No Serial Number Autumn Issue 2018 by No Serial Number e-Magazine

ISSUE 14 AUTUMN 2018

NO SERIAL NUMBER

CRAFT | HERITAGE | ENVIRONMENT

BIOHM:

Biomimicry disrupting the linear economy

Weaving a Road to A Fairer Global EconomY

Maths, Crafts and Environmental Politics

Cleaning Up Our Streets: Chewing Gum Collects Chewed Gum

Dear Readers,

Credits

I am pleased that a new issue of NSN Magazine has finally reached you. It has been an exceptionally hot summer here in the UK, and like perhaps many of you, exceptionally hot weather often concerns us as we are told by experts that extreme weather events are likely to be caused by climate change resulting from human activities. As we are told that it is perhaps too late to reverse the process of climate change, NSN Magazine chooses to talk about creativity as the key that can help us find innovative environmental solutions, both in a small and large scale. In this Autumn issue of NSN Magazine, a prime example of a promising initiative is BIOHM - a revolutionary enterprise that aims to disrupt the linear economy using biomimicry. The philosophy behind this London-based enterprise is that we should build things by learning from the workings of the nature (which works in a circular motion) rather than building in a linear fashion (‘take-make-dispose’), as we do now. This issue of the magazine has also your seasonal and healthy dose of environmental crafts. In the traditional crafts section, we will learn how to felt landscapes, explore an environmental campaign dedicated to crocheting coral reefs, ponder over the potential of overcoming capitalism by promoting a new maker economy, and discover the distinctive egalitarian features of Saori weaving. We also look at the outstanding art of artist paint handmade using natural earth pigments. In the sustainable fashion section, we have a fantastic opportunity to learn how to make fish leather from the scraps you might find at your local fishmonger’s with a step by step tutorial. Here, you can also read a number of features dedicated especially to upcycling. In our innovative materials section, we have also an article about an enterprise that makes long-lasting objects with used chewing gums, which have been collected via a dedicated recycling programme. I will leave you to explore the home décor, zero waste, travel and other sections of the magazine on your own. As usual, please do send us your comments via email (info@ noserialnumber.org) or through social media. We love hearing from you.

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: BIOHM 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.

Wishing you a lovely autumn ahead.

Alessandra & NSN Team 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. . Michelle Challice

Textile Designer specialising in the fructose indigo vat and biodegradable homewares. Recently relocated back home to Britain and works from a tiny natural dye studio on the Dorset coast. Loves her rescue dog Felek, African and Folk textiles and the British weather. Hates having her photo taken!

Facebook: @michellechallicedesign Instagram: @michellechallice

Holly Foat

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

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.

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

DO YOU WANT TO WRITE FOR THE MAGAZNE? 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 Felting for Good in Wales Felting a Landscape for Beginners Maths, Crafts and Environmental Politics Weaving a Road to a Fairer Global Economy Weaving for Everyone: A Liberating Experience of Self Reflection 24. Artist Made Watercolours 6. 8. 11. 14. 18.

Emma Bevan

SUSTAINABLE FASHION 28. 32. 34. 36.

Hushwings Watercolors

Fish Leather on a Narrow Boat Fish Leather Tutorial Fairies and Colours The Chrysalis Effect

UPCYCLING HUB 38. A Local Upcycling Business and the Economy of Waste Textiles 42. Thoughts About Upcycling with BBC Personality Jay Blades INNOVATIVE MATERIALS 44. Cleaning Up Our Streets: Chewing Gum Collects Chewed Gum 46. BIOHM: Biomimicry Disrupting the Linear Economy HOME CHRONICLES 50. When One’s Favourite Fabrics Turns into Beautiful Quilts 54. Quilted Coaster Tutorial 56. Bright Pieces That Are Alien to the Beach

Biohm

TRAVEL CHRONICLES 58. Fibre and Clay in the Wild WORKSHOP STATION ZERO WASTE 62. Choose to Refuse: Letting Plastic Free July Inspire You, All Year Round 63. Plastic Free Tea 63. Freedom From Plastic with Fabric Bags 64. Zero Waste Craft & Supplies 66 Bindweed Blues

Native Hands

PROJECTS FOR THE PLANET PETITIONS ISSUES FOR ETHICAL BUSINESSES THE ECO CRAFTERS AND ENTREPRENEURS’ AWARDS

Wholecloth

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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Madhubani art

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Up-cycled hose pipe

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Wild pottery

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TRADITIONAL ARTS, TRADES & CRAFTS

Felting for Good in Wales Words and photography by Emma Bevan

My home is in the Brecon Beacons, and provides me with a constant source of inspiration; I am also inspired and intrigued by folklore, our ancestors, and stories of our culture. I love finding that little spark of magic that bursts into life and creates a new project!

began my journey in art enjoying pencil drawing and lino-printing, and went on to study as a printmaker and photographer at the University of Arts in London. When I returned to Wales, I trained as a tutor and worked with students with additional needs. For a number of years I lost my connection with my artistic side; back in my hills of Wales, I was busy as a single parent and tutor, although I did enjoy some photography and poetry writing when I had time.

I exhibit regularly, and receive several commissions a year, and I now run workshops all over Wales. These take several formats; sometimes I am paid to run them by the venue, who organise the dates and bookings, other times I organise them myself. Occasionally I run small group or 1-2-1 workshops at my cottage, or at peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s homes.

I had no experience in working with textiles at all, but during my treatments for cancer in 2011, my friend and neighbour mentioned that I might keep myself from being bored by trying needle-felting. I had never heard of it, but decided to teach myself. It was a somewhat painful process, producing unrecognisable blobs and breaking needles, but, I fell in love with its versatility and meditative processes, and persevered! Eventually, I created work that was recognisable, and as I recovered from the cancer, I was invited to sell at fairs and run workshops. I love teaching, and seeing the amazement on peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s faces as their bundle of wool turns into a gorgeous landscape or beautiful creature.

I am also developing my Workshop Wagon project, where I aim to take my van full of materials to events to run free or donation-only workshops for children... I am working on the interior to create room for small groups to be able to make felt inside the van, but I can also take all my wool and tools out to the community, to hard to reach groups. I currently run

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these at festivals such as Green Man and River Cottage. Feltmaking is relaxing, creative, and fun, and creativity is an important part of our lives. Learning new skills whilst socialising is a wonderful way to develop our confidence and express ourselves too. Facilitating participantsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; learning and sharing their achievements is really rewarding, and I feel very lucky to be involved!

In the pictures Derby Ram: needle felted ram's head - commission Spring: needle felted wall hanging of spring rising Keeper of Dreams: needle felted sleeping hare Faerie: needle felted faerie

R FIND IT ONLINE Website: www.ffolkyffelt.com Facebook and Twitter: @FfolkyFfelt Instagram: @emmaffolkyffelt

or f er v o Turn a's 2D Emm scape Land orial Tut

l a i tor

Felting a Landscape for Beginners To create a landscape in 2D, I enjoy making the background myself using wet felting methods, then adding more definition and detail with needle felting. Both methods fuse the fibres together, but achieve different effects, so combining them both can create a more interesting piece of work! Wet felting is a traditional method, and needle felting evolved in the 1980s; to fuse contemporary and conventional brings me a lot of pleasure and can bring some innovative results! Below is a step by step process for a basic scene, using this combination technique.

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Below is a step by step process for a basic scene, using this combination technique: 1.

To wet felt, you need a towel on your table, a rolling mat, bubble wrap, olive oil soap and some netting.

Have all your chosen wool colours to hand!

You need a single colour base. Pull your chosen colour wool into tufts; by doing this you help the fibres of the wool loosen, ready to hook onto their neighbouring fibres. Lay them out into a square or rectangle, overlapping like scales, all horizontally. Douse them with lots of warm water (have some natural soap in the mix too).

Using more tufts, now place another layer on top, but facing in opposite direction, then spray water on that layer until very wet too.

Now add another horizontal layer, starting with the other colours in tufts, spraying with water as you add each layer.

One you have laid on all your colours, place a piece of netting over the top, spray once more and press down gently through the netting.

Begin rubbing the soap through the wet netting…

…. Hold down the netting with one hand as you rub the soap in a series of strokes in one direction, working it up to a lather….

Then roll up the bubble wrap and rub vigorously over the surface. The friction from rubbing causes the fibres to fuse and matt together.

10.

Carefully peel off the netting – you should see all the layers thinly fused together!

11.

Now it’s time to roll up the mat with the piece of let inside and roll it back and forth – this strengthens the felting process.

12.

Unroll the mat, we are now ready for needle felting some further details… pat dry the piece of felt.

13.

Put a foam mat on the table and place your work on top… the felting needle is barbed and by pushing the needle through the extra payers of wool you want to add, it fuses that wool to the wet felted wool.

14.

Angle the needle to get the effect you wish, and to ‘persuade’ the fibres into the direction you need. Always keep the needle straight, never dragging across the surface, as you risk snapping it… always push it towards the direction you are aiming for.

15.

Add small details by gently needling wisps of wool in with the needle. Using the felting needle achieves more definition.

16.

Smooth over any areas that you want to look more blended with the damp bubble wrap.

17.

Review the piece and add more colour or layers if required.

hoto p e r o rm o f e ag p e h t Turn

The End.

Have you created your 2D Lanscape? Then share your results with us - use #noserialnumbermagazine

SUGGESTED BY A READER

Maths, Crafts and Environmental Politics Words by Holly Foat Photgraphy by Meggan Jack

ometimes two worlds collide, two worlds so different that it feels like something magical has happened. Sometimes it’s even more complicated than that; maths, craft, coral, politics... Let’s start at the beginning.

I spoke to Meggan Jack, a textile artist, who is leading the crochet coral reef campaign. She explained that it was her friend’s idea who however was unable to manage it “In December last year a friend suggested we should do a local crochet reef - stop Adani, but she was going away for a few months, so it was up to me.” The Carmichael Coal Mine would be the largest coal mine in Australia if it gets the full approvals to go ahead, and gets financial assistance. Meggan explained that the mine is “trying to get financial assistance from the Australian government to build a railway to the coast, where they will load mighty coal tankers with maximum loads, which will then travel in even greater numbers, with even more chances for accidents over the top of our World Heritage Great Barrier Reef.”

Margaret Wertheim is a mathematician. She, along with her sister, crochets coral reefs using the maths of the hyperbolic geometry. Bear with me here, hyperbolic geometry basically means that not all surfaces are regular – think of the surface of curly kale. The first person to discover that hyperbolic geometry can be modelled in yarn was Daina Taimina in 1997. Daina was a mathematician at Cornell University, New York. She disproved many other mathematicians’ theory that it was impossible to model. Basically what this means is adding stitches to the crochet so instead of lying flat, the crochet starts to twist and curl into an organic, sea slug looking shape. The lines of stitches are unequal so they can never be parallel, even when they are pulled straight. Margaret and her sister Christine started the crochet coral reef project in 2005 in response to the threat of global warming to the delicate corals in reef systems. From this developed the Institute for Figuring where they promote the beauty and aesthetics of maths and science.

Meggan is a self taught freeform textile artist and crocheter. She finds inspiration for the reef project all around her. “Being with balls of yarn and hooks, or scraps of cut up old blankets I’ve used for needle-felting bases for beanies or brooches, I can ‘see’ something else ‘grow’ from nothing.” She’s keen on reducing waste and upcycling too “Recently I found a bag of partially cut up doilies that someone had used for making some adorned petticoat dresses from, being thrown out at the Opportunity Shop” Meggan put those to good use in the bleached crochet reef section. “They’ll be instant bleached corals by just sewing the edges together and pulling tight.” She also makes use of plastic waste too, using old white plastic bags to make ‘plarn’ (plastic yarn) to make more bleached coral. She makes both fine ‘plarn’ and ‘chunky plarn’, which will use up the large amount of bags to stop them being thrown out.

Meanwhile, over in Australia, traditional lands have been threatened by a multinational conglomerate who wants to open up a coal mine. A community-led campaign group has been inspired by the crochet coral reef project and is using this craftivism as a way to protest. Building a new coal mine (bearing in mind that almost all coal mining has stopped in the UK) seems totally at odds with all the current interest in renewable energy. Burning fossil fuels like coal causes climate change. Coral reefs are particularly vulnerable to even a slight increase in sea temperature. Rising temperatures cause coral bleaching, which is an indication of the coral dying. Campaigners are also concerned that tankers containing coal will be polluting the waters around the fragile ecosystem of the Great Barrier Reef.

Forms of craftivism like this are so inspiring. This kind of passive protest has such potential to reach people in a quiet but effective way. Like the pussy hats adorned by anti Trump protesters, the action of making relieves the stress of constantly fighting for what you believe in, and channels all that angry

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energy into something beautifully creative. It’s also very inclusive, allowing those who cannot physically protest to join in the campaign efforts. Needless to say, the eyes of the world will be watching Australia to see that the government makes the sensible decision about the mine.

SIGN THE PETITION We, the Wangan and Jagalingou people, are the traditional owners of the land in Queensland’s Galilee Basin. Coal company Adani wants to use our ancestral lands for their Carmichael coal mine. We do hereby firmly REJECT a Land Use Agreement with Adani for the Carmichael mine on our traditional lands. www.communityrun.org/petitions/don-t-let-adanibuild-their-huge-coal-mine-on-our-traditional-land

IN THE PICTURES Page 11 & 13 (top right) - Crochet Corals sewn on to small rugs, wraps and sun hats, to enable pieces to be auctioned for fundraising for grassroots activists trying to protect Australia’s Great Barrier Reef.. Page 12 - Banner for the Facebook page, using a photo of Benny Zable’s hand painted banner Coral Crisis. Page 13 (Bottom right) - Some of the sun hats/sculptural forms on top of a yet to be completed Bleached Coral Reef Shawl/Wrap, using discarded crochet doilies found in a box destined to be thrown out from the opportunity shop. Megg saw the possibilities of very easy sewing to make ‘bleached coral’ from these scraps. Some were just the remnants/edges, which, drawn together, make clusters or bleached coral. Third set up display of the growing reef, at The Channon Craft Market where Megg serves Chai at The Rainbow Chai Tent every second Sunday of the month

FURTHER READING To find out more about the beauty of science and maths, check out the Institute for Figuring www.facebook.com/The-Institute-ForFiguring-116548341707763/ To find out more about the protest in Australia check out the campaign group page www.facebook.com/CrochetCoralStopAdani/ For further information about crocheting hyperlic geometric shapes, check out the TED talk by Margaret Wertheim www.ted.com/talks/margaret_wertheim_crochets_ the_coral_reef?utm_campaign=tedspread&utm_ medium=referral&utm_source=tedcomshare

R FIND IT ONLINE Website: www.megganjack.wixsite.com/yarnspirit-1 Facebook and Instagram: @megganjack Pinterest: @MeggaYarnz Etsy: www.etsy.com/shop/ArtNomadixMeggaYarnz Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/artnomadix/ collections/72157606496984235/

Words by Kate Stuart Photography by Eloïse Sentito

Imagine waking up to the breathtaking view of a white beach, and the clear aqua waters of the wild Atlantic Ocean, or to the ancient Connemara mountains and the widest, most expressive skies you’ve ever seen. Bright yellow pops of gorse amongst the peat brown earth and the purple heather of the Highlands. The deep, velvet green of Brittany’s oldest woodlands. Imagine walking every morning to absorb the land and the colour, then setting to work, right there amongst the hills and the woods and the sea and the sky, weaving it all in to a cloth as unique as every passing moment in this breathtaking and changeable landscape.

cloth that she weaves. While we converse about life, work and her political and economic beliefs, Eloïse is parked up on the Isle of Lewis, namesake of the metamorphic rocks that make up The Hebrides, or Western Isles, separated from mainland Scotland only by the waters of The Minsh. Whilst on the surface, such a life may seem as idyllic as the landscapes Eloïse travels through, autonomous living often comes at a price. A woman travelling alone, even in 2018, sadly still has much to consider. “In order to be able to afford to autonomously set up a craft business congruent with my ideals and live in the countryside,” Eloïse tells me, “I renounced not just the ties and comfort of four solid walls, but also the security, the safety and the feeling of belonging.” Though the need to belong to a landscape or a community is perhaps what has brought her back again to this island.

Eloïse Sentito, owner of These Isles, is a travelling weaver, musician, teacher, wordsmith and maker-activist who in 2014 gave up a settled life in Devon for one of freedom and autonomy, journeying around the Anglo-Celtic Circle in her second hand coachbuilt camper-come-workshop with her hound dog Murphy and a folding Ashford beech table loom. Her road, thus far, has taken her from her childhood landscape of Devon, to West Cork and Mull, to Brittany and Galway, to The Western Isles and Highlands of Scotland. She has a connection with these landscapes and all their glorious hues, that seeps into the warp and the weft of the

For more than 5,000 years, people have been connecting to this landscape, pushing down roots into the solid Lewisian gneiss beneath their feet, grateful to have everything they needed to thrive in the land and the sea around them, aware that the harshness of life here could whisk it away

Self portrait

Weavi n g a Road to a Fai r er Gl o bal Economy A Journey i n Maker-Acti v i s m

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With its wild beaches and ancient hillsides, there is a call here on Lewis for the renewal of older ways of living and during our conversation, Eloïse explains how that has informed her work and how she feels to be part of something that stretches far back into history.

Additional weaving tools

Close-up green and white shawl on green machair and cow parsley background

in an instant. The heritage of people long gone can still be found in the music, in the cloth, in the standing stones of Callanish, and in the stone dwellings scattered all along the coastline.

“Connecting with weavers who themselves are part of a long tradition has opened my eyes to the historical depth of the craft. There was a morning when I ran through driving rain into the firelit refuge of a reconstructed Iron Age roundhouse on the tiny island of Bernera, off the Isle of Lewis…There was no talk of textiles but a weaver is an artist with an engineers mind…that same afternoon a Gaelic-speaking weaver in a nearby Blackhouse village taught me the ‘weaver’s knot’…I’d be very proud to be considered part of such a noble ancient tradition”

one before we can move into a time of kinder and more compassionate economic policy. This is where The Green Cloth Collective, it’s members and their collective ideas come in.

