begins! Robyn now rarely comes away with nothing anymore.

Get in touch with Robyn:

Website: www.marykedolls.bigcartel.com Instagram: @marykedolls Use Coupon Code NOSERIALNUMBER2018 for 20% OFF in My Big Cartel Shop

w w w. M a r y k e D o l l s . b i g c a r t e l . c o m

JAXY WILLIAMS Jaxy Williams is a published children’s author and mixed media illustrator from Somerset. She loves designing and reinventing. She likes to use real coffee for artwork, natural dyes and craft from preloved clothing and objects. Description of work: These are two fully jointed memory bears commissioned by a lady who had heard of Jaxy via word of mouth after seeing another bear she’d made. The bears needed to be made from two jackets from the lady’s deceased relative so that one could be kept by her and one for her brother. How the product was made: Using her own pattern, Jaxy chose suitable sections of each jacket and cut out the various pieces. Jaxy used the shoulder pads, buttons, lining, button holes as well as the collars and cuffs. INTERESTING FACTS: This year, Jaxy discovered that her ancestors were in the textile and craft industry (French polishers, carpet weavers, lithographic mono printers, spinners, tool makers, millinars...). She grew up accompanying her father to have his jackets tailored to fit and observing her mother stitching lingerie (she made a lot of clothes and enjoyed altering dresses, curtains and so on). For this particular project, Jaxy found felting, lining material, thick padding, plus other layers that added to the quality of the jackets she’d been sent for the two bears. The first bear she made was over ten years ago for one of Jaxy’s relatives who was undergoing heart surgery. Jaxy collected various clothing pieces from her immediate family so that her relative could find some comfort while in hospital. Little did she know the reaction the bear would receive. When she gifted the teddy, her relative disclosed to her that she’d never owned a teddy before. Considering she was almost seventy, this had a profound effect on her. ANY TIPS: Each piece of fabric reacts a certain way when cut. Some stretch in a particular direction; some fray. Jaxy uses this at its full advantage so that it became part of the design. When it’s a memory bear, it needs to have character, therefore each of her bears are unique as she considers who they are intended for. She also sends customers photographs of each stage of the process so that they can see the bear evolve from the clothing that was once worn by a special person in their life.

Get in touch with Jaxy:

Website www.consciouscrafties.com/Crafties/the-write-net Facebook: @creativeinksstudio Instagram: @thewritenetportal

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SUSAN TURNER Susan lives in the North West of England in a small coastal town called Southport. She worries about waste and the state of the planet and believes that textile waste is one of the problems we could solve. Her contribution to solving the problem is to try to persuade people to keep, care for and repair their stuff. Description of work: Blue Jacket: Susan uses patching, darning and general mending as surface pattern to elevate this humble practice and give it a value. This little jacket is all about patching. Susan chose the collar as, this is a spot where most wear would normally occur. The patch fabric is from a 1970s kaftan. The pattern was used to further embellish the patch. The embroidered stitches move outside the patch so as to blur the lines and make the old and new fabrics merge and become one. How the product was made: Susan designed the pattern for the garment from scratch and used linen to make it. She feels that linen is a fairly sustainable fabric. Susan appreciates the heritage of linen and would love to see it grown and produced in England again. INTERESTING FACTS: To give this garment longevity the designer made it reversible. The buttons are all odd, vintage glass ones. This means that if you lose a button you can replace it with any button that fits the buttonhole, you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to replace them all. This encourages the idea that the wearer can customise and change his or her own garments: this helps people connect with their things and keep them for longer. Description of the product: Pink Top - One of the items Susan picked up over and over again in charity shops was an antimacassar. She loved the detailed work involved in the making of such an ordinary household item. You can find antimacassars in charity shops and flea markets for about fifty pence, they are something which has become almost textile waste. Susan began working with them and wanted to make them appear more fragile as she believes that they are part of a domestic history which is disappearing, many people today would not know what they were used for. Susan used an embellisher to attach them to a background fabric and carefully peeled them off and embellished them again. Each time they became more delicate and lacy. In this way, Susan wants to show how something can be almost destroyed, but still beautiful. Susan designed the pink top and made it using her own pattern. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s made from a blend of silk and linen which is lightweight and very soft. There is a patch detail on the reverse used to hold a little pleat in place. INTERESTING FACTS: Susan used avocado skins to dye the fabric this gorgeous pink.

it, Care p e e K 73

, R ep for It

air It

Get in touch with Susan:

Instagram: @keep_care_repair

Email: keep.care.repair@gmail.com

ISSUE 12 SPRING 2018

KAREN FLEMING Tildy’s Room, owned by Karen Fleming, creates sculptural art using discarded wood with the ethos of recycling at heart and aims to generate smiles with a gentle nod to nostalgia.

