New on THE KINDCRAFT
☀️Chiang Mai Vibes
Greetings from THE KINDCRAFT's home base in Asia where, at this very moment, the weather is so unbelievably perfect that the air sort of feels like it has no temperature at all.
Our latest brief is loaded with local flavor — We've got a new story featuring local favorite Slowstitch Studio and we're just days away from COLORLAND, our trend symposium + design exhibition presented as part of Chiang Mai Design Week (limited seats, register now). And as always, we've got a round-up of key readings on sustainable culture and ethical design... hope you enjoy!
NEW STORY: Slowstitch Studio
In our latest feature, we look at the next-level shibori techniques of Thailand's own Slowstitch Studio. The intricate scarves and pillowcases that Ann and Serge make are truly unique and, if you nerd out on design stuff as much as we do, we think you'll be amazed to see the care they put into every step of their process:
"There's one scarf which has a kind of a wood grain pattern for the background, so we would work on that pattern first", explains Ngamdamronk. "We would stitch it first and then tie it, dye it in the yellow color, and then we would take apart all the stitching. We then rework the fabric by drawing and stitching the stripe patterns, pull it, tie it again, and dye it in indigo."
Sponsored Event
Nimmanhaemin Art & Design Promenade
It's a ‘new dawn, new day’ at this year’s Nimmanhaemin Art & Design Promenade as Soi 1 is transformed into a vibrant street market — filled with stylish boutique pop-ups, unique artisan craft works, and delicious food from some of the city's most innovative chefs and restaurants. Activities for kids run all day long; For adults, there's DIY workshops in the afternoon and live music at night. (Tue 5 - Mon 11 December 2017 — 10.00 - 22.00 @ Nimmanhaemin Soi 1, Chiang Mai, Thailand)
Events — Asia + Australia
COLORLAND
As part of Chiang Mai Design Week 2017, Kamonn and THE KINDCRAFT present COLORLAND — a professional workshop and design showcase to inspire, explore, and activate the role of colors and materials in contemporary craft. This one-day workshop will begin with an introduction to color theory, a lively, trend-based analysis of collected curiosities and found objects from around the city as arranged into spectrums of time and color, and an evocative discussion about how the "crafted life" of the past is relevant to present makers — while raising questions about its future. Presented in Thai and English. Only a few seats left, so reserve yours before its gone!
Product Spotlight
ARTISAN-MADE GIFTS FROM $25, $50, AND $100
Need to give someone a unique, heartfelt gift? We've assembled a collection of beautiful—and affordable—hand-crafted items.
Recommended Documentary
'RiverBlue' Proves Just How Much Fashion Pollution Hurts the Planet — and Its Inhabitants
"Following conservationist Mark Angelo around the world, the film examines rivers in China, India, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Zambia, England and the U.S., and notes the ways that they've been effected — usually for the worse — by the garment industry."
(Via Whitney Bauck at Fashionista )
Culture
Chinese Village Keeps Alive a Tradition of Indigo Dyeing
“‘You can’t buy this type of handmade cloth at the market,’ Ms. Yang said, patting a bolt of gleaming indigo-colored cloth with her wrinkled, navy-stained hands.”
Believing in Weaving: A Return To Classic Craft
"In a world over-filled with machine-made objects, provenance is becoming increasingly important; we love history, heritage and the idea of buying something with a story."
The Dye That Brings The World Together
Last month's "Indigo Sutra" event as covered by Patrick Sanjiv Lal Ghose of The Hindu
Design
3 Designers Creating Clothes for Life — Not the Runway
Wonderful to see writers of Amanda Fortini's caliber shine a light on slow fashion brands! Seems like there’s been an uptick in coverage of thoughtful/ethically-made products at T Magazine since Hanya Yanagihara took over as Editor-in-Chief.
Fashion’s Interest in Alternative Fabrics Keeps Growing
"High-end fashion and sportswear brands are taking a growing interest in recycled and alternative fabrics made from unusual materials like mushrooms, oranges and even proteins inspired by spider-web DNA — but not just out of concern for the environment. They are recognizing that these cool materials of tomorrow could be something people want to buy today."
Sustainability + Labor
Fashion and Sustainability: Look Good, Feel Good, Do Good
While Lauren was in New York, she attended this seminar at the U.N. — Watch the replay here!
Beyond Black Friday: 12 Ways to Care For Your Clothes
The Guardian with a guide on how to sew, patch, darn, and iron your way to prolonging the life of your wardrobe.
A Power Plant Is Burning H&M Clothes Instead of Coal
“For us it’s a burnable material,” said Jens Neren, head of fuel supplies at Malarenergi AB, a utility which owns and operates the 54-year-old plant about 100 kilometers (62 miles) from Stockholm. “Our goal is to use only renewable and recycled fuels.”
Instagram Spotlight
Kamonnart Ong
In honor of COLORLAND, this issue's featured Instagrammer is our dear friend, Kamonnart Ong. Kamonn is a talented textile designer and the founder of Vanillawalk.org, a blog about thoughtful fashion, crafts and culture which, incredibly, has been publishing since 2009. She's one of those rare, wonderful people who combine a razor-sharp intellect with a finely-tuned aesthetic and a curiosity for the world — all while being a lot of fun and, you know, taking designer-friendly photos.
Wrapping Up / Looking Ahead
That's a Wrap / Looking Ahead...
We've got a few more treats in store for you in 2017, including a report from Dutch Design Week in Amsterdam. A reminder: If you enjoyed this brief, please add your name to the list of wonderful people who support this coverage. ❤️