Her shawls and scarves, cowls and ponchos all bear the hallmark of someone deeply connected to a place and time where the warmth and weather resistant properties of a hand-woven cloth held much value. Yet Eloïse is about more than the sum of her weavings. As a maker and activist, contemplating ways to balance the joy of feeding the beauty and colour of this place into her work and the desire to step away from what is, she tells me “a race to the bottom to produce goods that cost less money and more earth” is as great a pull on her working practise and thinking time as anything else.

“The Green Cloth Collective”, Eloïse tells me, “is a global, guerrilla, professional network that came about in late 2017 when I realised that my contribution to society which used to be through formal education could be made by politicising my craft. The Collective is an emergent group of makers and interested others who conceive our work and/or handmade lifestyle as an act of resistance, since making enhances autonomy and self-sufficiency and therefore resilience by virtue of a greater degree of independence from both state and corporate powers.” Connecting professional makers and maker-activists with each other enables the conversation, and members of The Green Cloth Collective are focused on finding answers to the question of what the role of making can be “in a new economics for the common good.” For as the economist Kate Raworth writes: “we [now] have economies that need to grow, whether or not they make us thrive: what we need are economies that make us thrive, whether or not they grow.”

Her argument, and it’s an important one, is that our current consumerist society, with its dependency on GDP as the singular measure of financial health along with the “have more, be happier” ideology that global economics requires in order to survive, is dying a death, though perhaps not fast enough – but that like all old tales, as George Monbiot wrote in 2017, we first need a new story to replace the old

Additional weaving tools

ISSUE 14 AUTUMN 2018

Trying to step away from a system that considers success to be that which is mostly financial, is however a difficult path to take. But Eloïse is firm that while she must sell some of her weaving work at a price that turns at least a minimum wage for all the things that only money can (currently) buy, she is open to those who might barter or trade, telling me “success is when my work brings joy or healing to someone who’s saved up … paid monthly [or] bartered for a once in a lifetime purchase instead of buying a cheaper but socially and environmentally much more costly artefact”. Bartering is not as common a means of exchange as it was in the time of our ancient ancestors. “I have to remind myself to barter,” Eloïse explains. “It is no longer most people’s automatic response to a need.” And yet there is space here for new tales to be written – tales of connection and fair trade. “Connection”, she continues, “is crucial in a sustainable society. I love that the chest I use as a log basket had its previous keeper’s family name on it … someone else’s story gently touches my life.” She tells me of the camera she uses to take photographs of her work, given to her by someone who now wears a shawl of hers. “We haven’t met,” she continues, “but we have this constant connection.” And perhaps this is the key to finding answers and new ways of living and crafting that are kinder to earth and its inhabitants. GDP can not continue to grow, against a human and ecological outcry – and as makers, we cannot be content to look at our hand-crafted products knowing they are not realistically accessible to our peers. Finding a path to fairer economics that allow everyone the opportunity to thrive and using our craft as resistance to a system that values only that which can carry a price tag, is not just a noble and just cause, but a necessary one. Close-up green and pink snug with clover

For Eloïse, in her connections with the ancient craft of weaving, and to the landscapes that call her in her life and her work, there are new stories being written from the beaches and hillsides of the Western Isles. Stories of settlement and growing roots. Stories of sharing art and music and friendship. Stories of the hardships of being a lone woman traveller. Stories of resistance, woven into the warp and the weft of every piece of cloth she creates. Stories that can be continued, re-told and re-imagined until our collective story has undergone a metamorphosis to a new, greener, kinder one that connects us all.

F URTHER READINGS Kate Raworth – Doughnut Economics – Random House Business Books 2018 George Monbiot – Out of the Wreckage - Verso 2017

R FIND IT ONLINE Website: www.theseisles.co Etsy shop: etsy.com/uk/shop/theseisles Facebook and IG: @theseisles Twitter: @these_isles Pinterest: @weavetheseisles Green Cloth Collective: www.facebook.com/groups/119046325452831

Use Coupon Code 10I s l e sNSN for 10% off any weaving in stock Expires March 2019

Close-up seascape warp wound onto the warping frame

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Close-up earthy green saddle cloth with bracken and burgundy flower

Weaving for Everyone: A Liberating Experience of Self-Reflection Interview by NSN Team Photography by NSN Team, Erna Janine and Claudia Grace Laxton Netherlands, Iceland, Mongolia, India and Japan: a mixture of deep experiences has marked the formation of Erna Janine, a professional weaver who specialises in the Saori technique. In this interview, Erna Janine tells us a little bit about her background and about the Saori philosophy, which reminds us about being free to explore without fixed schemes, get inspired also by the mistakes that we make along the way, as all humans do, thus making weaving a craft for everyone.

Hello Erna Janine, thank you for taking the time to talk to me. First of all tell me a bit about you? Where do you come from? I was born in the Netherlands in the mid-seventies. Both my parents were born in small farming and fishing villages some time before the second world war. The atmosphere in our home reflected this, my mother made most of our clothes, most of the vegetables came from the garden and there was a certain reluctance towards “modern stuff”. My grandmother lived a long life in the province of Zeeland and was one of the last remaining women to sport the traditional costume there. During time spent at her home in the summer, I often observed her getting ready in the morning, a complicated process of folding and pinning down specific pleats. The Dutch Traditional costume varied from village to village and was always hand-made. Different days required different colours schemes and big life events would be expressed by the wearing of specific outfits for each occasion, often along with gravity defying headwear and “head-jewellery”. Keeping the layers of clothing in good nick demanded constant attention; not much was left open to speculation. It was only during a visit to the blockprint museum in Jaipur last year, that I realised the cloth I

had alway identified with Dutch rural costume had actually been produced and hand-printed in India, indeed the red, white and blue are the most common block print colours there. I see from your website that you have worked with natural textiles for over 20 years, can you tell me why you decided to work with natural materials rather than choosing manmade fibres? I believe that the difference between manmade and natural materials tends to be more conspicuous in the extremes. A piece of woven silk hand dyed with natural colours will become more beautiful and characterful with time, a piece of polyester will not. But there are overlaps, and often although something is natural, it could have still been produced under harsh conditions or come at a severe cost to the earth, such as cotton for instance. I like to weave with paper yarns from Japan at the moment, these are highly processed, mostly unnatural and have had to travel a long way to my studio in the Cotswolds, but they are still perceived to be fairly natural. What kinds of natural materials do you work with? And

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bit more about it? How does this connection reflect in your work? When I was just eighteen I secured myself an apprenticeship at a weavery in the highlands of Iceland for a year, quite far removed from crowded Holland and at that time - the early nineties - also a relatively unknown country with very few foreigners. The crafts had always been around me, but they were somehow underrepresented in University courses, so I chose to follow the practical way. I eventually settled in Iceland and attended the College for Traditional Crafts as well as working as a class teacher at the Steiner school in the mountains outside Reykjavik. Icelanders are mostly extremely creative and independent spirits and very open to new ideas. On a trip through Mongolia I had become very interested in gers (yurts) for instance (these are portable round tent covered with skins or felt and used as a dwelling by nomads in the steppes of Central Asia). After doing some intense research, together with a friend from Berlin, we eventually had one produced in Kyrgyzstan and shipped to Iceland. I used to use the yurt as a classroom during the summer at times, in other countries this might have not been possible, but in Iceland it was happily accepted.

what are your favourites? I am working on a clothing range that is specifically made of two of the natural fibres I came across during a recent textile residency in India, Tussar forest silk, produced by the small tribes in the north of Odisha, and Khadi cotton from Rajasthan. Both are hand-spun yarns completely free of pesticides and wholly produced within small villages. Since I started to weave a lot I became more discerning about which yarns I wanted to use, because I had to order larger and larger amounts. Enough to hopefully make a small difference in India, where sustainable yarns desperately need to be supported. I also think that hand weaving and hand-spinning go well together, because the threads are very visible within the woven cloth. And after all, by committing ourselves to the activity of weaving, we are drawing attention to the process of cloth construction and choosing to spend time on the loom. We should respect the yarn producers for their work too and of course we must not forget the dyers!

Four years ago you started studying Saori weaving, can you tell me a bit more about this technique? I had done a lot of traditional weaving on great big Scandinavian floor looms and very much enjoyed the process of weaving. As part of my reenactment group, I had done lots of tablet weaving too. Both can easily become complicated processes with many steps and “programming” in the set-up process. When I came across Saori weaving, it felt like a liberation, because the threshold to start weaving is much lower. You can weave “in the moment” without much preparation and the weaving process itself is actually more intense in some ways, because all options stay open. You weave on an empty canvas, even though your warp might be organised in a pattern that will try to define your weave. In

You have a strong connection with Iceland, can you tell me a

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Saori you engage continuously in the weaving process in a totally open way, which allows your creativity to flow through. Where does the technique come from? And who’s the pioneer of this technique? The Saori way of weaving was invented by Misao Jo (19132018), a Japanese lady in the late ‘60s. She incorporated elements of the Ikebana philosophy and her own insights into a way of weaving which seemed radical at the time, and remains controversial to some. One of her main messages is for the weaver to consider carefully the difference between a machine and a human. In the Saori world, this is most important. Weavers use the loom as a vehicle for self-expression, not as a tool to produce items that can be replicated easily, or mistaken for something made in a factory. Saori weavers do not hide “the hand of the weaver” in their cloth, small mistakes are often left in the cloth and sometimes even become the inspiration of a new technique, some selfreflection or just a reminder that we are humans and humans make mistakes sometimes. Can you tell me about the looms that you use for this technique? Do you need special looms and why? The looms used in Saori weaving are specifically designed to support the Saori approach of accessibility, portability and durability. The looms are handmade on site at the main studio in Japan. Saori looms are built to the human proportions, mostly 60cm wide, to make weaving as comfortable as possible. Most Saori weavers prefer a two shaft loom, because most Saori cloth is done in plain weave, but there is a four shaft option too. An interesting fact is that Saori looms can be used by multiple weavers, in fact, in Saori studios worldwide, you can start a piece of cloth, take it off the loom complete with heddles and reed, and you could travel to another studio (or simply store your project until you have more time to weave) and attach it to the next loom and continue weaving. This is a unique feature in the weaving world and represents the Saori vision of “weaving for everyone”, you don’t need to buy a loom, you can simply share one with others or come to a Saori studio and continue there. This feature also makes it a very good choice for schools or community projects, one loom can cater to many many weavers. In the ideal Saori world, weaving would be accessible to all and people would

construct their own ‘look’ as well as inspiring people to take up hand-weaving as a sort of cottage industry to cater to a hopefully growing demand from fashion designers. In Japan, where I go every year, this is already visible. The main studio in Izumi, Osaka, has approximately 30 looms being constantly used by local people of all ages who come in during the day, weave their projects and pay for their woven cloth by weight. What do your students say when they are learning this technique? People are mostly surprised about how easy the loom is to operate and how fast they can weave once they’ve mastered the basics. A lot of people (and this is always a bit puzzling to me) have never woven in their life and have sometime imagined that this is a complicated boring process. So, when they start to weave and are suddenly able to produce cloth (a major component of our everyday life), it can be a liberating, exciting experience, you can make scarfs, wallhangings in various sizes, curtains, blankets and clothing. For some students, I have noticed, the finished product is less important; they simply enjoy learning a new skill. Saori is both relaxing and engaging, some of my students come from Canary Wharf (London’s financial district) and are happy to have an offline activity in the here-and-now, some people have commented back that their focus and attention span have increased by the rhythmical activity of weaving, a process in which your whole body is involved, hands, feet and to a greater of lesser extent, your brain. What would you recommend to someone wanting to try the technique? I would tell people to turn to the internet to find an amazing collection of woven art by typing the words Saori and Weaving into their search engines. If you are really inspired, then please turn to www.saoriglobal.com to find your nearest registered studio and book a class. Saori studios worldwide have ready set up looms for students to practice on and all Saori studio holders are trained to support and guide new weavers through the process as well as offer more complicated classes. The weaving studios vary in size and shape, but they all offer a vast choice of yarns and the Saori pattern books for clothing. Mostly, you will meet other creative weavers to be inspired by. If you are not interested in weaving yourself, please consider buying handwoven cloth or clothing from Saori weavers, you’ll find them on the internet too.

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R FIND IT ONLINE Website: www.freeweaver.co.uk Instagram: @FreeweaverSaoriStudio Facebook: @FreeweaverSaoriStudioLondon

Artist Made Watercolours Words by Paige Perillat-Piratoine

t is during her years in art school that Kirsten Cooner developed a passion for art history and art supplies.There, she started researching historical paint making methods and experimenting with crafting her own paints. This lead to her later create Hushwing Watercolors, an online artisan watercolour shop.

of combining historical knowledge with our modern understanding of paint making. She chose to focus on watercolour because this is one of her favourite mediums to work with. It also has a fascinating history: from once being widely disrespected as a medium, it rose to popularity through its use by notable artists including Albecht Durer of the German Renaissance.

Historically speaking, many paints were dangerous. They included components such as lead and arsenic amongst other highly toxic components. Today, many modern paints are still produced using ingredients which are considered toxic, such as cadmium and cobalt. When used carefully, these may not be a concern, but many artists work in home studios with pets and children. Indeed, ingesting these substances can lead to grave poisoning. In opposition to this practice, Kirsten is dedicated to creating paints using only non-toxic ingredients.

Being an artist herself provides her with a unique understanding of what others are looking for in their tools. She pours the same precision and artistry into the creation of her paints as she does in her own artwork. In effect, she feels artist materials are very important since they act as the language with which ideas are communicated. So how are they made? Every watercolour in the range starts with the essential step of research. Kirsten usually begins with a concept for a palette, and then goes on to select individual pigments. Many factors come into consideration, including how the pigment will work as a watercolour as well as how it will behave when mixed with other colours selected for the palette.

Kirsten is a self-taught paintmaker. In fact, before our modern paint manufacturers existed, all artists made their own paints. This was a valuable skill that was passed down from master to student, and was an essential component of the artistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s trade. Luckily many artists also wrote down their recipes and experiments in their journals, which is where Kirsten began her learning process. Her method consists

And when it comes to pigment, Kirsten sources the highest quality materials from a variety of reputable suppliers.

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Photo by Harrison Creatives. A fresh batch of Prussian Blue watercolor paint is poured into a pan.

Most are natural earth pigments collected from a variety of locations; the current offer are colours made using earth pigments from the mountains of Cyprus and the eastern United States. These pigments are considered inorganic pigments and are derived from natural minerals or ores. They tend to provide a very high degree of opacity which means they are capable of yielding both light, transparent washes and also opaque washes when used in watercolour.

possible. The formula is tested over several weeks and many paint batches in order to perfect it. In fact, Kirsten won’t release a new colour unless it’s a paint she truly wants to work with herself. Because of the lengthy process involved in selecting new pigments and formulating their watercolours, Kirsten tries to offer a new palette every year. Indeed, the mission at Hushwing is to design unique paints whose equals are difficult to find elsewhere. From the handmade process to the use of rare and unusual pigments, Kirsten works to provide quality products that will stand out in the art supply market. Each pan of Hushwing watercolour is packed with pure pigment and binder, without the use of extender or additives.

Hushwing also offer a variety of watercolours made using organic (in this case meaning the chemistry term i.e. containing the element Carbon) pigments, which are formed in laboratories. These pigments yield brighter colours which would be difficult or costly to find as an earth pigment, making them an ideal alternative. An organic pigment acts a bit like a small shard of stained glass, allowing light to pass through and reflect against the white paper beneath. They’re wonderful for achieving high brilliance washes, although they do not typically provide the same dynamic value range that can be achieved with inorganic pigments.

The process then, is entirely artisanal, as every step is hands, only aided by tools. After researching a pigment and perfecting its unique recipe, the next step is the production phase. It begins with Hushwing’s signature binder, which is made in house. It is the backbone to all of her watercolour formulas and brings everything together: its main ingredient is gum arabic.

Another significant component of the pigment selection process is the thorough testing of the pigment before putting it into production. Each individual pigment receives its own unique formula to provide the best painting experience

What follows is the mulling process, which is the crucial process of evenly suspending the pigment particles in the binder. Kirsten uses a glass tool (conveniently called a

Photo by Kirsten Cooner. My tools of the trade (L to R); measuring spoons, palette knife, Cyprus Green Earth pigment, and muller.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;mullerâ&#x20AC;?) to work the pigment and binder together in order to provide a smooth, quality paint. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an important yet time intense step, as mulling a single batch of paint can take an hour or more. Then each pan is filled in layers, with time to dry between pours. This means that it takes several batches of mulling paint and filling pans over a few weeks to yield a completed product. The entire journey is both labour-intensive and meditative. Mulling is a physically demanding process, but there is steady rhythm to it and the hours can easily slip away in an afternoon of work. Kirsten will usually listen to music or a particularly intriguing documentary while making paint, and find a peaceful balance which she can enjoy. Her more busy, fast paced days are ones spent packing orders, shooting product photos, and managing all the other aspects of the business. Hushwing is a one-woman operation and every order that leaves the studio is entirely handled by Kirsten. This gives the palettes you receive an intimate essence, and a beautiful story. She does however enjoy collaborating with other artisans. This has allowed her to work with bookbinders, seamstresses, and woodcarvers. They work closely together to bring new designs to life such as some of the sketchbooks you can see on the website. Drop by her web-store and watch out for a new palette due to be delivered before the end of 2018. Photo by Brooke Taelor. The Colonial Palette, made using natural earth pigments from the eastern United States.

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Photo by Kirsten Cooner. The Hushwing Collection, our bestselling palette which includes a variety of natural earth and modern pigments.

Photo by Kirsten Cooner. Our exclusive paintbrush storage rolls, sketchbooks, and carved wood mixing palettes are created in collaboration with other artisans.