For the most part, these abstract or industrial

Description of work: Karen is a driftwood artist who utilises driftwood, reclaimed wood, eco friendly chalk paint and rusty bits and bobs to create little houses and street scenes. scenes are inspired by her life in Australia, Bermuda and Yorkshire and presented in quaint, aspects.

How the

How the product was made: The driftwood Karen collects from the beaches of Yorkshire determine the form and story a piece will tell such as, a painted piece of driftwood may become a beach scene or a wedge shape may develop into a Yorkshire hillside scene. The houses are cut into shape and painted with eco friendly chalk paint in a variety of colour palettes to suit the nature of the piece. Rusty nails (kindly collected in old pots by the friendly bloke at the salvage yard) become fences, lamp-posts and chimney pots. Further texture and pops of colour may be added in the form of recycled cotton fabric or wool felt to create washing lines and the suggestion of a garden area. The pieces influenced by Karen’s time spent living in Australia are the more rusty with tin rooftops inspired by the ram-shackle Queenslander she lived in… when the monsoon rains came the noise is deafening on those old tin roofs! And the more pastel, pretty pieces relate to her time spent living in beautiful Bermuda, a series of islands dotted with pastel coloured limestone cottages and surrounded by the most incredible turquoise shades of the Atlantic Ocean. INTERESTING FACTS: Tildy’s Room ‘goes on tour’ from time to time and in 2015, Karen was a guest speaker at the Grand Designs Live Exhibition in London, hosted by Kevin McCloud. Karen has sold her work through many galleries throughout the UK and is more than happy to ship overseas. Please feel welcome to join the conversations at the Tildy’s Room Facebook page and Instagram Feed…it’s very friendly there!

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www.tildysroom.co.uk

Etsy Shop: TildysRoom

Get in touch with Karen: Website: www.tildysroom.co.uk Facebook: @TildysRoom Instagram: @tildysroom Etsy shop: www.etsy.com/shop/ TildysRoom

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ANNA FUNNELL Anna Funnel is a wife, mother, typist, singer, actor, dancer and drama club secretary, who somehow also finds time to create eco-friendly reusable knits for her home and shop! Description of work: A dainty little pouch bag designed to fit a multitude of purposes, from bridal wristlet to Christening gift bag, made using leftover bits and pieces. How the product was made: Anna used a bit of leftover Schachenmayr Catania Fine 4 ply cotton, knitted in the round (because she detests sewing seams) to a pattern she’s developed for circular-based pouch bags. She loves the luxurious sheen it brings to this bag. The lining is from an unused satin pillowcase – she experimented first with leftover lining from my wedding dress (hoarded for 18 years!) to work out the right shape to fit inside the knitted pouch. The ribbon is an old hair ribbon and the beads adorning it were some her gran gave her when she was small. She’d never known what to do with them, but they were perfect for this. INTERESTING FACTS: The lace pattern was from Anna’s mum’s old Reader’s Digest book: ‘Complete Guide to Needlework’. It’s pretty and delicate and it’s called ‘horseshoe’ which just seemed perfect for the purpose! ANY TIPS: It’s amazing what you can find lying around (even better if you’re a bit of a hoarder!) and put together to make something wonderful.

Get in touch with Anna: Website: wombleknits.etsy.com Facebook: @wombleknits Etsy shop: www.etsy.com/ wombleknits/listing/520746260/

Are you an artisan, a designer, an upcycler or an eco-friendly business owner and would like to appear here? Join our Facebook Group ‘Eco-Friendly Crafters and Entrepreneurs’, and start a conversation for a chance to be shortlisted for our seasonal awards! We look forward to meeting you there! www.facebook.com/groups/Eco.Designers/

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Eco-Friendly Ideas Eco-friendly products carefully selected for you!

