At The Top...
NEW: We've Got Books!
What are your favorite books about art, design, craft, and sustainability? We’ve assembled a collection of ours as a resource for creative people. There are over 300 titles listed so far, all available via Amazon.com. It's an easy way to support THE KINDCRAFT (we make a few pennies from each sale) — but mostly we're hoping that it's inspiring and informative for you.
Sponsored Events
Mindful Materials
On September 15th and 16th, our friends at Textile Arts | Los Angeles are launching Mindful Materials, a textile summit for artists, educators, designers, and consumers. The two day event features panel discussions (including one moderated by Conscious Chatter's Kestrel Jenkins, previously featured here in the BRIEF), trunk shows, and workshops by talented practitioners like natural dye expert, Liz Spencer. Reserve your place now — and let us know if you'll be attending so we can say hello!
Events — North America
New York Textile Month
"New York Textiles Month is a city-wide festival designed to celebrate textile creativity and promote textile awareness. Initiated by Lidewij Edelkoort, trend forecaster and Dean of Hybrid Studies at The New School and assisted by Willem Schenk, this multiple-location event will gather all voices and expressions concerning textiles, bringing together museums, galleries, showrooms, retailers, design studio, students and the general public."
Ceremonies and Celebrations: Textile Treasures from the USC Pacific Asia Museum Collection
More fabulous events here in Southern California — We're looking forward to the 'Ceremonies and Celebrations: Textile Treasures' exhibition opening September 14th in Pasadena, California! Pieces in this exhibition were drawn from the USC's collection of over 2,700 costumes and textiles from China, Korea, Japan, India, the Himalayas and Southeast Asia. The exhibition explores how textiles identify gender roles and social status, and how textiles are used in religions across Asia.
Events — Europe + MENA
London Design Biennale — Khải
So many talented designers and innovative thinkers are on the schedule for the 2018 London Design Biennale! One highlight: Our friend Thảo Vũ (featured here) has joined forces with Lê Thanh Tùng and Giang Nguyễn to create Khải, an exhibition about how Vietnamese designers apply modern techniques while preserving the emotional resonance of traditional handcrafting.
Style
Losing the Thread
"Without exception, everyone foretelling the ‘World of Tomorrow’ believed that an exciting future meant innovative new fabrics. They all understood something we’ve largely forgotten: that textiles are technology, more ancient than bronze and as contemporary as nanowires. "
A fascinating essay for Aeon by Virginia Postrel, author of "The Power of Glamour: Longing and the Art of Visual Persuasion".
This Rei Kawakubo Disciple Wants to Dress You in Black
This [inspiring profile of Comme des Garçons / NOIR designer Kei Ninomiya] is a good reminder that even a single color can feel like a full palette in the right hands. 🙌
I Made a Massive Spreadsheet of All My Clothes
This one from Racked is sort of bonkers (but, truly, in an admirable way): Self-described "data geek" Lillian Karabaic decided to reboot her wardrobe so, of course, she first cataloged her entire closet into a spreadsheet with more than 4,000 cells and 28 tabs! And for those among us who hate crunching numbers, you'll be happy to learn that "there's an app for that...".
Recommended Documentary
'Art of the Game: Ukiyo-e Heroes'
We loved-loved-loved this charming documentary about an older Canadian craftsman and a young American designer who use traditional Japanese woodblock prints (called "Ukiyo-e") to make new art using pop culture icons. Once you're done watching, check out the project's website to see their latest prints. (Bonus link for people who read to the end of things: David Bowie Memorialized in Traditional Japanese Woodblock Prints)
Recommended Video
Study Hall LA — Full Livestream Now Online
We've enjoyed attending the Study Hall LA sustainability conference and meeting so many like-minded (and inspiring) people. If you weren't there, you're in luck : the organizers have shared the full livestream of the event to YouTube. 🙏🏻
Design
A 65-Foot Hand-Crocheted Tree Gives Visitors to Zurich's Train Station a Full Sensory Experience
Wow! Brazilian artist Ernesto Neto created a floor-to-ceiling finger-crochet sculpture in the concourse of Zurich’s main train station.
Has This Neighborhood in Seoul Figured Out the Secret to Slow Living?
Sonja Swanson looks at how one Korean housing development offers new versions of traditional tiled-roof residences and, with them, the promise of a less frenetic lifestyle.
This Eco-Friendly Prefab Home Was Built In Just 28 Days
A different home concept we saw this week: This modern, modular family residence features great design... and lots of eco-friendly features.
Recommended App
Good On You
Good On You is an app that promises to help shoppers make direct comparisons between fashion brands based on their social impact. It's a complicated, challenging goal — but we've wanted something like this for a long time and we're watching closely to see how well this concept plays out.
Traditional Arts
Exploring the Japanese Ceramics Tradition of Embracing Flaws with Gold
“Some four or five centuries ago in Japan, a lavish technique emerged for repairing broken ceramics. Artisans began using lacquer and gold pigment to put shattered vessels back together. This tradition, known as kintsugi, meaning “golden seams” (or kintsukuroi, “golden repair”), is still going strong.... Not only has kintsugi been adopted and adapted by leading contemporary artists, these days, one can take kintsugi lessons and find self-help and wellness books that use it as a metaphor for embracing flaws and imperfections.”
At This Santa Fe Fair, You Can Buy Crafts From Over 100 International Artists
If you weren't able to attend this year's International Folk Art Market, reading Deborah Needleman's wrap-up is the next best thing.
Viking Women: Weaving History and Progress
Our good friend Linnea Hartsuyker drops some serious knowledge about how Viking women’s textiles were a vital engine to their era’s success. (And in keeping with this issue's book-related theme, we'd be remiss if we didn't mention that she's got a new novel out and that you should totally buy it.) 😘
Meet Nirmala - Fashion Revolution
From Fashion Revolution's blog — A close-up portrait of the life of a weaver in Madhya Pradesh, India.
Business + Entrepreneurship
Sustainability + Labor
In Case You Missed These...
- Essay on why a "sustainable economy" won’t mean much unless it addresses over-consumption
- Brilliant concept — How Much Hotter Is Your Hometown Than When You Were Born?
- Ditch the Almond Milk: Why Everything You Know About Sustainable Eating Is Probably Wrong
- Here's the Denim Dudes wrap-up of the recent Study Hall LA sustainability conference
- Elizabeth Segran's take on whether consumer choice actually affects fashion industry practices
- Madewell Introduces Sustainable Jeans Made With Shrimp Shells
- A Dye-namic Duo of Links — Bright Blue Fabric Dye Could Help Solve Renewable Energy's Biggest Problem and Inside The Campaign To Bring Natural Dyes To Fashion
- R29 covers Fashion Revolution's new zine — "Expert's Guide To Making Your Wardrobe Sustainable"
- As Trade Wars Heat Up, Supply Chain Ethics Take a Hit
- Vogue Australia's look at how the fashion industry is paving the way for a sustainable future
- Eileen Fisher's DesignWork Initiative Is Effectively Strengthening Sustainability In Fashion
- Cambodian female workers in Nike, Asics and Puma factories suffer mass faintings
Wrapping Up / Looking Ahead
Thanks for Reading!
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