R FIND IT ONLINE Website: www.hushwingwatercolors.com Instagram and Facebook: @hushwingwatercolors

SUSTAINABLE FASHION

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Fish Leather on a Narrowboat: the Fashion of Bryn P ratt-Boyden Interview by NSN Team Photography by Bryn Pratt-Boyden Bryn Pratt-Boyden is a designer based in London who makes costumes and clothing using a variety of materials and techniques. Most peculiar are his experiments with fish skin, essentially scraps from traditional fishmongers. These experiments result in beautifully textured leather. You can try this technique by following Bryn’s tutorial in the next few pages of this issue of No Serial Number Magazine. Have you also experimented with fish leather or leather from other scrap materials? Let us know by emailing us (info@noserialnumber.org) or tagging us on our social media pages. We will re-share or publish the results of your experiments in the next issues of the magazine! Hi Bryn, thanks for taking the time to talk to NSN Magazine! First of all tell us a little bit about your background in fashion, textile and costume design. I have always had an interest in textiles and fashion, buying fabrics before I knew how to use them! I studied fashion at Falmouth University. It was a great course and had a real focus on teaching people how to make everything themselves. It was also extremely inspiring living by the sea, and I feel like this inspiration still runs through my work. I moved onto a small narrowboat in London and started an MA at Kingston. Since graduating, I have been freelancing, making costumes and clothing on request.

discovered. I wouldn’t say I prefer any fabric over another as they all have their strengths and limitations. When and how did you start working with fish leather? Can you tell us your rationale for using this by-product? Originally I saw fish skin and Seal gut leather at The Pitt Rivers in Oxford. I did some research and heard about its strong, supple qualities. I started using it around four years ago. I was shocked that the skins usually get thrown away, as I thought they would at least be used as cat food or something! Everyone thought I was crazy, tanning my own fish leather on my boat, but once they saw the finished product, they came round to the idea. I was shocked that something so disgusting and smelly could be turned into a beautiful, natural, textured leather!

The variety of materials and techniques that you use to create your art is impressive, why so much variety? Primarily, I love to experiment. I think so much of modern fashion has become stale. Why cut a design short by using boring fabrics, when there are so many interesting textiles? I have always had a passion for textiles, and have been collecting little bits for most of my life. Sometimes the exact fabric I am looking for, doesn’t yet exist, so I have to create something new! I’m always looking for something new and interesting to work with!

Your website also says that you tan fish skin with tea, can you tell us a bit more about the process? During my research I found fish leather had origins in China, Iceland, and the Arctic. Actually, they still make fish skin leather in all these places, but the natural, eco process has mostly died out and replaced with damaging chemical processes. I discovered they used to produce fish skin leather

How did you start working with scrap materials? What attracted you to Japanese Boro? I first discovered boro about seven years ago…I was fascinated that something so worn and old could have such beauty. All the layers of old fabric, hand stitched together… each layer telling a different story. I just found it inspiring that, although out of necessity, people were much more conscious about waste than we are now. Each tiny scrap would be saved, no matter how small. I like to carry this into my own practice. Seven years ago, I brought so much of these boro scraps; back then they were very cheap, but now boro has become incredibly expensive as I think people are finding an appreciation for hand-made folk textiles. My final collection at Falmouth used these fabrics; my thinking was that by showing people the beauty of a loved, cherished, garment, that had survived years of use, maybe I could persuade some people to start mending their own garments. Due to the price increase, I have been patching up old garments I own already, or buying old things from charity shops. What are the materials and techniques you prefer working with? I love working with natural fabrics mainly. Anything from wools, cottons, bamboo, nettle! I think this is an exciting time for textiles as so many new things are being invented or re-

in 1949 during the war in Mitcham, Surrey. It was a lack of other leathers that forced open this market. As Mitcham is in England, I figured the climate and water would be ok for processing the leather so I decided to have a go! It produces such a wonderful leather, stretchy, soft, with a varied and interesting pattern on each skin. Actually I think it’s crazy that so much fish skin is thrown away as its such an easy process! I first discovered that it was possible to tan the leathers in tea when talking to a friend in Sri-Lanka who was making fish skin shoes. She told me about this book by a woman from Iceland, Lotta Rhame. The book is called “Fish Leather: Tanning and Sewing with Traditional Methods”. It explains many different ways to tan the leather, including with the brains of the fish, or with urine…I opted for tea as this is all done on my boat and I have to keep the fishy vats under my bed for lack of space (although urine would be even more eco friendly as it can be produced very locally). Even with the book, a lot of experimentation is needed, as slight differences in temperature, chemicals in the water, and the type of fish, can have big impacts on how the leather turns out. How difficult it is to source fish skin? How do you usually source it? Honestly, it’s not easy… you have to go to a traditional fishmonger, which are not easy to come by anymore…I’m lucky that I live quite close to Twickenham where there is an amazing sustainable fishmonger called Sandy’s that has been bagging the skins up for me to take away… for free!

are your hopes for the future of the fashion industry? Actually… I hope we can stop using this work ‘sustainable’. Sometimes I think it does more damage than good… It has many negative connotations and people expect a certain thing… maybe in their minds, people are instantly conjuring up images of a baggy, camouflage green, hemp, t-shirt when they hear this word. I don’t tell people I’m a sustainable designer as I think these days, it shouldn’t even be a selling point, it should be the norm! We should just be called designers! Those who choose not to care about ethics should be called unsustainable designers. I’m not sure what direction sustainability is going. I fear that big brands are starting to jump on the bandwagon as quickly as they will jump off, when this trend of sustainability has passed. There has been a lot of ‘green washing’, such as when Adidas claimed to have made shoes out of recycled plastic from the sea, when it turned out that most of the shoe was made from new brand plastics, adding to plastic pollution in the environment.

What dyes do you use for your creations? How do you source them e.g. do you gather materials yourself? I have been using a lot of natural indigo from Tamil Nadu, which I order online… but more recently I’ve become obsessed with using my waste from the kitchen. Avocado is my latest fixation; I was shocked that by saving the skins and pips, you can make so many different hues of dusty pink! I love it! What are your opinions about the future of sustainable fashion? In what direction do you think it’s growing? What

R FIND IT ONLINE Website: www.brynpb.co.uk Instagram and Facebook: @bryn.pb Twitter: @BrynPb Pinterest: @bprattboyden

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Turn Over to page 32 for Bryn s â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Fish Leather Tutorial

Fish Leather Tutorial By Bryn Pratt

Did you know you could make your fish leather from home? In this tutorial, Bryn makes it look so easy but these seemingly easy steps might in fact hide skills and knowledge that can partly only be acquired with practice. Remember to let us know if you decide to try this technique and send us some pictures!

Step 1: Take fresh skins, or ones that have been frozen and defrosted. Step 2: Scrape any flesh and scales off the skins with sharp knife, making sure not to rip the skins. Step 3: Boil a solution of tea, wait to cool and add the skins and tea to a large vat of lukewarm water. Step 4: Leave the skins for a few weeks, stirring twice a day. Try to keep the skins at a constant temperature and avoid cold or hot fluctuations. Step 5: S often sinks in a solution of fresh water, natural soap, and egg yolk. Step 6: Dry the skins and work them on a pole to soften even more.

H a ve y o u tri ed t his tuto ri a l o u t? Th e n sh a re y o ur r e sul ts wi th us - u s e # n oseri aln umb er ma ga zi n e

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Fairies and Colours Interview by NSN Team Photography by Jessica Salmon and Sian Louise Manning

Hi Jo, thank you for taking the time to talk to NSN Magazine. First of all tell us a little bit about you, how and when did you start making clothes? When did you decide to start your own Etsy shop? I have been making clothes since I got my first sewing machine at age 16. I have always been drawn to clothing and styles evocative of fairy tales, literature and the past. I have used my clothing as a way to express myself, and developing a range of clothing to sell, to bring this selfexpression to other women, fills me with great joy. I taught myself to use my sewing machine, to read a sewing pattern and many years on, to design my own clothing patterns. I started my Etsy shop two years ago, and it has been a long, often slow journey as I try to balance my business time with raising and home educating my two boys.

plants and herbs, how to identify them and use them safely, is an ongoing process for me. There are so many plants, different in every habitat, that I am always learning from them. Plants may affect people differently too, so while I would recommend getting a good wildflower book and starting from there, a lot of common sense and selfawareness is needed to. But this will come - if you spend

You mention that you gather plant materials for your eco print fabrics, what materials are you able to find in your area? What colours do you obtain from them? I have had an interest in natural dyeing for many years, but it is only in the last year that I have given myself the time to delve deeply in it - and my, am I immersed now! Daily I am noticing new plants as I walk with my children, looking them up in herbals I have collected from charity shops, and trying them in my dyepot or a fabric dye-bundle. Most often, we walk a coastal path overlooking the North Sea where Plantain (buttery yellow), Hawthorn (delicate peach) and Comfrey (greys) grow abundantly and call out to be collected. Comfrey (Symphytum Officinale) has got to be my soul plant; I have a huge connection with it, and as it grows so happily here in the landscape I call home, I use it regularly for dyeing, as well as making my own medicines.

Closeup of Handprinted & Ecodyed Moth Scarves in a basket, at Norham Castle

Eco-dyed and Handstitched Bonnet and Romper on baby E

We interview busy mum-of-two Jo Hart, owner of Fablestitch, who is based in Northumberland and loves designing clothes, vintage shopping, natural dyeing, and printing using her own hand carved stamps. Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s another of so many examples of people who have successfully started their own business online against the tide of consumerism and according to their own ethical principles.

Do you have any suggestions on how to safely gather plant materials? What kind of botanical knowledge do you suggest one should have before beginning to experiment? Learning the different

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Closeup of Handprinted & Ecodyed Moth Scarves in a basket, at Norham Castle

time with the Earth, connecting at ground level, you will find it grounds you and centres you, and you learn about yourself too. My biggest suggestion is to go for a walk, note down what you see, notice things (is the plant flowering? Is there a great deal of plant material? Will you need a tool to collect some?) take photos on your phone to look at later to confirm your identification, and then go back another time to actually collect things. This way you can go prepared, with a basket or bag, scissors or secateurs, gloves if necessary, and you are intentional about what you are going for. Do you have any tips that you could share with our readers about the dyeing process? When you have collected your plant materials, you can make a dyepot. Make sure that it is a saucepan that you will not use for food, and keep it just for dyeing. Imagine making a very large cup of herbal tea - you want to heat the plants and water to boiling point, but then turn the heat down and let the colours come slowly, naturally, infusing the water. After half an hour to an hour, I turn off the heat and leave it to steep overnight. In the morning I strain out the plants, and put the fabric in. My favourite way to prepare fabric for dyeing is to soak it in soymilk for a few hours, squeeze it out and let it drip dry. This fabric now enters the dyebath, and I heat it very gently for about an hour, again letting it steep with the heat off for as long as I can manage before curiosity takes hold and simply have to see the colour on the cloth! Time is the key long steeping times, gentle and slow, and when you take out the cloth I suggest drying it in the shade and then storing it for 2 or 3 weeks before you rinse it in cool water as this really helps it become more colourfast. I saw on your Etsy that you also handprint beautiful scarves, what kind of dyes do you use for your prints? (For example I am looking at the hand printed moth design) I love printing as a technique - I carve stamps with simple hand tools and lino blocks. I apply them with water-based Oeko-tex certified fabric paints, and then press them onto the fabric with a roller or the palm of my hand. It is a very simple process, and one that you can achieve at home, with little investment! You also collect fabrics to create your garments, how do you source them? I am unashamedly addicted to charity shops, flea markets and vintage stores! When I see a little wicker basket on the floor in the corner of a second hand shop, I know I have found my happy place, and herein lie linens and lace! My friends also know me well, and they pass on old sheets and tablecloths; things they have inherited from their grandmothers, and things they have had in drawers for years. Old textiles fill me with awe as I imagine their stories, the secrets they hold. Old fabrics also hold natural dyes so well, having none of the soaps, sprays, additives, size etc. that new fabrics straight from the factory all contain. They are my beautiful blank canvases.

Do you have any other advice that youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to give our readers about running a sustainable small business? Yes, you can do it! Now is the time, and the call for change is heard everywhere, even on the high streets of our towns. People are finally listening and taking notice, learning how to make better choices and to step away from consumerism. There is nothing to say that in order to have a financially viable business, you must â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;fit inâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; to the norm. Find your audience, find your tribe (platforms like Instagram are so helpful in this), and run your business in line with your ethics. Customers are drawn to genuine people, and most of my sales happen once I have built up a relationship, be that in person or through following and commenting online - be yourself and learn to shout your praises!

FIND IT ONLINE Website: www.fablestitch.weebly.com Etsy shop: www.fablestitch.etsy.com Instagram: @jo_at_fablestitch Photography: jessieswhimsicalph.wixsite.com/whimsy sianlouisephotography.com

The Chrysalis Effect: On the Innovative Use of Discarded Items Words and photography by by Rositta Priestley, Hatsoff Bootson

s milliner and shoemaker in South East London I feel inspired to write about the intrinsic place that upcycling has in the designer maker process within the high-end market. The respect that we show for materials by reusing them into our bespoke making is a focused message of support towards our desire to help sustain the earthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s resources. Additionally, the story behind how each item is made becomes even more fascinating and adds tremendous value to the customer buying experience. I have been an avid upcycler all of my life and I often use reclaimed objects during the process of making. Whatever I observe around me in my daily life, rather than seeing what it is right now, I visualise how I could use it to shape a hat or a boot.

Lampshade with fabric stripped away.

For me, upcycling is about the untapped energy lying dormant in discarded items and the subsequent potential creativity emanating from it. The energy around the discarded item is exciting and brings with it a metamorphosis, an essence from its previous life which is absorbed into the new item being made. The hands of the designer-maker could be said to form the chrysalis where the change from old to new takes place. This, in my view, is precious and highly enhances the finished product. Being creative with once-used objects means we are elevating them to a vital role within designer making (such as using a lampshade to block the shape into a hat). In doing this, we are taking substantial steps towards using our human creativity towards the greater good of acting against needless waste, whilst making products worthy of a designer label.

Using the lampshade to block shape into the felt.

Examples of the use of discarded objects in HatsOff BootsOn millinery: Mint Green Flower Hat: I recently made a mint green flower hat by using a discarded lampshade to block the shape! When I caught sight of the unwanted lampshade thrown dishonourably into the dustbin, I immediately saw the potential for hat shapes! After cleaning and preparing the lampshade I stripped the fabric back to reveal the wire structure; I then blocked the felt over it to make a flower-shaped brim. I used high quality, reclaimed vintage felt bought from a 1950s supply. For the crown of the hat - to give the impression of the middle of the flower - I free-blocked some folds into one part of the crown. The addition of a dark green velvet trim then completed the effect of a large, open flower. I was really happy to include this hat in my Pop Up Shop at House Of Fraser, Croydon on 26th April 2018.

Centre of finished hat showing flower shape.

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Final pic of completed hat.

Completed hat showing shape in crown

Black Voile Hat:

Zoe Ackroyd Parker, Artist wearing her new hat!

Another example is my black voile hat which I blocked over the top of my favourite vintage lamp! I wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t recommend doing this as I broke the leg of the lamp in the process - but it is fixable. The beautifully swirly top of the lamp seduced me into sculpting a design feature. The reclaimed felt took the shape very well. I added black voile to complete the look. I was thrilled to show the Black Voile Hat at House of Fraser, Croydon on 26th April. This hat now has a happy new owner, as shown in the picture.

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Original Lamp

Facebook: @rosittahatsandboots Twitter: @HatsOffBootsOn Instagram: @hatsoffbootson

Blocking in process

Words by Kate Stuart Photography by The Woolly Pedlar and Gavin Forster Photography

reating a circular economy could be the key to reducing the devastating impact of the textiles industry, by returning unwanted garments and fabric waste to new, usable, wearable items. The long-held principle of economic growth and the traditional linear economy of make-use-dispose is falling out of grace, and rightly so, as we see the devastating cost to both the planet and all living creatures thereon and finally join the dots on what needs to happen to make any sort of positive impact. As a world community, what we need more of are the designer/makers who can look beyond what is new, and find value, inspiration and a new economy where the story of used textiles can be carried forward, and where new garments can be remade from old. Circular economy, where resources are kept in use for as long as possible, is truly the future of fashion. Sue Reed is a very vocal advocate of the principles of circular business models, since her thriving company, The Woolly Pedlar, has gone from strength to strength using exactly these principles. Sue rescues old unloved and discarded pure wool knitwear to reinvent them as unique garments and household textiles. From her home-based workshop in rural West Northumberland, UK, Sue designs and makes her own take on sweater coats inspired by American designer Katwise, as well ponchos, patchwork blankets, arm warmers and more.

Waste wool knitwear gathered from local charity shops

UPCYCLING HUB

The Woolly Garrett, as Sue calls her workshop, is the attic space of her rural West Northumberland home. With views out over the fields of her farming neighbours, the Northumberland National Park and historic Hadrian’s Wall,

there is plenty of scope for seasonal colour inspiration. “This is a stunning part of Northumberland,” she tells me, “and every day I give thanks for being able to live and work from home in such a beautiful part of the country.” The landscape is one that Sue’s social media followers love to see too, as she charts the changing seasons of her garden and the surrounding countryside - a landscape that reminds them why it’s so important to focus our energies on recycling and reusing our current resources wherever we can. Sue’s journey to the thriving business she now runs began early with strong influences from the women in her family. Her mother and grandmother taught her to sew, and her

Sue working in the Woolly Garret

A Local Upcycling Business and the Economy of Waste Textiles

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Upcycled jumper in earthy colours from recycled wool knitwear

of coats and jumpers, and lambswool for ponchos and the skirts of my sweater-coats. I stack the woollens in colourways on my shelves in the woolly garret until I have enough to work with for a … piece [and] then get creating! A garment can often evolve as I get going, depending on the colours and drape of the materials used, and the creative headspace that I am in at the time.”

It certainly is the case that more and more small and medium

Upcycled sweatercoat at the seaside from recycled wool knitwearknitwear

great aunt Vee was a quilter, inspiring perhaps the beautiful woollen patchwork blankets that Sue now creates. Despite making her own clothes and those of her children, her own creativity was set aside when Sue found her way into teaching, spending many years working at a school in nearby Hexham. Only when her teaching career ended due to ill health was Sue able to pick up the threads of creativity once more, first through her blog, The Bridge Cottage Way, where she wrote about growing your own food, recycling, crafts and the seasons. Later, after purchasing an over-locker machine, she began to create what are now her bread and butter – sweater coats and dresses, using the deconstructed parts of unwanted pure wool knitwear to create new patchwork style garments.