NATURAL BEAUTY & WELLBEING Do you want your green product to feature here? Send us an email to info@noserialnumber.org

MAKEUP PODS www.worldorganics.com £89

MEGA ZERO WASTE MARKET SET www.zerohabits.co.uk £37.30

MASCARA www.worldorganics.com £23

ZERO WASTE TOILETRIES SET www.zerohabits.co.uk £39.60

NURTURE FIRST STEPS PLUS www.worldorganics.com £23

WASHABLE CLEANSING WIPES www.now-nowaste.com £23

KONJAC SPONGE: www.anythingbutplastic.co.uk An eco-friendly and sustainable facial sponge, 100% plant based and biodegradable. Extremely soft and pleasant to wash your face with, and gentle enough to use on the eyes without any irritation. A konjac sponge will wash off water based make-up, and can be used by itself or with other products. Different added active ingredients such as charcoal for oily skin or chamomile for sensitive skin means that there is a konjac sponge to suit all skin types. HOW THE PRODUCT IS MADE: Made from the roots of the konjac plant, which is native to South East Asia. These konjac sponges are handmade in South Korea, on the island of Jeju, a UNESCO world heritage site. The original supplier of konjac sponges to the UK, the Konjac Sponge Company only uses premium grade (medical and food grade) konjac fibre, made by hand. Many companies copy them but mass produce them in ‘poor quality and unethical factories’. Ethics assured here. PRICE: £8.99

Photo credit: Konjac Sponge Company Images depict the white, black and chamomile konjac sponges displayed in a bathroom as if in use

EASTER EGG SILK DYE KIT www.etsy.com/uk/shop/BooBahBlue

SEASONAL PRODUCTS WOODEN EASTER EGGS SET OF 7 www.zerowastehome.com £16.51

WOODEN EASTER EGGS SET OF 7 ww.ecoeggs.com From £21 to £53 depending on the size!

A DIY kit that is easy to use. It transfers pattern and colour from silk pieces to eggs. Each is unique, and the colours are that result are unexpected. You can use upcycled neckties, scarfs and blouses to achieve the patterns and colours. Each silk piece may be used several times before the colour runs out. Instructions are included with the kit. £10.77

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CRAFT SUPPLIES

LILAC AND GOLD PLANT DYED STYLING BUNDLE www.katecullen.co.uk

NATURALS STYLING BUNDLE www.katecullen.co.uk

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Plant dyed silk ribbons and cottons for product styling or crafting. Hand dyed using plant and natural dyes such as barks, berries, flowers and leaves.

Plant dyed and natural cottons, silks and linens perfect for flat lay and product styling, or crafting. Hand dyed using natural plant dyes including bark, nuts, leaves and roots.

Plant dyed (by hand) silk ribbons – habotai silk, silk crepe and organic bamboo silk. Natural dyes created from barks, leaves, nuts and berries and inspired by woodland.

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THE ECO PRINT WORKBOOK • Over 150 pages of content • Lots of tutorials • Different techniques and materials • Tools of the artist • Plenty of space for note taking • Extensive directory Want to be part of this project? Send us an email to info@noserialnumber.org

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Spring Competition Share your opinions and ideas about NSN magazine and you will be entered in a draw to win a copy of â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Zero Waste Solutionâ&#x20AC;? by Paul Connett, a fascinating account of zero waste community projects around the world. Simply type the address www.noserialnumber.org/spring2018 and answer a few questions to enter. A winner will be selected in June 2018.

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ISSUE 12 SPRING 2018

A mAGAZINE ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL CRAFT MOVEMENT Why the name “No Serial Number”? Because nature and craft share a common characteristic, they are not made in series. They are both the result of an organic, slow process of growth and development. Not one leaf is the same, nor is a handmade creation. Crafts remind us that our hands and minds can work in tune with our natural environment to make things that are useful, or simply beautiful. As a society, we are in urgent need to slow down and preserve our collective environmental and artisanal heritages from unsustainable production practices and corporate greed. No Serial Number Magazine is a humble attempt to explore how human creativity, nature and activism intersect in contemporary society. Who is it for? artists, artisans, casual makers, craftivists, and conscious citizens Topics textile arts • natural colours • traditional trades and crafts • creative upcycling and salvaging • slow fashion • zerowaste lifestyle • biodiversity • kitchen chronicles • grassroots environmental movements INDEPENDENTLY PUBLISHED BY NO SERIAL NUMBER ISSN 2516-1776 (Print) ISSN 2516-1784 (Online)

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No Serial Number Spring issue 2018

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From Fashion to Upcycling with DIY Natural Colours