A Fibreshed for London
Numa altura em que me estou a esforçar, com uma grande ajuda de Serralves, por ter fibras têxteis a serem produzidas cá no Porto, é muito bom ver que há movimentos com o mesmo intuito a acontecer em centros urbanos ainda maiores.
Em meados deste ano, já tinha lido a história da pequena plantação de linho feita no centro de Londres: o objectivo era produzir uma peça de vestuário, a partir da semente, localmente.
Por aqui, o nosso linho também já foi cultivado e processado, com grande sucesso, por isso a história do Seeds of Fashion e a forma como inspirou uma iniciativa mais ambiciosa que procura pôr Londres a produzir as fibras que veste, diz-me muito.
Sobre o Greater London Fibershed:
"Initiated by Jessica Smulders Cohen in May 2015, the Greater London Fibreshed is a network to link and support growers, designers and makers who are working with natural processes (no chemical dyes or imported acrylic, thank you very much!). Fibresheds are natural bioregions that exist as resources for local fibres that come from animal or vegetables, and encompass all stages of making cloth and garments. Originally founded in the USA (see http://www.fibershed.com), we now have an official affiliate-ship (including the British spelling of Fibre!) Let’s show the world that London can dress locally!"
A Fibershed for London
At a time when I'm trying hard, with a lot of help from Serralves, to have textile fibers being grown and processed right here in Porto, it feels great to see other projects with similar goals being developed in even bigger urban centers.
A few months ago, I had already read this story about a tiny flax plantation grown in the center of London: the goal was to make a garment from seed to fashion, sown, grown, printed and made in London.
Around here, our own flax has also been grown and processed, with success, so the story of Seeds of Fashion and the way it inspired a more ambitious initiative that looks to have London grow the fibers it wears, strikes a chord with me.
About Greater London Fibershed:
"Initiated by Jessica Smulders Cohen in May 2015, the Greater London Fibreshed is a network to link and support growers, designers and makers who are working with natural processes (no chemical dyes or imported acrylic, thank you very much!). Fibresheds are natural bioregions that exist as resources for local fibres that come from animal or vegetables, and encompass all stages of making cloth and garments. Originally founded in the USA (see http://www.fibershed.com), we now have an official affiliate-ship (including the British spelling of Fibre!) Let’s show the world that London can dress locally!"