It’s a labour-intensive process, but essential to a business model that focuses on turning the tide of waste textiles. “The search for textiles to upcycle,” Sue tells me, “has taken many twists and turns during the time I have been a professional upcycler. I used to be able to buy bulk knitwear from textile recycling companies, but a year or so ago they all pulled the plug on me. I was told that textile waste companies got far more by sending textiles abroad to be sold as second-hand clothing in developing companies, and it was no longer profitable to sort and grade in the UK.” Whether this situation will continue after the UK leaves the EU, or even considering that many overseas countries are now beginning to reject waste textiles from the West, we have yet to see. Finding ways to encourage textile manufacturers to sell their surplus and waste knitwear to up-cyclers is currently something Sue finds very difficult. “It seems ludicrous that I am offering to pay good money for recycled knitwear,” she says, “only to be told it isn’t for sale. I cannot find a single textile recycler that is prepared to sell me waste wool. Something has to change. We have to make our recycled textiles available for upcyclers such as me.”

Recycling materials and working on a circular business model are almost second nature to Sue. I asked her if she had ever seen her creations as a resistance against fast fashion - “most definitely!” she exclaims. “I recently repurposed an ex Primark jumper into the bodice of a new coat,” she continues. “Just because a piece of clothing has finished its usefulness for one owner, doesn’t mean it can’t be made into something else, used again, or upcycled into an even more beautiful or functional creation. It’s the old ‘make do and mend’ mentality – don’t throw clothing away!” Sue gathers used textiles every week from local charity shops, sorting through the bins of knitwear that volunteers put aside for her, for anything she can use, and in the process save from the ‘rag man’. “All knitwear” she explains, “is then washed and sorted according to colour and type. For example, merino wool and cashmere is used for lighter products such as neck-warmers. Felted jumpers for mittens and the bodices

Winning Stallholder of the Year at Woolfest 2016 The Wool Clip, Caldbeck, Cumbria

businesses are focusing on creating new products from unwanted base materials, keeping a cycle of renewal moving and encouraging others to do the same. Big brands could do well to take note of the importance of circular economy in the drive to reduce textile waste and work such business models into their creative structure. For now, it’s the small entrepreneurs carrying the flag of change, working together who are making an impact. In Caldbeck, a traditional fell village in the Northern fells of the English Lake District, Sue has joined forces with an established women’s wool collective, The Wool Clip who are the team behind WoolFest, held every year in Cockermouth, Cumbria. “I had been trading in my own right at Woolfest for a couple of years, when, in 2016, I won stallholder of the year… prompting me to join The Wool Clip. I am now part of this glorious team of women who run Woolfest, and we take it in turns to ‘woman’ our little shop over in Caldbeck.” The story of a new circular economy within the textiles industry is just beginning, but Sue and her woolly creations have a place in it, inspiring others to think differently about waste textiles and encouraging a new slow fashion ethos where clothes are made to last and made using reclaimed materials that have a gentler impact on people and planet.

Use Coupon Code NSN10 for 10% OFF valid until Dec 31st code

What do you think? Should there be schemes in place so that local upcycling businesses are given priority accessing local waste resources? Has your business struggled to get hold of ‘waste’? Do you think sending waste textiles abroad helps or hinders the development of local economies in poorer countries?

R FIND IT ONLINE Website: www.woollypedlar.co.uk Facebook: @thewoollypedlar Instagram: @woollypedlar Twitter: @Woollypedlar

Tell us what you think and we’ll publish your views in upcoming issues of the print and digital magazines. 42

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Thoughts about Upcycling with BBC personality Jay Blades Interview by Holly Foat Photography by www.breadandshutter.com & Jay Blades Jay Blades is quite a character. If you’ve seen him on TV on the BBC’s Money For Nothing or The Repair Shop, you won’t forget him. Usually seen wearing his trademark flat cap, Jay has been described as ‘an unlikely hero for dying crafts and restoration’. His bold creations make furniture restoration trendy and his community work has inspired many to embrace their creative side. Even though he’s now a regular on TV, Jay still works with hard to reach groups in communities, particularly working with disadvantaged young people. It’s likely that his down to earth approach and unpretentious restoration makes him so likeable. Despite being known for using bold colours and daring fabrics for a contemporary look, Jay uses traditional techniques to preserve the character and integrity of the item. He also uses traditional materials such as horsehair and feathers as well as modern materials like foam. This combination of techniques and lifestyle is intriguing. Having seen Jay on Money For Nothing a few times, when he popped up on an upcycling facebook group I’m in, offering to answer questions, I jumped at the chance to ask him about his motivation, fame and community work. Thanks for letting us pick your brains about upcycling! We’ve read that you’ve been upcycling furniture for a while, having started the youth project ‘out of the dark’ in 2010. What drives you when it comes to upcycling? What drives me is I would like to influence people who I’m never ever going to meet. Showing them that you can have a go and enjoy what you’re doing. Most of your designs include strong, bright colours, even if it’s just a flash of colour. What colours are you enjoying using at the moment?

I enjoy most colours but I don’t really like using white because it takes over the show. What’s your favourite part of an upcycling project? My favourite part is listening to music when I gather an idea and when I get it right, l start dancing. What’s your favourite technique? Painting Have you ever upcycled something and then hated it? No never, not hated it.

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If you had to stop upcycling, what would you be doing instead? Community work

If so, what did you do with it? I rubbed it out a started again. What role do you see upcycling having in the future? It’s going to be more mainstream and it will be the way we will all be living, acting and improving the planet we live in.

Thanks for your time Jay! Looking forward to seeing more of your makes online soon!

On your Facebook Jay & Co, your posts are very thoughtful and philosophical. What is it that connects your thoughts and your products and why do you think it works so well? I have always been doing thoughts of the day ever since I started working with young people, gives us something to focus on while we do I work and gives a direction. The connection between my work and the thoughts is how we think about furniture and what with doing to this planet and at the same time think about what you’re doing with your own life.

You can catch Jay online at www.jayand.co, Instagram @jay_n_co, Twitter @jay_n_co and Facebook @Jay-Co. And TV on Money for Nothing and The Repair Shop.

For Jay Blades workshops visit www.heals.com/events.

You tend to use vibrant textiles in your furniture. Do you have a favourite fabric or textile designer that you like to work with? These are my favourites but I’m always looking for new people. www.timorousbeasties.com, www.colourandform.uk, www.badgersofbohemia.co.uk, www.terrariumdesigns.co.uk, www.annajacobsart.com. You’ve been on TV a lot recently in Money For Nothing and The Repair Shop, and you recently won “favourite male TV star” at the screen nation awards. How are you dealing with your new found fame? I still do the same things I’ve always done, so I’m acting the same so I don’t feel any different.

All Gum-tec products can be returned to the company via their website for recycling.

Cleaning Up Our Streets: Chewing Gum Collects Chewed Gum Words by Michelle Challice Photography by Gumdrop Ltd

INNOVATIVE MATERIALS

umans have been chewing gum for 9,000 years yet gum litter is a uniquely modern day problem. Why? Because our ancestors chewed gum made from biodegradable substances such as barks and natural resins and not the oil-derived plastics we chew today. There’s no need though to throw out all of your gum, as in the words of the indomitable 1980s British pop group ‘The Blow Monkeys’ – it doesn’t have to be this way. Enter Anna Bullus, the creator of Gumdrop who, with savant-like foresight, has been perfecting a sustainable solution to gum litter since 2007. The Gumdrop is a bright pink bubble-shaped bin in homage to the original bubble gum balls. Designed specifically for the disposal of waste chewing gum, chewers simply drop their gum into the Gumdrop and walk away with a clear conscience and a slightly smug smile if so inclined… Once full, the bins are sent back to the company where they are recycled into new

Gumdrops. One full Gumdrop can re-manufacture three new bins. These are then redistributed and the cycle starts again without the need for any virgin plastics. The Gumdrop launched commercially at Legoland in 2010. It was very much ahead of the curve, as there wasn’t the same awareness around the importance of recycling and micro-plastics as there is today. “The challenge was making people aware of Gumdrop and how its use would not only go towards providing a sustainable solution to gum litter, but how it would also save money normally spent on cleaning it up. ”On average, Gumdrop reduces chewing gum waste by 46% in the first 12 weeks. For its clients, this represents annual savings of around £8,000 in cleaning bills. The magic ingredient behind the business is a material called “Gum-tec”. With the help of the Polymers Department at London Metropolitan University, Anna spent three years experimenting and developing Gumtec from recycled chewing gum. It is this material in pellet form that is used to produce the Gumdrop bins and consumer products such as sport cones, coffee cups and gumboots (US) or wellies (UK). “Every Gum-tec compound that we create is based on a closed-loop process. It is extremely important that we are not seen to be adding to waste but instead using waste that is already in existence to manufacture new products.” At the end of their life, all Gum-tec products can be sent back to the company where they will re-enter the recycling stream. Changing people’s behaviour is Gumdrop’s biggest challenge. “It’s only really in the last year that people have

o American Gum-tec

mugs in p

ink and gre

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op ng p c o l o e r li t se d c d y m um bi n g u c l o re c g # # # # # truly started to understand the challenges we are faced with today in terms of our natural resources and preserving our environment, which all has a knock on effect that is related to our livestock and, ultimately, our health. ”Rather than telling people “No. Don’t do this” the company prefers to take a more conciliatory approach by saying, “if you pop your gum in a Gumdrop then your gum can go towards creating a number of different products. This reduces the use of virgin plastics and oil. This has a positive effect on our environment and you should feel good about yourself.” This message is delivered through educational programs, which the company hopes to roll out nationally, bringing together learning institutions, councils and communities to address waste issues through live projects. Starting with gum litter of course! A Gumdrop bin positioned at Heathrow Airport. Gumdrops are pinkas it was the first colour of bubble gum!

Singapore is currently the only country to have banned chewing gum because of the difficulty around its disposal. An all-out ban was enacted in 1992 but later relaxed in 2004 to allow medicinal gums. When asked if a ban would be the answer to all our problems, Anna was adamant that positive change isn’t achieved through prohibition. “Bans translate as not having faith in us, the population, to be able to do something different, to adapt to new technology and to ultimately change. I always believe there is a better solution.”

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She should know. The recent step change in attitudes and surge of interest in plastics has helped to propel the company. It is currently looking for Angel or Venture Capital investment in order to grow. Gum litter is a global problem and Gumdrop is ready to offer a global solution.

Website: www.gumdropltd.com Facebook : @Gumdrop ltd Instagram: @gumdrop_ltd Twitter: @GUMDROPLTD

BIOHM: BIOMIMICRY DISRUPTING THE LINEAR ECONOMY Words by Paige Perillat-Piratoine Photography by Biohm

n 2015 Ehab Sayed, based in Brunel University, led a year-long research project investigating the UK’s waste streams. He was especially impacted by the vast amounts of waste generated by the construction industry. It was clear to him that such a complex and fragmented industry needed a change, and not just a change - but a multi-faceted and holistic solution. A year later, Ehab had developed an interlocking construction system: Triagomy. The system can achieve drastic reductions in buildings’ environmental impact, build-times and costs compared to conventional methods. More importantly, it transforms industry perceptions and inspires innovative and circular business models. So in 2016, Ehab, advised by industry experts, decided to tackle the construction industry head-on. He patented Triagomy globally to start his company: Biohm. Biohm’s mission is to revolutionise the construction industry by allowing nature to lead innovation.They are now developing new materials to replace those currently used in construction.

man-made products and systems that solve a problem». The science of biomimetics is driven by the realisation that our most prized inventions exist in more elegant and efficient forms in nature. Bamboo stems and lily pads for example contain beautifully constructed structures that surpass make man-made architectural forms in every way. Our air conditioning and ventilation systems cannot

Biohm’s philosophy and principles are driven by the laws and principles that exist in nature. Biomimicry, or biomimetics, is « the abstraction of formations, structures, functions and processes in biological systems to create

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compete with the way the architecture of termite mounds passively maintains precise temperatures. For Biohm, a deep understanding of how organisms achieve such feats of engineering can shed light on how we can solve some of the industry’s most pressing challenges. It can lead a transition from our «take-make-dispose» linear economy to a circular future. Ehab argues modern science is based on Linear Systems Theory, which limits our understanding of the world since it only approximates reality. In fact, he feels most of the phenomena we study, describe or interact with are nonlinear in nature and are governed by the dynamics of feedback loops rather than linear equations. For him, this may be why environmental, social and economic problems tend to arise through processes driven by conventional linear thinking. In that line of thought, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation predicts that by 2030, our demand for resources will increase by at least a third. And as we continue to operate within a ‘linear economy’, this will disrupt the supply chain and cause price volatility. Given that the construction industry is responsible for around 60% of material use in the UK and at least onethird of all waste, there is a strong necessity to lead the industry towards a more biomimetic circular future. Yet today’s construction materials still consume vast amounts of virgin resources, contain synthetic and harmful substances and are developed without end-of-life considerations. The future of these materials is highly questionable since they do not fit in a circular economy. In fact, a circular economy cannot be realised without a clear liability-chain. In a liability-chain, as a material’s life becomes (theoretically) never-ending, so does its owner’s or developer’s responsibility. As a result of this philosophy, all of Biohm’s materials are carbon-neutral, if not carbon-negative. They are the result of collaborations with nature and the sensitive manipulation of naturally occurring biological processes. Biohm holistically considers every aspect of material life-cycles to eliminate negative impacts on the environment and human health. It also identifies opportunities where restoration is necessary. They work hard to change preconceptions around sustainable and bio-based materials, and ensure that their materials are price-competitive and accessible to all. Biohm’s materials include Mycelium (the vegetative part of a mushroom), Orb (Organic Refuse Biocompound), PBC (Plant-Based Concrete) and Biological Self-assembling Organisms. Hence, Biohm is experimenting with different species of Mycelium to create sustainable alternatives to some of the construction industry’s most damaging materials. Mycelium consumes organic and/or synthetic waste to grow into desired shapes and different types of waste to alter its properties. This could have highly significant implications for ridding our planet from the mountains and islands of synthetic waste. The material is capable of achieving higher insulation values than current synthetic alternatives and is self-extinguishing. Biohm is currently undergoing the process of scaling-up their Mycelium Insulation that will be made available to the industry in 2019. Biohm’s Mycelium is currently available for use in interior architecture projects, furniture and art installations. This biodegradable material can be collected at end-of-life to feed the next batch of insulation and if landfilled, would simply biodegrade over time without introducing any toxins or affecting pH levels in soil. Biohm also converts one of the western world’s fastestgrowing waste streams into a valuable and functional material. They organically bind food waste or agricultural waste into a material which they form into sheets or mould to create intricate three dimensional shapes. Orb is the world’s only material of its kind, it does not use synthetic additives

or chemicals, making it 100% natural, biodegradable, vegan and, although unpleasant, edible. It is currently available as an affordable substitute for semi-structural wood-based sheet material (e.g. dry-lining) or for sustainable yet luxurious interior decoration and furniture. Biohm is working towards developing PBC, which is a lowenergy Plant-Based Concrete that consumes waste and carbon during production and purifies the air throughout its life. By substituting the ingredients within a concrete recipe with abundant, holistically sustainable and bio-based alternatives, they are able to create a structurally sound material with insulating properties. Biohm aims to launch PBC within the next two years. To sum up: Biohm is ambitious and radical. From creating bio-based materials, biomimetic construction systems and offering a range of consulting, design and education services, the company deserves attention. In three years, Biohm plans to launch Triagomy in the construction world. They also intend to develop other construction systems suitable for sky-scrapers. Within the next 5 years, Biohm aims to expand globally. Within 10 years, Biohm wants to manage outreach projects in developing economies so as to inspire biomimetic and circular approaches to building and material development for all members of society, and in every continent. By 2030, Biohm, intends to work with other research institutes and organisations, and start the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading institute for bio-based material development and biomimetic product development. Their ultimate vision is to implement a global transformation towards a biomimetic future. Such stringently holistic visions are rare, and it takes special people to make them happen.

R FIND IT ONLINE Website: www.biohm.co.uk Facebook, Instagram and Twitter: @biohmhome

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When One’s Favourite Fabrics Turn into Beautiful Quilts Interview by NSN Team Photography by Elli Beaven

TRAVEL CHRONICLES

Elli Beaven of Wholecloth holds a PhD in German and became interested in quilting only when, as she was finishing her studies, she became a mum. Elli loves natural fibres and is very conscious about the impact that the textile industry has on the environment. That is why she likes to give new life to beautiful fabrics that are no longer used but to which people might still be emotionally connected. She speaks to us about the quilting tradition and her sources of inspiration for her quilting work today.

First of all, would you like to tell us about your artistic background? I grew up in a creative household and went to a school where art and crafts were a large part of the curriculum so making and creative expression has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. I learnt to sew at school and my father used to let me use his sewing machine at home to sew ill-fitting clothes out of old bedsheets. I studied art and textiles at sixth form college but ultimately decided to pursue a more academic path, studying German at BA, MRes and finally PhD level. However, my interest in art and its practice was always evident in my choice of topics - film, painting, photography and then a doctoral thesis on women artists practicing during Germany’s Weimar Republic (1919-1933). I took up quilting following the birth of my first child in 2011 and it swiftly became a vital counterpoint to both days hunched over a computer finishing my thesis and the relative unproductivity, in the short term at least, of caring for small children. The meditative process of combining shape, colour and texture, the sense of achievement in honing new skills, soon became the glue that held it all together. By the time I finished my PhD I had two small children and the intense focus and commitment required for an academic career

no longer felt possible. Quilting increasingly filled every spare minute of my time and in September 2017 I finally took the plunge and launched Wholecloth Studio as a way to combine my passion and my ongoing search for employment. Where did you learn quilting? What inspired you to get into quilting? In 2011, shortly before the birth of my first child I was given a beautiful handmade baby quilt made by a good friend. I remember thinking with surprise that this was something one could sew - until then quilts had simply not been on my radar. Soon after I decided I would make a quilt for a close friend’s new baby. I did what we all do now and turned to the internet where I found not only videos and tutorials on every possible aspect of quilting but also countless modern quilters sharing and writing about their work on their blogs. I was instantly hooked! After my first simple, wonky quilts I took a number of classes in local sewing studios to learn more complex techniques. Through experimenting with a broad range of styles and techniques I gradually developed my own quilting voice and aesthetic. Can you tell us something about the origins of quilting?

