you can't learn about fashion's connection to nature in a concrete building, you need to stand in a field and feel the life in the grasslands - see bees on dye plants.
Re-designing fashion education
Not many students (or fashion professionals in fact) get the opportunity to visit a farm and see the first – but fundamental – part of the fashion supply chain. This experience however, can help forge a deeper connection between nature and the clothes you are designing, making or marketing. You cannot make that connection sat at a desk.
Our workshop; ‘Fashion as a force for nature’, offers a unique opportunity for students to get inquisitive about where clothes really come from, how natural fibres are grown, how plant-based dyes are created, and to see real life examples of doing things differently within the UK. By connecting with the soil, students gain a new perspective of what true circularity looks like, particularly in the face of an ever shifting climate and demand for new cradle-to-cradle models around fashion design.
Working with young designers and creators to inspire a different way of doing, is one of our key goals here at the farm - we want to support the change makers of the future and provide that much needed link between fashion education and the farming systems where fibres are produced.
The time on the farm will involve an introductory lecture in our farm classroom that teaches the fundamentals of cradle-to-cradle design or "soil-to-soil" as we call it here on the farm. We talk about the amazing opportunities with British wool and students can see our yarns, and the garments Katie creates using this incredible fibre.
This is followed by a couple of practical sessions working with natural dyes, including eco-printing with flowers grown in our dye garden to mark-making with our own oak gall ink. Students will explore the dye garden, learning about different dye plants and the colours they produce and have a sample sheet to complete which ties the colour right back to the plant where it was grown.
They will tour our micro-veg tannery where James explains oak bark tanning and we encourage rich conversation around the sustainability of these natural fibres. Many of our students have no idea about how leather is produced and this is a unique opportunity to see a working tannery with sustainability and heritage craft at it heart.
After lunch students get out on the farm to meet our sheep and cattle, and for the learning around soil health and natural fibres come to life. They will be able to ask lots of questions and hopefully leave with a new understanding of the role of farms in growing fibres and dyes in the UK, feeling inspired about how their own textile practice could become a positive force for nature.
The best time of year for farm visits would be Mid May to end of October. Our standard workshop is around 5 hours with time for a lunch break, however we can tailor the day. The content is delivered to all levels from GCSE to Degree Level and professional designers. We have funding to deliver this programme to students of any age, all you need to arrange is transport to get here.
"The day gives our students such a valuable insight into the full journey of materials from fibre, through processing and making, to how materials can be reused, repurposed and eventually return to the environment. That understanding is invaluable. From the mini lecture at the beginning, through to the tannery, eco-printing and field workshop, every part of the day provides meaningful experience. It isn’t just valuable for the students, but for us as staff too. This short workshop gives learners knowledge, experiences and ideas that would take us weeks to explore in college. Over the years, I have seen this trip really capture the imagination of students and, for some, it has become the heart of their exploration."
Maisie Chalk, Fashion Technician, Wiltshire College & University Centre
"The whole experience was magical. The attention to detail and to us, allowed us to learn a lot. The fullness of the day and the different but related experiences bought the regenerative system alive.
The tannery was very interesting and I enjoyed getting up close to nature."
Participant from Falmouth University, bespoke 2 day workshop