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community who share their work on Instagram and am continually inspired by the amazing work being produced by quilters all over the world. Although much of my current work falls loosely into the ‘improvisational’ category, I don’t think it is possible to make quilts without drawing on the traditions of the medium, whether through traditional blocks, sewing techniques or style. Is the quilting tradition vibrant today? Do you think quilting should be something that more people should do, especially as a way of reusing unwanted fabrics? Quilting has definitely benefited from the recent boom in crafting and making, with lots of fabric shops now offering quilting classes too and a plethora of online tutorials. If you’re interested in sewing and textiles then I would encourage anyone to give quilting a go - in its simplest form it is not at all complicated or difficult. Rather than a way of using unwanted fabrics however, I’d suggest it is actually better suited to using much loved textiles - a child’s favourite but outgrown clothing, clothing of a much loved relative or even your own clothes that you will no longer wear but struggle to get rid of. Clothing and textiles are integral to our lives and often hold memories of the person who wore them or the event they were worn at and using these textiles in a quilt can be an ideal way of retaining these memory markers in a more practical way. I was recently commissioned to make a quilt incorporating some much loved shirts that no longer fitted but held too many memories to be simply given to a charity shop. Now the client has a new bedspread and those favourite shirts no longer take up space in her cupboard but are visible everyday.

How are they related to make do and mend? The origins of quilt making comprise the history of patchwork, the joining of smaller pieces of fabric to create a larger piece, and that of quilting, the layering and stitching together of fabrics with wool or cotton wadding for purposes of warmth. Patchwork was born out of the need to extend the life and use of domestic textiles such as clothing and home furnishings. Textiles were valuable and by cutting away the worn or torn areas and sewing these smaller pieces together their use could be extended. More elaborate, often paper pieced patchwork pieces were later also created by middle and upper class women as a genteel means of occupying their time though these also often used silk remnants from dressmaking and home furnishings. Thriftiness and reducing waste have, consciously or not, long been central to the creation of patchwork. Today’s highly competitive quilting cotton industry, however, has largely done away with this aspect of quilt making, though anecdotal evidence suggests a growing numbers of quilters. The decorative aspects of quilting, using elaborate stitched patterns and motifs in carefully considered designs were also indicative of greater wealth and notions of stitching for pleasure, rather than necessity, though they were usually also used on beds for warmth.

You mention on your website that you use repurposed and waste textiles made from natural fibres, where do you source these from? Is it hard to find natural fibres as opposed to synthetic fibres? Why don’t you use synthetic fibres? I source my fabrics from a number of different places. Charity shops such as my local Traid sell fabric remnants and homewares as well as clothes and I regularly raid the offcuts basket of a local interiors shop. I am also currently collaborating with garment maker Nadia Izruna to produce a small range of pieces made from the offcuts produced by her garment making business Nadinoo Clothing. As history shows, garment making and patchwork are an ideal combination and I hope this will be the first of many such zero

Are you inspired by a particular quilting tradition? Which artists, artisans and designers have inspired and still inspire your work? When I started quilting the American modern quilting movement was really coming into its own and the bright, geometric and graphic quilts were really eye-opening. Of course the movement drew in turn on numerous far older traditions and styles such as the simple geometric quilts of the Amish or the more organic, free form work made by the quilters of Gees Bend. For me a real turning point was discovering the improvisational work of Lu Summers after I took one of her workshops. Her quilts are so exciting in their use of shape and colour and the techniques I learnt from her have been integral to the development of my own quilting making style. Another early influence in terms of materials was the work of Luke Haynes, whose quilts are made entirely from repurposed textiles. I’m also a big fan of the online quilting

waste collaborations. My primary concern when sourcing textiles is the quality and feel of the fabric. Quilts are all about softness and comfort and for me that can only be achieved with natural fibres. They are also relatively labour intensive and the thought of putting all that work into something that will not last is simply not worth it. Of course some fabrics are unlabelled so I can’t know their exact fibre content but I go by touch and can usually feel if something has a substantial synthetic content. I am also conscious of the ongoing damage synthetic microfibres can do with each wash which is another reason I avoid them. Other than repurposing and upcycling, what other steps do you take to make sure that your work remains as sustainable as possible? I am still developing my practice and certainly have some way to go before I achieve my ideal level of sustainability across the whole production process. Quilts are labour intensive and as such costly to produce so the quality and feel of the work has to be a priority. I am still experimenting with different waddings and would love to be able to source organic wool or cotton wadding of a high quality but so far have not managed to. At the moment I use a wadding made from bamboo, a material whose eco-credentials have been much lauded but truly tracing the supply chain of commercially available products is not easy. As well as using garment offcuts I also make every effort to reduce the amount of offcuts I throw out, using even the smallest scraps in wall hangings, trivets, coasters, keyrings and clutch bags. Do you see your quilting as being of a more functional or aesthetic value? Or a bit of both? Why? The magic of quilts is that they are most definitely both! The debate surrounding quilts as art and the marginalisation of textiles from fine art is an important one and I’d like to think most of my quilts would look just as good hung on a wall as they would on a bed or sofa. Of course some are more suited to one or the other use. The intricate piecing and dense quilting of Big Blue Ombre, for example, make it somewhat stiff and therefore better suited as wall art. Twinkling Stars on the other hand is made from soft shirtings, backed with a soft baby corduroy and vintage silk sari and uses a mix of machine and hand quilting making a wonderfully soft and tactile quilt perfect for a bed or curling up on the sofa - but of course it could always be hung on a wall too! I would always argue though, that whatever their end use quilts are always of aesthetic value. William Morris said ‘Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.’ and quilts fulfil both these requirements in one.

IN THE PICTURES

Big Blue Ombre Quilt (including 2 further detail shots): Cotton, Linen, Wool and Silk, machine pieced and quilted, cotton wadding, 128 x 176cm. Page 50 Portrait Page 50 New Neutrals Quilt: Linen and Cotton, machine pieced, machine and hand quilted, cotton wadding, 104 x 127cm. Page 51 top left. Peach Patchwork Cushion: Linen, Cotton and Wool, machine pieced, hand quilted, 50 x 50cm Page 51 bottom right. Blue Arches Quilt (front and styled with coordinating cushion): Cotton and linen, machine pieced and quilted, cotton wadding, 89 x 127cm. Page 52 and 53. On Balance mini quilt (detail): Linen and cotton, machine pieced and quilted, cotton and recycled plastic wadding, 40 x 40cm. Page 53.

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R FIND IT ONLINE Website: www.wholecloth.co.uk Instagram: @wholeclothstudio

r the Turn the page fo Tutorial Quilted Coaster 55

Quilted Coaster Tutorial

These simple coasters are a great way to use up really small scraps of fabric and are also an easy way to dip your toe into quilting. They can be sewn using a sewing machine or by hand using a small running stitch, backstitching every few stitches. You can also try sizing up to create trivets/pot holders (use an insulating wadding for this), place or table mats.

• • • • • • • • • •

Supplies:

Selection of small fabric scraps 4.5” square of backing fabric (or pieced from scraps) 4.25” square of wadding (or use a piece of thicker fabric such as flannel or wool) Needle Hand quilting thread or embroidery floss Scissors or rotary cutter and mat Erasable fabric marker (water soluble, chalk pencil etc) Square ruler or make a 4.5” square cardboard template Pins Iron

Sew together a selection of small scraps and use a ruler or the cardboard template to trim to a 4.5” square. Have fun playing with different shapes and colour combinations.

Layer your pieced square and the backing fabric (or a second pieced square) right sides together then add the wadding square on top of the backing fabric.

As the wadding is slightly smaller an equal strip of backing fabric should be visible all the way round. Mark a 2” gap on one side using pins and pin the other sides to hold everything in place.

Sew around the edge using a 1/4” seam, and leaving the 2” gap open for turning.

Trim the corners to reduce bulk and turn right sides out, using a pencil or large knitting needle to gently push out the corners.

Tuck the seams at the opening in, press flat with an iron and pin closed.

If using a sewing machine, you can top stitch around the edge of the coaster, closing the turning gap in the process. If hand sewing, slip stitch the gap closed..

Draw out your quilting design using an erasable fabric marker then using a running stitch and a thicker thread add your quilted design to the coaster, making sure your stitches go all the way through the three layers. I like to use a 12wt cotton for this but three strands separated from standard six-strand embroidery floss works well too. Tie a knot at one end of the thread and start from the back the coaster, pulling the needle through to the front. When the knot reaches the backing fabric, continue to pull and you should feel the knot ‘pop’ through the backing fabric to rest inside the coaster between the fabric and the wadding. If it doesn’t ‘pop’ through, try wiggling the backing fabric whilst pulling the thread to help it slip through the woven threads of the fabric. When you have finished quilting your design repeat the process: stop one stitch away from where you want to finish, tie a knot one stitch length away from the end of the thread and take the final stitch, pulling it through until the knot ‘pops’ into the fabric. Trim any thread tails and you’re done!

Hav e you tri t rieedd thi t hiss ttut orial out?? Then share your results with us - use # n o ser ia ln u mb er ma ga zin e Have utori al out

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Bright Pieces That Are Alien to the Beach Interview by NSN Team Photography by JTH photography Virginia Casey is an estate agent in her family business. She became an artist by chance, after finding a documentary online and wanting to do something for the environment. She now uses her colourful and attractive pieces to raise awareness about recycling and reducing consumption of plastic in local schools.

Hi Virginia, thank you for taking the time to chat with us. First, tell us something about you… What’s your background and where are you based at the moment? I’m a 45 year old woman from Perth in Western Australia. I live with my family very close to local beaches in Perth’s northern suburbs. I’ve worked in my family’s real estate business for the past 18 years.

centrepiece as that’s my style now. When you see the bright colours at the beach you realise that they are alien there and should not be in that beach environment. I have used the many colours to make colourful pieces that remind me of the 80s! Do you have any practical tips for people who’d like to start collecting waste from the beach? Go for it and get your own cool style. Be patient and take a friend... instead of catching up for food go and get fresh air and be helpful to the environment. My goal is to make environmental art popular with interior designers so that by natural attrition people all over the world clean the beaches looking for art pieces not rubbish.

How did you get into environmental art? I saw a UK environmental artist and thought his work was amazing. I wondered if our beaches in Perth got that much plastic. I only really went to the beach in the warmer weather and I never saw much then. When did you start collecting beach waste and why? I started last year in 2017! I love the beach walks and creating the art and helping the marine life... it all really resonates with me. It’s become a very passionate hobby and a great mid life crisis!

When you first started collecting rope and plastic debris from your local beaches did you think immediately ‘I am going to use this for my art’’ or at the beginning it was just an environmental concern? Initially, it was to make cool environmental art with the love for both at the same time.

How do you collect plastic from the beach, for example, do you usually collect everything you find and then select bits and pieces for your art? What do you do with the plastic that you cannot upcycle in your work? I mainly use the small pieces of plastic for my art but I collect all as I’m hoping to find a purpose for the larger pieces one day. I also collect the rope, sea glass and driftwood. I also have a great idea for corroded tin cans that I’m excited about!

What messages do you want to convey through your art? I like to make art with items that people would not normally find attractive. I would like people to start up conversations about the plastic and rope issue in the world’s oceans. Your art is really vibrant and colourful, as we live in the midst of an environmental crisis, does your artwork want to convey also a positive, optimistic message that says, ‘we can find creative solutions to this massive waste problem we have created’? I understand that in some countries it’s massive problem

What colours and shapes are you most inclined to use in your work? I love all of the colours and shapes. I do always look for a

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and I don’t want to sound silly but I would love to go to other countries that have these issues and assist them in making the art and starting an industry for them to sell back to the tourists. I think that would be very cool. How would you describe the nature around you, especially the beaches where you currently collect plastic and rope, to someone who has never visited? The beaches in Perth are beautiful with snowy white sand and are one of our best features in our city. I would not consider them as bad with plastic and rope as other countries and videos I’ve seen online. I enjoy the ocean in all seasons especially in winter when it delivers the plastic in its angry waves. I also love taking photos of the marine life on the shore including seaweed, sponges, jellyfish and other crazy stuff I’m not even sure what they are. Do you currently sell or exhibit your artwork anywhere? Where can people find you? What are your plans for the future? In May this year I won a council ‘Living Green’ award for my art. In July my art was featured in all of my city’s local papers for plastic free in July. In July I was in my first art exhibit, and last Saturday I was on ABC radio Perth. I also visit local schools in my local area to show my art. I would love to go to more schools - hopefully I could get a corporate sponsor to do this full time in the future.

R FIND IT ONLINE Instagram: @perthbeacheco

TRAVEL CHRONICLES

Fibre and Clay in the Wild Words by Holly Foat Photography by Native Hands

ild. The very word conjures up images of trees, woodlands, animals and nature, an environment far removed from most people’s everyday lives. But not for Ruby Taylor. Wild is her domain, her workplace and her home from home. Ruby isn’t a wild woman of the woods though, she’s an artist and a teacher with an understanding of the connections between the environment and the materials we use. Ruby lives in the market town of Lewes, in the South Downs National Park, where she can see the Downs from her back garden. Ruby works from her studio space in a converted wooden shed in her garden but is often out in the woods foraging and making. Her studio is full of baskets and pottery, there are rolls and bundles of various plant fibres everywhere, and they fill the space with a beautiful earthy scent. She has a big sturdy workbench under the windows made from reclaimed timber. When Ruby works in there, she says time disappears. “My practice, working with plant fibres and clay, is concerned with origins and connection, with the beauty of natural materials and an immersion in the sensory experience of making.” Ruby is a rare find, she not only creates in the outside in the wild, using materials from that environment (you can see some of her work at Kew Gardens), but she also teaches others how to do the same, and reconnect with the nature. Ruby’s Native Hands courses are wild crafts taught in the woods. The materials are local sourced (read foraged) and used to create beautiful naturally crafted items such as baskets and pots. These courses keep traditional knowledge, skills and wisdom alive and offer a connection to both the people of the past and the artisan makers of the future.

Materials Ruby tells me that it’s really important that the materials are sourced in the same environment in which she works. She has a mind map of the landscape around where

she lives, extending to approximately a 10 mile radius. Through sourcing most of her materials by foraging, she has developed a knowledge and an intimate relationship with the landscape. She reads the signs around her, getting an idea of what’s happening in the current growing season compared to the last one, which places are ready to forage from, which places need to be left alone until next year. This relationship and connection is central to her practice, both for practical and ethical reasons. “I see it partly as a care-taking role, it’s really important to me that it’s not exploitative or unsustainable in any way” Ruby explains. Some of Ruby’s materials are rather unusual. She makes baskets from brambles, needles from bones and wild string. All foraged of course. I asked what it’s like to use brambles and Ruby explains that, “once you’ve knocked off the prickles, bramble is amazing to work with because the fibres are so strong, and good for weaving or making into cordage.” She tells me that the string (cordage) can be made from lots of different plants, “anything that has long strong fibres; from garden plants like iris and daylily, to wild plants like bramble and nettle.” It takes Ruby eight hours to cut and shape a needle from a foraged bone. “They’re very different from the steel needles people use today for sewing. Often a hole is made first, with a sharp tool called an awl, and then the needle’s passed through the hole.” She uses the bone needle to stitch baskets together using foraged plant fibres. These fibres have to be dried after harvesting and stored, then just dampened before use to make pliable again. She also works with bark, leaves, grass and flint. Almost anything she can find in the environment, she can find a use for. Ruby tells me that “at the moment I’m really enjoying working with English rush because it’s particularly versatile. But often my favourite is whatever I’m working with at the time”. It’s not always straightforward though. She says it always takes time, practice and patience to understand how to work with a material, so it can feel like a struggle sometimes when you’re getting to know a plant and its particularities in terms of how to prepare and handle it.

Nature Ruby’s work means she’s outside a lot. I ask her how she copes with bad weather. “There’s a saying that there’s no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate clothing.” She explains that working in the woods isn’t safe in high winds and some tools are dangerous to use when they are wet but mostly the weather doesn’t stop her. As I anticipated, Ruby relishes being outside “I feel really enriched by being out in the weather, whatever it’s doing, I love feeling the elements.” The Native Hands workshops run whatever the weather too, Ruby has a tarpaulin hung up to provide some shelter. “A participant on a Bramble Basket making course said this: ‘Feeling the rain on your face makes you feel alive; hearing birdsong, you share the bird’s vitality and zest for life.’ I love that.”

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Travel of making that people describe as being in the flow, in the zone. That’s when normal time seems to stop and often at those times I feel a strong connection to being in an ancestral lineage of makers.”

The Native Hands courses that Ruby runs vary from basketry and bone needles to wild pottery and fire making. The courses offer complete escapism from modern life, combined with the satisfaction of learning a skill. People come from all over the UK to attend these courses, Ruby tells me that she recently had someone from Belgium who travelled specifically to attend the course. “I love the variety of people who come on my courses. This last weekend there was a computer programmer, a gardener, school teachers, artists, an archaeologist, a musician, a medical herbalist, college students.”

With the current global focus on minimising waste and recycling, I asked Ruby about the end of life of the things she makes. “I have a compulsion, a need, to make things but I don’t want to add to all the stuff that’s already filling up landfill and incinerators. I don’t want to use materials or processes that are polluting in any way. I want to have a small footprint and ideally a circular model of working.” She’s referring to circular economy of course, which takes inspiration from nature. The way a seed grows to a tree, and the tree decomposes back and feeds the soil when it dies, leaving no waste, in a closed loop. Ruby’s work reflects this perfectly, using only natural foraged materials that will break down over time and return to the earth. This is the holy grail of sustainable crafts; zero waste and truly inspiring.

Perhaps it’s due to my bias towards natural and heritage crafts, but I feel that the environment is playing a greater role in today’s creative arts. Ruby agrees “I think there are many reasons why but perhaps the root of it is that we need to use our hands to create. It’s what makes us human, and in a more digitalised and mechanised world we’re realising that something is seriously missing. There seems to be a great longing and need to reconnect to nature and working with our hands, to the beauty of natural materials and an understanding of their provenance. I have people come on my woodland course because they know it helps their mental health in a profound way.”

Ruby’s Native Hands courses can be booked via her website at www.nativehands.co.uk

I can’t help but picture Ruby working away in the woods in a beautifully serene and peaceful scene, a stark contrast to many of our chaotic work/home lives. She tells me that it isn’t always like this “I’m not an especially patient person by nature so working with these kinds of materials and process teaches me a lot about being patient, methodical and analytical about difficulties in making. The very first time I first tried to make a basket I got so frustrated I had my head on the table at one point, crying. But once you’re competent with a material and a technique, it’s possible at times to slip into a rhythm

FIND IT ONLINE Website: www.nativehands.co.uk Facebook: @native.hands.uk Instagram: @nativehands.uk

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EVENTS & WORKSHOP STATION Freeweaver Saori Studio

EMMA BEVAN FfolkyFfelt

Hampstead workshops 29-30 September, Fenton House National Trust,

Landscapes workshop at Cyfarthfa Castle 1 pm - 5 pm, Sept 8th

Saori 3 hour taster class at The Forge, Isle of Dogs 2 October

Bagpuss-inspired workshop, The Felin Fach Griffin 9.30 am 2.30 pm, Sept 13th

Saori 3 hour beginner’s class at The Forge, Isle of Dogs - 1 October

5 week course, Wolf or Fox Workshops, Usk Community Hub, 4 pm - 6 pm every Thursday, Starts Sept 13th

“Ode to Anni” 3 hours of Anni Albers inspired plain weave experiments, The Forge, Isle of Dogs - 9 October Handwoven clothing and ethical yarns sale at Craft Central Christmas market, E14 - 16, 17 & 18 November GET IN TOUCH TO FIND OUT MORE: Janine@freeweaver.co.uk

Talk & demonstration , Abergavenny Food Festival, 10.30 am - l pm, Sept 15th

Robins & Wrens Workshop, The Makers Mezzanine, 10 am - 4 pm, Nov 21st

Llandovery Sheep Festival, Sept 22nd and 23rd

Artisan Market, Brecon Market Hall, 10 am - 4 pm, Nov 25th

Craft Weekend at Woodland Tipis & Yurts, Oct 5th - 8th

Robin, Polar Bear or Elf Workshop, Denmark Farm, Lampeter, 10 am - 4 pm, Dec 1st

Wildlife workshop, The Makers Mezzanine, 10 am - 4 pm, Oct 10th

HatsOff BootsOn Rositta will be planning in more pop up shops over the next few months. She will also be running a series of upcycling workshops from September 2018 in SE25 and surrounding areas.

Knit-Tea Retreat Workshops & Market, Insole Court, Oct 20th and 21st Made By Hand, Cardiff, Nov 2nd - 4th Dragons & Gin Workshop, The Felin Fach Griffin, 6 pm - l0 pm, Nov 7th

GET IN TOUCH TO FIND OUT MORE: Facebook: @rosittahatsandboots Twitter: @HatsOffBootsOn Instagram: @hatsoffbootson

Winter Hares Workshop, Denmark farm, Lampeter, 10 am - 4 pm, Nov 10th

BIOHM Speaking at Green Business and the Future of the Planet in London on 27th September www.eventbrite.com/e/greenbusiness-for-the-planet-an-eveningof-talks-by-experts-entrepreneurstickets-47935448216 Speaking at UK Construction Week on 11th October at NEC in Birmingham www.ukconstructionweek.com/whats-on/seminars/speaker/899 GET IN TOUCH TO FIND OUT MORE: hello@biohm.co.uk

Etsy Made Local Makers’ Market, Castle Hotel, Brecon, 10 am - 4 pm, Dec 2nd The Big Skill Winter Market, The Globe Hay on Wye, 10 am - 5 pm, Dec 8th Winter Maker’s Market, The Felin Fach Griffin, 1 - 5 pm, Dec 22nd To book a place on a workshop, or to find out more about an event, please email: emma@ffolkyffelt.com

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#PLASTICFREEJULY

Choose to Refuse Letting Plastic Free July Inspire You, All Year Round!

There has been a shift, this year, in the human collective consciousness of the ecological disaster that is plastic, in all its many forms. Maybe you have felt it too? Last year, I took part in Plastic Free July ffor the first time, and was inspired, excited, and motivated to bring the conversation to the table. I made commitments to reducing our family’s disposable plastic use that we are still standing strong on. This year, in the wake of Plastic Free July the conversation hasn’t stopped. July ended, and we were still talking, sharing ideas, making pledges, and it feels amazing to know that so many people are empowered and driven to create a world that uses less plastic. Plastic Free July began in June 2011 with one woman, Rebecca Prince-Ruiz, who, after a visit to a local recycling facility, was compelled to act and began the environmental campaign that now involves people from over 150 countries worldwide. Participants can pledge to refuse single use plastic for a day and week or for the whole of the month of July – and the website www.plasticfreejuly. org is full of ideas and support for making changes in your own life, as well as helping to spread the word and engage others with the message. A changemaker, Rebecca is committed to making life with less disposable plastic not just a reality, but a normality. If you missed Plastic Free July this year – or if you took part but want some more hints and tips on how to reduce plastic in your lives, these are some of the best ideas for going plastic free gathered over the course of this year’s Plastic Free July.

Take it one day at a time, one step at a time, one change at a time. This alone is the single most important piece of advice I can offer you. Reducing single use plastic is a huge mountain, and one that we can’t climb alone. It’s easy to become so overwhelmed by the devastation our plastic consumption causes that we want to just give up. Remember that you are not alone – there are lots of us on this journey, and everything you do to reduce the use of plastic makes a difference. Every. Single. Thing.

Buy a bamboo toothbrush – they are so widely available now, they’re an easy swop for their plastic counterpart, and often cheaper!

Cloth handkerchief anyone? Say goodbye to single use tissues and get on board with cloth by making your own from any cotton fabric you have at home – you could even repurpose an unworn garment by making it into old-fashioned pocket squares. Reclaiming the individuality of them by embroidering initials or designs to identify whom in your household they belong to could become an ongoing project. Wash them at 30 degrees with the rest of your household’s washing and dry them in the sunshine (if you can!)

Buy a steel water bottle and use it. It’s the first thing we did as a family on our plastic free journey, and it meant we could stop buying single use plastic bottles of water, reducing massively our plastic use. Check out the REFILL campaign, which is supporting businesses to offer free access to water refill stations on their premises all over the UK. If you are a business owner, perhaps you could get involved too?

Stainless steel lunch boxes are a great investment – big and roomy, they remove the need for plastic lunchboxes and can be multi-purpose too: I have one I use as a portable sewing kit for mending and embroidery on the go! Beeswax wraps and sandwich bags are another great addition to your packed lunch provisions, and there are lots of small businesses making these by hand, often from recycled materials.

Grab a coffee – there are so many reusable coffee cups on the market now we have no excuse not to have one – from those made from sustainable bamboo, to sleek stainless steel and collapsible silicone, there’s a cup for everyone. Many coffee houses will offer you a discount for using your own, so make sure you ask, and your cup will pay for itself over time, as well as reducing the amount of single use, non-recyclable coffee cups with your name on them.

Drinking straws were a bit talking point this Plastic Free July, and rightly so. There are lots of people who rely on straws for many reasons and it’s important to respect this, whilst ensuring that there are alternatives to plastic available for everyone who needs or wishes to use a straw. From stainless steel, glass and bamboo to titanium, wheat, silicone and even pasta – there are lots of options available and a million reasons to consider them if we can.

Choose solid shampoo and ditch the plastic bottles or find a local zero-waste shop and ask if they do refills. While you are at it, look for solid conditioner, deodorant and old-fashioned soap to really reduce the plastic coming into your home.

Don’t stop. Keep going and keep talking about what you are doing and why. Empowered and informed, we can spread the word and empower and encourage others.

10.

5. Ditch the ready meals! Cooking from scratch can make a huge impact on how much plastic you become responsible for disposing of – buy fresh fruit and veg locally if you can or get a veg box delivery. Lots of them now offer all sorts of plastic free pantry goods, milk, butter and bread. You can also take your own containers to many shops, and make cloth produce bags to avoid the plastic bags in supermarkets.

If any of this has you thinking “I could do that” – don’t wait until next July – start now! There’s no time like the present! Be inspired and share your successes with us on social media by using the hashtag #noserialnumberplasticfree and let’s continue the conversation all year round!

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ZERO WASTE BUY & MAKE Freedom From Plastic with Fabric Bags

Plastic Free Tea Rachel Darby is a talented craftswoman and mother of three from Northumberland, UK. She has been on a plastic free journey since December 2014 and works hard with her family to reject single use plastic and remove plastic from their lives by shopping locally, growing their own food, buying second hand and making household items from natural materials instead of buying plastic-based equivalents. Rachel is a founding member of the S.T.O.P. campaign (Stop Trashing Our Planet) which aims to provide online and real-life space for non-political activism against plastic pollution. A skilled knitter, Rachel has avoided petrochemical based acrylic fibres in clothes by knitting garments for her family from natural, ethically sourced yarns and by passing on hand knitted children’s wear to other families when her own children have outgrown them. Making other household textiles like knitted dish cloths, blankets and (pictured) this traditional teapot cosy has played a part in helping the family reduced their use of plastic.

Claire Lyons lives in Nottingham, UK, and runs The Frugal Family, helping to support families who are searching for ways to live a more frugal and ethical life. “Zero waste”, Claire tells me, “is our slow burn plan for the year.” And straight away, her advice is sound. Taking it slowly and making changes one at a time is far more sustainable that taking a running jump and hoping for the best. Making new things from old clothes has been part of their mission this year, with blankets and bags high on the list of creations. “We have been making things with the clothes we love,” Claire explains, “but that no longer fit. Most of our clothes are already second hand, so they are often only suitable for rags after we have finished with them by upcycling them they have another life before the inevitable rag bin!”

Teabags are now well documented as containing plastic, so using loose leaf tea is a great way to avoid this. Rachel gets her loose tea from Curious Leaves, in Newcastle upon Tyne’s historic Grainger Market where customers who bring their own containers receive a 10% discount. “It’s important to me,” Rachel told me, “to choose carefully what I consume. I choose loose leaf over plastic lined teabags because I care deeply about how I dispose of my waste. I know my loose leaf tea can go straight into the compost and will turn into soil.” Another benefit of using loose leaf tea is that it will make more than one pot of tea – “most people”, Rachel explains, “think that you can only use loose leaf tea once, but it is traditional and totally delicious to leave the leaves in the pot and use them at least another time.” Plus, adding the extra insulation of a hand knitted teapot cosy will keep your tea warm for longer! Rachel uses Ravelry for some of her knitting projects – perhaps you can find your perfect teapot cosy pattern there?

The family have also made moves to stop using plastic sandwich bags, choosing these handmade food pouches from Woolla Woolla Handmade. Claire says “they are amazing and mean our packed lunches are now plastic free, which with six of us has made a real impact. It’s also saved us money in the longer term as we now buy in bulk and decant into the pouches – this is the ‘win, win’ outcome our whole family and business is all about.” Making your own cloth bags – big ones for shopping, small drawstring ones for produce, and zipped ones for packed lunches can make a huge difference to the amount of single use plastic you go through and when you use recycled fabrics, it’s even better for the planet!

Claire runs regular workshops online and in person, get in touch for more information. Find more about Claire and her Frugal Family here: www.thefrugalfamily.co.uk

FB: @littlefolkcrafts

FB: @thefrugalfamilyblog IG: @frugalfamilyuk Twitter: @thefrugalfamily

Find a pattern online: www.ravelry.com

ZERO WASTE CRAFT & SUPPLIES Words by Kate Stuart Photography by Kate Stuart and Sarah Rozelaar (Sewing Retreat)

n the evening of Sunday 30th November 1969, a young woman stepped out from a platform in London Kings Cross Station onto a Northbound train. Seeing that she was struggling with her luggage, including a beautiful wooden cantilever sewing box, a young man came to her aid, and helped her onto the train. They sat together in the same compartment, talking all the way to Newcastle Central Station, where the woman (my mum) got off the train and the man (my dad), heading north to his family in the hills of Scotland, promised to keep in touch. And he did, of course. They were married in the summer of 1973, and whilst they are both gone now, the cantilever sewing box that brought them together, now battered with age, is still in use. As I look at it, at the workmanship and the wear, at it’s proud “made-to-last” countenance, I consider how different our current consumeristic outlook is now, regarding the tools we use to carve out our crafting lives, and what they are made of.

my best scissors with their plastic handles came in a plastic package that I needed a pair of scissors to break into. I’ve spent a long time looking at zero waste solutions in my everyday life, taking cloth bags to the shops, buying fruit and veg from a market to reduce my plastic, and refilling my steel water bottle along with so many other switches, yet here I am, looking at the work that mostly brings me my living, and realising with horror that here is a place where too much single use plastic exists when it did not before. I have written previously about the zero waste shops that are popping up all over the country, and how wonderful it is to see this way of living with less plastic packaging, (in a way we all did in the past) becoming more mainstream. I want to see this happening in the craft industry too. Not just a rejection of plastic based glitter and polyester wool but a real systemic look at all the single use packaging too. It would be wonderful for the craft industry to take a step back, join the dots, really look at the lessons of the past and then step up to the challenge. Pins could be sold in metal tins, needles in paper cases, just as they used to be. And surely there is a responsibility on our shoulders too that if we are making such efforts in our domestic lives to reduce plastic, why not in our crafting lives too? And as in all things, if you don’t ask, you don’t get – so there is a role for each of us in demanding the change we want to see.

I have always considered myself an eco-crafter – I use recycled materials in my patchwork quilts for example - yet recently it dawned on me that the pins I use to keep my quilts together while I sew them have plastic heads, and come in a plastic pot, and when I bought them, were contained in secondary, single use plastic packaging. My tape measure, unlike my grandmother’s ancient cloth one, is plastic. My cases of sewing needles and my polyester sewing thread and my quilting templates and my rotary cutter – all plastic. The beautiful fabric covered sewing box I bought myself one Christmas is, right down to its handles, rock solid plastic. Even

There is craftivism in my very bones. My maternal line is full of strong, creative women – dressmakers and milliners and

plastic free haberdashery and craft items. I’m looking at my maternal grandmother’s pressed glass button jar, its contents carrying a thousand stories in every button that’s ready for a new life. A smooth wooden darning mushroom, held by my great grandmother’s hands, to mend work clothes and Sunday best clothes and baby clothes and socks. Lace bobbins with their glass bead weights, steel dressmaking scissors, and a wooden cantilever sewing box that connected two people, so very long ago.

lace makers, using their skills to make and mend keep all the ends meeting their families. My mum no exception – she was married in a dress she made herself (and was still hemming the afternoon before the wedding) and she utterly rejected the consumeristic turn of must-have school supplies by knitting our school jumpers every year, mending everything and stitching clothes for special occasions. I’m writing this wearing a skirt she made me, her pattern pieces cut from newspaper, and stitched on an inherited Jones sewing machine that was older than her. Craftivism, even before it was called that, was a feminist issue, and the women who passed their genes and their creativity down the years to me were every bit the crafting activists. I can almost feel their collective rage at the plastic devastation our generation has waged on the planet – and I’m angry too. I want to buy my pins and needles and scissors and trimmings plastic free and I want to be able to do that now! So, in true 21st century craftivist style, I’ve started a social media campaign. Maybe you’ve seen it? Using the hashtag #plasticfreecraft I’ve started looking for companies that reject single use plastic in their haberdashery and craft supplies. I’ve found two such establishments so far and I’m happy to share their details with you here – and maybe if you know of any, you can share their details with us?

Sewing Retreat

knitters and crafting and for was

There is a space here for us to return to some of the old making tools that have served us well in the past, with a rethink on packaging and to reject, quite fully and strongly, the plastic that is suffocating the planet, and its population. The plastic free revolution has a place here too, in the quiet uprising of our craftivism.

Sewing Retreat

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Two package free haberdashery companies do not a make a #plasticfreecraft revolution, and so here is where you come in. This, dear reader, is a call to action. Whatever your crafting discipline, find your local haberdashery, or craft shop. Visit them or write to them or tweet them and ask them how they can reduce their single use plastic packaging across the range of goods they carry. Ask them for the products that you buy, minus the packaging. Ask them to make a commitment to helping solve a small part of our planet’s plastic problem. Ask them to start now.

GET IN TOUCH WITH THE SEWING RETREAT: Website: www.thesewingretreat.co.uk Etsy shop: www.etsy.com/uk/shop/TheSewingRetreat Instagram and Facebook: @thesewingretreat

Merchant and Mills, owned by Carolyn Denham and Roderick Field is based in Rye, East Sussex. Offering haberdashery supplies to suit both trade and home makers alike, there is a real sense of the respect for dressmaking heritage in the way they package their goods. Glass headed pins come in unbleached cardboard boxes, needles in turned wooden cases. There is some further investigation to do on my part, but it appears that there is no plastic in sight. Watch this space! Sewing Retreat is run by Sarah Rozelaar, who aims to offer plastic free alternatives to haberdashery supplies including ribbon, lace, organic threads and plastic free zips. Recognising the (re)growth of homemade clothes and the importance of mending, Sarah is keen to make a difference, she tells me: “Alongside our ethics of selling our products and offering a high quality we also promote slow fashion that we call style rather than fashion… we promote items that have style that will stand the test of time rather than fashion that is only ‘in’ for a short time (or will maybe come around in 30 years’ time but will have been thrown away during that time). The products we choose to stock, and sell are all carefully chosen so they will stand the test of time.” Standing the test of time seems to be the key to unlocking new (old) ways of moving forward in a world that needs less plastic, not more. In my workspace I am surrounded by

BINDWEED BLUES Words by by Kate Kate Stuart Stuart Words Words by Kate Stuart Photography by by Sarah Sarah Andrew Andrew Photography Photography by Sarah Andrew Sarah Andrew Andrew owns owns Bindweed Bindweed Blues, Blues, where where she she uses uses Sarah Sarah Andrew owns Blues, she uses recycled materials toBindweed make yoga yoga bags,where meditation cushions recycled materials to make bags, meditation cushions recycled materials to make yoga bags, meditation cushions and zero waste waste reusable reusable produce and shopping shopping bags. and zero produce and bags. After and zero waste reusable produce and shopping bags. After inheriting from her mother andrescuing then After inheriting some some fabric fabric from her mother and then inheriting some fabric from her mother and then rescuing rescuing an old Jones sewing machine from her she local tip, an old Jones sewing machine from her local tip, started anthink old Jones machine from heruse local she started she started tosewing think waysuse shethe could the material. “I to of ways she of could material. “Itip, started to create thinkto of ways could use the material. “I started started create my own cushions, curtains and clothes,” to my ownshe cushions, curtains and clothes,” she to create my “and own cushions, curtains and clothes,” she told following a short working inshe a told me, me, “and following a short timetime working in a factory told me, “and following a short time working in a factory factory making meditation cushions, I realised I could make making meditation cushions, I realised I could make much making meditation cushions, I realised I buckwheat couldand make much much better ones myself, using organic and better ones myself, using organic buckwheat recycled better ones myself, using organic buckwheat and recycled recycled fabrics.” fabrics.” fabrics.” Sarah’s designs designs all all feature feature an an element element of of denim, denim, which which Sarah’s Sarah’s designs feature an element denim, which she sources fromalllocal local charity shops. “I “Iof have always loved she sources from charity shops. have always loved she sources from local charity shops. “I have always loved denim [and] blue is my favourite colour… it is durable, denim [and] blue is my favourite colour… it is durable, itit denim [and] blue is my it is durable, gets more beautiful withfavourite age and andcolour… there is is always always plentyitat at gets more beautiful with age there plenty getscharity more beautiful with age andalso there is always plenty any charity shop, sourcing sourcing fabric also means donate to at any shop, fabric means II donate to any charity charity eachshop, time Isourcing I shop.” shop.” fabric also means I donate to charity each time charity each time I shop.” Sarah’s product product range range increased increased when when she she made made aa set set of of Sarah’s Sarah’s product range when she made a set of cloth produce bags forincreased herself, after after becoming frustrated cloth produce bags for herself, becoming frustrated cloththe produce for herself, afterMaking becoming frustrated with the plasticbags packaging in shops. shops. Making more for her her with plastic packaging in more for with the plastic packaging in shops. Making more for her Etsy shop shop was was aa way way for for her her to to encourage encourage small small changes changes Etsy Etsy was a habits way forof encourage“I in theshop shopping habits ofher hertocustomers. customers. “Ismall thinkchanges is in the shopping her think itit is in the shopping habits of her customers. “I it way is extremely important for us to make changes in the the way we we extremely important for us to make changesthink in extremely usthat to make changes in the way shop,” sheimportant explained,for “so that together we can can make shop,” she explained, “so together we make aa we shop,” sheEven explained, that together we can make difference. Even small“so change like swapping swapping singleause use difference. aa small change like aa single difference. Even a small change like swapping a single use plastic produce produce bag bag for for reusable reusable ones ones in in natural natural fabrics fabrics will plastic will plastic produce bag for reusable ones in natural will help get the message message across. Little by little little thingsfabrics will get get help get the across. Little by things will help get the message across. Little by little things will get better.” better.” better.” asked Sarah Sarah to to tell tell me me about about the the name name she she chose chose for for her her II asked I asked Sarah tell me about the name sheto chose for her business. “Thetoname name Bindweed Blues came to me when when business. “The Bindweed Blues came me “The Bindweed Blues cameshe to me when was looking looking atname hedgerow in my my garden”, she told me. IIbusiness. was at aa hedgerow in garden”, told me. I“The was bindweed looking at is a so hedgerow in most my garden”, she told “The bindweed is so beautiful, beautiful, most people consider people consider me. itit aa “The bindweed is sorid beautiful, a weed and try try to to get get rid of it, it, but butmost evenpeople when ititconsider has been beenit cut cut weed and of even when has weed and try to get rid of it, but even when it has been cut down, itit prevails prevails and and comes comes back back year year after after year. year. II thought thought down, down, prevails andsymbol comes for back after year. I thought that thisit was was great symbol for myyear recycling business… that this aa great my recycling business… that thisdiscarded was a great symbol for myand recycling making discarded things beautiful and usefulbusiness… again.” making things beautiful useful again.” making discarded things beautiful and useful again.” We love love Sarah’s Sarah’s product product range, range, especially especially the the mandala mandala We We love Sarah’s product range, especially the mandala meditation cushions and bags, bags, and and so we we asked asked her to to meditation cushions and so her meditation cushions and bags, and so wesaid, asked to create mini tutorial for for our our readers. She said, “I her thought create aa mini tutorial readers. She “I thought create a mini tutorial for our readers. She said, “I thought would share share with with you you aa simple simple way way to to make make aa fabric fabric lunch lunch II would I would share you a simple wayare to popular make a fabric bag, based onwith the bento bento bags that that are popular now. lunch bag, based on the bags now. bag, based on the bento bags that are popular now. particularly like like the the simplicity simplicity of of this this triangle triangle bag, bag, these these are II particularly I particularly like the simplicity of this triangle bag, these are are very to make with a rectangle of material only very easyeasy to make with a rectangle of material and and only two very easy to make with a rectangle of material and only two two seams to sew! seams to sew! seams to sew! have made made this this one one in in an an autumnal autumnal sunflower sunflower pattern pattern II have I haveaamade this one in curtain.” an autumnal sunflower pattern using repurposed 70s curtain.” using repurposed 70s using a repurposed 70s curtain.” Thanks to to Sarah Sarah for for this, this, we we hope hope you you enjoy enjoy having having aa go go Thanks Thanks Sarah for this, wecan hope youimages enjoy having go with thisto great tutorial. You can share images of your youramakes makes with this great tutorial. You share of with this great share images of your makes on social mediatutorial. and tag tagYou Nocan Serial Number Magazine, we on social media and No Serial Number Magazine, we on social media and No Serial Number Magazine, we will share the the ones ones wetag love! will share we love! will share the ones we love!

FIND IT ONLINE Etsy Etsy Shop: Shop: www.etsy.com/uk/shop/BindweedBlues www.etsy.com/uk/shop/BindweedBlues IG, IG, FB FB and and Pinterest: Pinterest: @bindweedblues @bindweedblues

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Triangle Bag Tutorial

PROJECTS FOR Possibly one of the most incredible kickstarter campaigns ever! I found this project the day it was started and within 24hrs it was fully funded. It just goes to show how amazing both the idea and the rewards are. The campaign is to reduce textile waste in Ecuador whilst empowering women in marginalised areas. REMU REMake create unique jackets from waste denim, employing local women who are paid fairly, and the lined jackets use handcrafted fabric woven in the traditional style in Otavalo, an indigenous community in the Andes.

Tag that gives credit to the seamstresses that manufacture our jackets

Started by three friends, Jose Chiriboga, Felipe Gabela and Juan Xavier Teran, REMU was set up to address various issues within the fashion industry, predominantly waste of natural resources, poor working conditions, and unfair pay. One of the issues they identified was the high volume of water used to create denim. These jackets are made from previously worn jeans and waste fabric so no new denim is created therefore eliminating the need for water in production. Even all the labels, buttons and threads are made in the Andes so these really are locally produced. I love these jackets, they’re so unusual and I love the way that each jacket has the name of the woman who made it on the label. Not only are they ethically made, impressively reducing the impact on the environment whilst benefiting local people, but they are beautiful too. I’m really impressed with how thorough the ethics of this project are. The description of the campaign covers gender equality, textiles in landfill and supporting indigenous Andean cultural heritage. I love that they state that “At REMU we not only believe in clothes that have a future, but we believe in clothes that have a history”. With upcycling at the heart of this campaign, whilst supporting local artisan makers, considering the working conditions of the predominantly female workers in the textile industry, this is one that I’m really keen to support myself. www.kickstarter.com/projects/1042481966/remu-remakejacket-the-ultimate-upcycled-denim-jac GET IN TOUCH: Website: www.remuapparel.com Facebook and IG: @remu.apparel

Xol Original

This is another rare find and a project I’d love to support! Similar to the REMU jackets, Xol Original make beautiful footwear using recycled Mayan textiles and repurposed car tyre. These gorgeous shoes and boots are handmade by indigenous artisans. Co-founded by Valentino Romero, Xol Original’s mission is to empower indigenous artisans. I spoke to Amanda Trujillo (Director of Operations) who explained that “Xol Original actually gives back and supports the artisans financially and otherwise in ways that many “fair-trade” companies do not. Our artisans receive 70% of the profits.” On offer is a choice of two shoe styles and two boots. All are 100% reclaimed using old car tires from local landfills for the soles, reclaimed leather (on some styles, vegan boots are also available), Mayan hand embroidered huipil for decoration and traditional back strapped-loomed corte for the uppers. They designed the four directions footwear line to ensure everyday ‘comfort, durability, versatility and style’. The colours

Photo by Jason Segal, we use retired Mayan huipiles (blouses) and each huipil tells the story of the woman who wove it

REMU REmake

are stunning and everything about this project is so inspiring. They’re right, the designs are versatile and could be worn like converse or walking boots, and just think how good it would feel wearing something so guilt free and ethically responsible! These are truly handmade: hand-cut, hand-designed, handwoven, hand-stitched, no modern machinery or industrial equipment. Xol Original’s vision is to both reduce the amount of harmful waste close to communities by using waste products in the shoes, and to change the way that we relate to shoes and those who make them. Xol Original work with over 40 artisans who are passionate about their work for the sake of cultural wisdom, beauty and sustainability. Amanda tells me that “we have relationships with our artisans for many years and being in relationship beyond the product is deeply valuable and important to us.” Photo by Jason Segal, This is our Lifestyle model, easy on the eyes and lightweight.

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product until I can find an Australian manufacturer who can produce my designs on ceramic but the thing I do love about melamine is that it’s unbreakable, the designs don’t fade and the plates really are made to last. (I’ve had one made by the same company with a drawing I did when I was two and although the plate is 20 years only now, it stills looks as good as new!)”

Amanda tells me that “We have supported Berto Quievac’s (our master shoemaker in Guatemala) kids in their pursuit of higher education; providing them with musical instruments and high tech cameras for them to pursue their passion. I have supported the women’s collective with information exchange and helped them to set up Airbnb accounts and given them resources like a laptop.” This project goes beyond selling shoes. “We would like to achieve in changing the commerce for our artisans from a feast or famine (which they have become subjected to from the modern, western influence in the form of tourism) to an even and consistent commerce.” She explains that Xol Original is also about the indigenous cultures and appreciating the processes of making by hand “We’d like to bring awareness to indigenous causes and to do our part to actively remember the harmony of all people and the natural world that once used to be present. We aspire to bring handmade back into the forefront of our lives and to leave behind manufactured goods and the disembodied way of relating to our worlds that has become so prevalent in our society.”

The goal for this campaign is AU $45,000 and this funding will ensure that Sophie can continue creating her sustainable and ethical homewares, stationery and gifts whilst giving back to the environment and community. “We’ve donated 50% of the profits from the sale of our tote bags to Ocean Crusaders, an organisation that works tirelessly to clean our oceans and educate the public” Over 18,000 pieces of rubbish have already been collected this year and they have planted more than 30 trees to reforest areas for Australian wildlife in 2018, I for one think that’s pretty impressive!

www.kickstarter.com/projects/1378470235/xol-original-fourdirections-footwear-line-upcycle GET IN TOUCH:

www.theupeffect.com/sophia

Website: www.xoloriginal.org Facebook, Twitter and IG: @XolOriginal

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GET IN TOUCH: Website: www.sophiamulheran.com Facebook: @sophiamulheran IG: @sophia.mulheran.designs

Sophia

Based in Australia, Sophie Mulheran is a designer with a difference. Her crowdfunding campaign is raising money to remove 1 million pieces of rubbish from the environment and to plant 500 native trees to reforest areas for Australian wildlife by selling her products. Rewards vary from a sustainable living ebook, a printable design, picnic rug and plates. The plates are made in a solar powered factory in Australia, other items she makes by hand from recycled materials. They are then wrapped in recycled packaging and sent via Sendle, a carbon neutral shipping company. For every product sold via this campaign, Sophie has pledged to plant (and nurture) one tree and to collect 100 pieces of rubbish.

SOPHIA’S PICTURES: Copper Plates & Bowls: At every event and showcase we have been to, these beautifully handcrafted copper plates and bowls are guaranteed to make people stop and stare. Their unique design and dazzling colour catches everyones eye and each one takes more than 14 hours to hand twist. Made from 100% recycled electrical wire. Oceanic Plate: The gorgeous plate which is inspired by the ocean took 12 hours to design by hand! It is one of our most popular designs and believe it or not, it’s sustainable because it’s made entirely by using solar power and is unbreakable!

Sophie explains that her products are designed to address the issue of disposable; her plates are melamine, so are ideal replacements for single use picnic plates. They’re beautiful and are made to last. “All my products (except the plates) are made from 100% recycled and sustainable materials and are individually handcrafted. Each notebook cover is individually drawn (no printed designs), the textiles items are made with sustainable fabrics (organic linen) and are printed with eco-friendly dyes.” I asked Sophie why she uses melamine, she explained that “Melamine is just an interim

Use the code THANKYOU10 at the checkout for a 10% discount VISIT: sophiamulheran.com

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

petitionS By Holly Foat WALKERS

Burner Brands

Almost everyone must be aware that since Blue Planet 2, people cannot stop talking about the problem of plastic. It’s everywhere, polluting beaches, littering hedgerows and clogging waterways. One of the main culprits is single use plastics, primarily from the food industry. Convenience foods seem to be the most prolific. Some people are trying to change things though, one of them is Geraint Ashcroft. He has started a petition to one of the biggest crisp manufacturers in the UK, Walkers. The petition hopes to gain 400,000 signatures before it will be presented to Walkers (owned by PepsiCo). The snack company apparently hopes to make its packaging recyclable, compostable or biodegradable by 2025 but currently uses metallised plastic on crisp packets. All crisp packets (unless they’re burnt) will end up in landfill or pollute the natural environment as litter.

Burberry hit the news recently for destroying stock rather than donating it. Within hours of the story breaking, there was a petition online to make this practise stop. Started by Tara Button, sustainable campaigner, author of ‘A Life Less Throwaway’ and founder of ‘Buy Me Once’, the petition calls on the UK, EU, USA and Canadian governments to put forward bills to make this practice illegal. Tara told me that she “started the petition because I like many others were disgusted to hear that Burberry had burnt millions of pounds worth of perfectly useful products.” Tara is ideally suited to be the one running this campaign “My life and career is dedicated to changing consumer and brand behaviour towards sustainability so the idea of this scale of waste was physically painful.” This isn’t the first time that brands have come under fire for destroying unsold stock. Last November H&M were called out for trashing clothes. The difference is that H&M have since turned things around and launched a range of clothing made from their waste. Hopefully other brands will take note of this and will do the same. Whilst upcycling is relatively niche outside of the craft environment, reuse of textiles isn’t unheard of. Speedo swimsuits were made into cocktail dresses by Orsola de Castro, co-founder of the activist group Fashion Revolution. Whilst the second hand textiles market is flooded at the moment, more and more people are moving away from fast fashion and looking towards a more sustainable future.

Geraint explains that “Crisp packets have been found intact after 33 years. Imagine during that time the effect on wildlife and the environment. At today’s consumption rate in 33 years’ time there will be 200 billion crisp packets either sent to landfill or polluting our oceans. Many will be ingested by animals, fish or birds leading them to a slow lingering death.” Many people agree that change needs to happen before 2025. The petition has gained a lot of support, including tweets from celebrities such as Thandie Newton and Gary Linekar. The petition is supported by the campaign organisation Beach Guardian who runs beach cleans and educational events in Cornwall. The organisation have found several crisp packets dating as far back as the 1980s, highlighting the longevity of the crisp bags. Watching one of the videos made by Beach Guardian’s Emily, is rather emotional. As she shows each crisp packets to the camera, explains were it was found and reads out the best before date (to confirm the age of the litter), I can’t help but wonder how many packets of crisps I ate in the 1990s. Where did all those packets go? Are they sat on a beach somewhere? Buried in a landfill? There are so many questions here, do we blame it on littering, are the packets blowing out of bins or landfill?

We all have a role to play in this though. We all wear clothes and we all vote with our feet when it comes to choosing which brands we buy from. Tara’s website Buy Me Once lists products that will last a lifetime, including clothes, some of which come with a lifetime guarantee! If Tara can source jeggings that will last a lifetime, perhaps we all should too? We all could be conscious or ethical consumers, everything we buy shows the choice we make. This petition goes a step further, calling on governments to ban the destruction of products. This approach will mean that if the products aren’t donated or sold off cheap, they’ll be recycled. Legislation like this is needed because conscious consumers are still in the minority. If we want to prevent waste (and were talking almost £30 million of stock here) then we need laws in place.

“As a nation the UK alone consumes approximately 6 billion packets a year.” Geraint explains. It’s more than a little worrying. Should we all take responsibility for our waste? Perhaps we should all consider where our waste goes after we put it in the bin? How would you feel if that was your crisp packet found 20 years later? As many people are now doing, I’m trying to reduce the amount of disposable plastic brought into my home. Some plastic free switches have been relatively easy such as shampoo bars but as far as I’m aware, there aren’t any alternatives to crisps.

“I'm hoping that this petition will help bring in more regulation over what brands can do with perfectly useable stock and give some teeth to those regulators so they can enforce the law.” Tara explains. Legislation like this could be a step in the right direction for fans of a circular economy. Perhaps by calling out the sheer waste of the fashion industry, this is the only way to change it.

What do you think? Let us know if you’ve given up crisps until the packaging has changed or if you’ve found a zero waste alternative!

What do you think? Let us know via social media, tag #Burnerbrands and tell us if you’re a conscious consumer of if you think change in the fashion industry should be led by governments.

You can sign the petition here: www.you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/recyclable-crisppackets

Please sign the petition at: www.change.org/p/stop-brandsburning-their-own-products-to-keep-them-exclusive

Check out Beach Guardian on Facebook here: www.facebook.com/BeachGuardian/

Check out Tara’s website: www.buymeonce.com

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I s s u e s for ethical Busin esses

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In the past three months, No Serial Number Magazine has been following discussions in our Facebook group. In each issue, we collect some of the comments made by small artisanal business owners to share their experiences, doubts and tips about running a sustainable business. If you’d like your comment to be published in the next issue, please email: editorial@noserialnumber.org MINIMISING THE USE OF POWER Sharron Barton - One I’ve been conscious of recently is minimising my use of power. As I sew I use electric machines and there isn’t a viable alternative to that at the moment but I became conscious of energy usage after realising one day that my steam press had been on all day yet was only actually being used for about 1 hour in total over the day. I am now trying to plan my day’s work so that I can do anything that needs such pieces of kit in one block of time. Gemma Buxton - I also have thought about electricity for dressmaking, I use my iron continually to press fell seams. I looked into a solar panel set up sold to campers/boat owner just to run iron and sewing machine. When I can afford the investment, I will try and do this. Sharron Barton - I like that idea! I don’t need to use an iron too often for my work but I do use a hand held steamer as well as the press. the hand held heats up pretty quickly so doesn’t need to be left on all the time though but I’m going to try and plan use of that into batches as well though. Michelle Elena - I have recently bought a beautiful old treadle sewing machine that I’m refurbishing and an old hand machine saved from the tip to cut down on electricity use when doing basic sewing. I also try to reuse packaging, but I do find that some customers judge the worth of the item by the prettiness of the packaging. I think we need to reeducate people about packaging and how much extra they are paying just for stuff they throw away! It’s a type of snobbery that doesn’t make sense?! Lucie Mann - I dream of the day I can have a treadle sewing machine. It is a life goal! I found one early this year but couldn’t afford it. It got sold to someone who turned it into an electric machine Michelle Elena - Lucie Mann noooooo!! I feel your pain, treadles are beautiful and worth the work to refurbish. I was lucky, mine was only £30 off eBay and it’s in a gorgeous cabinet Lucie Mann - Michelle Elena you’re so lucky. I doubt I would be able to refurbish myself and this one was working and in a beautiful cabinet, I just had no money at the time FINDING LOCALLY SOURCED , NATURAL MATERIALS IN THE SEWING INDUSTRY Bridget O’Flaherty - I know it’s been mentioned before, but my biggest issue is finding locally sourced, natural materials in the sewing industry. I’m in Canada and there are only import options. There is organic, but still imported. I’m trying to change that by making my own felted materials from the sheep across the road. Small steps... UNETHICAL COMPETITION ONLINE Anna Luckai - I’m finding more and more competition to my clothing line, and most of it is not ethical. Customers are still drawn to “the deal”, as opposed to thinking and spending in ways that help rather than harm themselves, others and the planet.

THE ECO CRAFTERS AND ENTREPRENEURS’ AWARD MARTA KURZYNSKA OF STH from NTH Marta Kurzynska is the brains and brawn behind STHfromNTH. After years of exploring different fields of the graphic design world in Poland, London and Malta, she decided to focus on creating unique 3-dimensional pieces. She turned her passion for DIY and woodworking into an online and pop up-shop that reduces waste by upcycling pallets and waste objects. She has also led scout groups for girls and boys for several years and advised on art upcycling projects for the Polish Cultural Institute in Poland. Recently, she started working on upcycling workshops for children and adults in Malta to share her knowledge and spread awareness about our environmental responsibility. THE ROBOT: It is a handmade robot from what we call ‘rubbish’.

It was created from pieces of pallet wood. Arms are connected with the body with electric cables removed from an old discarded tv. Other parts and all robot`s features are made out of trash, like old screws, nails, bottle cups and nespresso cups. Tools used: drill, screwdriver, hot glue gun, hammer, paintbrush. INTERESTING FACTS: Going for a trash hunt before making a robot gives you an opportunity to do some clean up and stimulate your creativity. TIPS & ADVICE: Assembly the body first and add all the small parts after. Keep in mind that some of them might need to be done in particular order. You can add a short stick (chopstick, dowel) in between head and body to make it mobile.

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WORKSHOPS:

Web: www.sthfromnth.com FB and Pinterest: @sthfromnth Instagram: @sthfromnth179

We are hosting upcyling workshops for kids & adults in Malta every weekend since September 2018. More details: www.sthfromnth.com or FB events: www.facebook.com/pg/sthfromnth/ events/

PAUL VOLKER Paul Volker has been creating works of art using discarded and recycled materials for more than twenty years. He has recently developed a safe, easy and waste-free process for turning #6 polystyrene plastic (styrofoam, CD boxes, etc) into a putty for sculptural work, that can be cast or shaped, sanded, and painted. THREE DIMENSIONAL PAINTINGS OF BOWLS: He refers to these as “Three Dimensional Paintings of Bowls”. However, they are also food-safe, washable, and sturdy. Each is created one at a time, by hand, and each is unique. The sizes vary, but fall within the range of approximately 30-40 cm in diameter and 8-12 cm high. Office paper and junk mail is fully dissolved in water, then combined with woodworker’s glue to the consistency of wet clay. The bowl is formed over a large ball and dried in the sun. After trimming and sanding, each one is hand-rubbed with an acrylic waterproofing compound. At this point, the inside and outside are painted just as one would paint a flat canvas. I use surplus acrylic paints that might otherwise end up in a landfill. Finally, each bowl is sealed with a clear acrylic finish which makes it both water resistant and food-safe. INTERESTING FACTS: Paul has four goals in production: 1. to use recycled material as much as possible, 2. to use no additional electricity, 3. to create no waste byproduct, and, 4. by producing things that can last for generations, to take material out of the trash cycle entirely. ANY TIPS & ADVICE: While these can be regarded as paintings in their own right, they are also perfect for holding fruit and dry snacks. They are easily rinsed clean under running water.

GET IN TOUCH: Website: www.paulvolker.com Email: paul@paulvolker.com

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JOIN US ONLINE: www.facebook.com/groups/Eco.Designers MRS_LEATHER_CREATES BY HELEN LUNN Helen was born, raised and continues to live in Sale, a residential suburb south of Manchester, UK. Making has been a constant in her life along with an interest in the environment. Helen has a magpie personality; she has pockets always full of rusty bits, pebbles, leaves, feathers and she is drawn by colours, patterns and textures. Experimenting and exploring with natural dyes and self mixed cyanotype solutions, shen then moved from simply sewing and embroidery with fabrics to creating pattern and design directly into fabrics, which she achieves by incorporating her found treasures. Helen is now able to capture in fabric the colours, patterns, and textures of the environment using handmade dyes from kitchen waste, local botanicals, rusty treasures and photograms of found objects in cyanotype. She is now exploring how to incorporate paper in her work as another fabric. Table lamp: Hand-printed cyanotype lamp shade mounted on cotton mill bobbin. Vintage broderie anglaise tablecloth painted with cyanotype solutions, overlaid with found feathers and set in the sun to create pattern. INTERESTING FACTS: The lamp base is an original 1950s cotton bobbin with its original thread. Saved from Styal Mill Cheshire, the heart of the cotton trade. ANY TIPS & ADVICE: Create, play, and look at the everyday afresh

mrs_leather_creates will be at Emporium M33 (Cheshire, UK) on the first Saturday of the month from 1st September. My naturally dyed fabrics are incorporated in a woven piece Worldwide Weave 2018 which is currently on international tour.

GET IN TOUCH: Instagram: @mrs_leather_creates

ANN-MARIE STENMAN GET IN TOUCH: Instagram: @astenman

I have always been working with different kind of handicraft, paper, clay and textile, beside my work as an occupational therapist. The last years I have explored eco dyeing and find it very exciting. Eco dyed wall hanging - bundledyed with iron and eucalyptus, rustprint

Are you an artisan, a designer, an upcycler or an eco-friendly business owner and would like to appear here? Join our Facebook Group â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Eco-Friendly Crafters and Entrepreneursâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, 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

LIZZIE GODDEN Lizzie is a textiles artist who loves making plant dyes, and dyeing fabric and thread. She loves walking, gathering and hand stitching. THE PIECE: This piece was inspired by the colours of garden flowers. All fabric and thread was plant dyed. Lizzie loves to piece and stitch plant dyed fabrics. INTERESTING FACTS: The piece has been sold and a larger piece has been commissioned.

WORKSHOPS & EVENTS Lizzie runs workshops in plant dyeing, eco printing, shibori and experimental embroidery. Do be in touch if you have a group and would like to discuss. Lizzie will be exhibiting at the Festival of Quilts in August 2019 and at the West Country of Quilts and Textiles in September 2019.

GET IN TOUCH: Website: www.lizziegoddentextiles.co.uk Facebook: @LizzieGoddenTextilesArtist Instagram: @lizziegodden

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MOLLIE BUTTERS OF FIELD FARM PROJECT Forming part of the border there is a four-strand flat plait from red cedar bark which is sewn in place with cedar roots using a pinch and stitch method to hold the basket border together.

Mollie combines ancestral skills and techniques with an experimental, inquiring approach to making baskets and vessels using locally harvested plants and tree barks. Having taught outdoor living skills, bushcrafts and natural history for some years, she uses an intimate knowledge of the plant life around her to influence her basketry. Materials which are sustainably harvested from the earth uses only her physical energy, produces no waste and all baskets will eventually return to the earth. She loves combining textures, the subtlety of natural colours, and pattern to produce forms of practical use and beauty.

INTERESTING FACTS: There are seven different plant species in this basket, including nettle cordage, elm, lime, sweet chestnut, red cedar bark, cedar roots and soft rush. There is also hand spun herdwick wool from our local sheep. All the materials were hand harvested from local farm and woodlands using sustainable methods. ANY TIPS & ADVICE:

Mixed plant fibre and tree bark basket: The basket was made using a flat spoke frame of sweet chestnut bark. A variety of different tree barks and plant fibres were then woven and twined around the spokes up to the border.

When using plant fibres and tree barks all materials must be dried out completely, then re-wetted to weave with or allowed to fully mellow before weaving. As the material dries it shrinks. By allowing it to dry or fully mellow you prevent your careful weaving resulting in a basket full of holes and wobbles!

GET IN TOUCH: Web: www.fieldfarmproject.com FB: @FieldFarmProject

WORKSHOPS Chestnut Forager Spend two days making this beautiful basket of sweet chestnut bark with wooden steam bent handles. You will discuss the techniques of tree bark harvesting and take part in the preparation of this fantastic and versatile material. You will also steam bend your own prepared wooden handles and set them into forms. The basket will be made using a square bottomed twill weave. The border and fitting of the wooden handles will be the final skills and techniques covered. 4th & 5th Oct 2018 Please see TrillFarm.co.uk website for costs and bookings

Christmas Willow Crafts Evening Class. Choose from a number of different projects to make including reindeer, Christmas

trees or a small angel. Warm yourself with minced pies, mulled wine or hot chocolate while you weave. ÂŁ30 per person 6.30pm â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 9pm 4th Dec 2018 Email info@fieldfarmproject for bookings or call +44 07979 321369

Wreath Making Using locally sourced willow make your own wreath for decorating your door or use as a beautiful table display. On offer will be a fabulous array of different greenery, natural materials, pine cones and ribbons to decorate your wreath using your own design and style. Warm yourself with minced pies, mulled wine or hot chocolate while you weave. 11th, 12th & 13th Dec 2018

MICHELE RICKITT Michele is 53 years old (54 in September) and married with one grown-up son who is at University. She lives with her husband Stephen, and not forgetting Bess the dog, in the beautiful county of Northumberland. Michele is also a recent graduate of Northumberland College, having received a Distinction grade for the HND in Fashion and Textiles, which she has been studying for the last two years. She was a mature student and returned to education when ill health meant she had to take early retirement in 2013, due to a long period of illness caused by having Multiple Sclerosis. She finds being creative helps her to manage her symptoms and giving her a purpose. She first dipped her toe in the textiles water with City and Guilds level one in Creative Textile Techniques, then went on to do the level two before embarking on the HND course. She was introduced to the issue of textile waste via a Facebook group called the Up-Cycled Cloth Collective. This group inspired her to delve into the subject of fast fashion and its environmental, social, and human cost for her dissertation and final major project. UPCYCLED DENIM JACKET: The featured work is an upcycled denim jacket which was purchased from a local charity shop. It is the main piece from her final major project, entitled “How to be more wabi-sabi savvy”. Michele was inspired by Japanese kintsukuroi pottery mended with gold and the Japanese philosophy of wabi-sabi. Her aim is to inspire people to look at the clothes they already own which they can up-cycle or mend, and to be mindful shoppers. The jacket started off much lighter in colour, so Michele dyed it a darker shade of blue to give the beaded embellishments a visual “pop”. Before beginning work on the jacket, she did lots of varied

sampling and trend research. She was inspired by a collection by Viktor and Rolf to try the weaving technique used on the left sleeve and right shoulder. After a while, Michele lost count of how many hours she spent, and how many beads and sequins she used. She was encouraged by her tutor to “colour over the lines” as she put it, taking the beading beyond the confines of the visible seams. When working on the back panel she used a technique from patchwork called faux chenille which involves layering fabric, stitching channels on the bias, then slashing through leaving the base layer intact. INTERESTING FACTS: The owner of a local business, The Amble Pin Cushion, has asked Michele to run workshops for her customers after visiting the college during the end of year show where she saw her work on display. Michele couldn’t sell the jacket – it would be impossible to put a price on it – so she will be using it as a teaching aid, to inspire people. ANY TIPS & ADVICE: It’s never too late to learn a new skill. At school creative pursuits were not my strong point. My domestic science teacher couldn’t believe her eyes when I tried to use a sewing machine with it facing the wrong way! GET IN TOUCH FB: thethreadshedstudio IG: @thethreadshedstudio Etsy: www.etsy.com/uk/shop/ThreadShedStudio

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RAWNA HAMANN Rawna Hamann is a full time Special Education Teacher starting her 39th year, with a need to craft to unwind. She spins, knits, weaves, eco-prints/ dyes, gardens, stitches, sews, and anything craft and textile that uses or reuses materials for creating a new, useable or wearable item. She has four dogs (of which I use the undercoat of one), two alpacas, and two cats. They are our ‘fur-kids’ and bring her much joy!

GET IN TOUCH: Facebook: @RawnaHamann

Eco-printing class scheduled for Sunday, October 14, 2018 at the Bellevue, WA Pacific Fabric Store.

THE TOP: This specific item is a cashmere T-top found at a local thrift store. She used THE eco-printing method to print the top with home grown coreopsis flowers, leaves and stems. Top was spritzed with a mixture of 50/50 water vinegar. She put a piece of resist plastic between the layers. The flowers were picked fresh from the garden and placed on the top. To keep the colour from bleeding, a second piece of resist was placed over the top. The top was then folded to fit the rod and rolled tightly and bundled with twine. It was then steamed for two hours and then

left to cool overnight. Unbundled the next day and left to cure for 24 hours. Washed in the washer lightly with eco-friendly soap. Laid flat to dry and it’s ready to wear. INTERESTING FACTS: Looking for items at the local thrift store can be very time consuming. You have to check every label, and sometimes the labels have been cut out, so they have to be passed up in case they are not the correct fibres she wants to print on. Time consuming, but worth it! I was excited to find this little cashmere top in such great condition! Everything in Rawna’s garden she eats or prints with. There are many types of coreopsis, and some print more orange than yellow, and the stems and leaves print just as pretty as their flowers! ANY TIPS/ADVICE: Practice on others sample fabrics before printing on anything important. The mistakes can be used as samples for other items that way. Once an important piece is printed, it is difficult to undo!

Jelena simoniene Jelena is a freelance artist who creates animal related works. In 2010, she fell in love with felting as it provided her with an excellent platform for her creativity. Since she was a child, she loved drawing and painting which has helped her to translate her talents to the world of organic wool and felt. She creates animal sculptures by using proven techniques in felting to achieve a lifelike feel that includes a combination of emotions, originality, and reality that helps bring her sculptures to life. Jelena uses a special barbed felting needle which helps her craft the organic wool until the pet is recreated by her hand.

GET IN TOUCH: Website: www.shimafiberart.com Facebook, IG and Pinterest: @shimafiberart

SLIPPERS: These slippers are designed and handmade in Lithuania. They are made of 100 % natural wool. The soles of the slipper is made of double layers of wool, which makes the slippers extremely soft and durable. The bottom of the sole is covered in latex to prevent the footwear from slipping. Each pair is entirely hand made with no synthetics or chemical dyes, just the precision of hands, hot water and soap. The unique design and use of natural and durable materials is Jelena’s recipe to provide comfort. INTERESTING FACTS: Wool is as great for winter and summer. It provides great heat isolation, your feet still warm in winter. During the summer days the wool allows your feet to breathe and stay cool, preventing sweating of the feet. Natural wool does not require washing. Wool naturally repels dirt, it is usually sufficient to air felted footwear for odours to disappear. ANY TIPS/ADVICE: Felted slippers available with hand painted pet. All men/women sizes and colours are possible.

NSN MONTHLY FREE DIGITAL ETHICAL SHOPPING MAGAZINE We have gathered our favourite eco-friendly, ethical, fairtrade, handmade products in a brand new free digital magazine! Be the first to receive it when you sign up to the newsletter online and you will discover unique products and take advantage of exclusive discounts! You can now view the first and second issues online at: www.noserialnumber.org/monthly-digital. If you have an Etsy shop that sells eco-friendly goodies and youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like a feature or if you have your own eco business and youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to advertise in this Monthly Ethical Shopping e-Magazine then email info@noserialnumber.org

VIEW THE MAGAZINES ONLINE AT www.noserialnumber.org/monthly-digital

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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 creativity, nature, activism and business 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 • zero-waste lifestyle • biodiversity • kitchen chronicles • grassroots environmental movements INDEPENDENTLY PUBLISHED BY NO SERIAL NUMBER ISSN 2516-1776 (Print) ISSN 2516-1784 (Online)

No Serial Number Magazine www.noserialnumber.org info@noserialnumber.org Fb: www.facebook.com/noserialnumbermagazine Twitter: @N0serialnumberM Use #NoSerialNumber Pinterest: noserialnumber Instagram: @noserialnumber.com_magazine £9 + Delivery Printed on recycled paper at UEL Printers

No Serial Number Autumn Issue 2018

Articles inside

Weaving for Everyone: A Liberating Experience of Self-Reflection