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Ethnic Fabrics

ADVANCED TRAINING IN A TECHNIQUE: NATURAL FABRIC MANUFACTURING

natural fabric making

Reduce, Reuse, Re-fabricate! In this two-day workshop, participants make fabric from macerated natural fibres and then design and construct their own 2- or 3-dimensional piece of clothing. Students quickly relate this activity to the current global problem of textile waste, using this experience to identify problems with fibre regeneration, and develop innovative and sustainable ideas which they can bring to the waste management sector. Great for Arts/Culture and Fashion or Environmental programs and courses as an experiential learning opportunity to enhance student understanding of the processing and value of raw materials in everyday applications. Talk to us about an SPE ICE Component for Ontario SHSM. 

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Cost:$15/pp +$840.00

Duration: 6 hours (3 hours x 2 days)

Location: Your School

​Ontario SHSM Sectors 

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  • Arts & Culture

  • Environment (Experiential Learning)

  • Agriculture/Horticulture (Experiential Learning)

  • Forestry (Experiential Learning)

General Course Classroom Integration:

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  • Visual Arts

  • Fashion

  • Environment

  • Other

natural fabrics

DAY 1

  • Examination of the physical characteristics of natural and synthetic fibres and discussion of their properties

  • Students macerate fabric & blenderize to make fibre slurry

  • Production of fibre vat, while introducing dye plants and aromatic plants into the vat as it is rejuvenated

  • Each student “pulls” one 12”x12” piece of “fabric” from the slurry

  • Dry “fabric” (overnight)

  • Guided discussion on textile waste, consumerism, consumption 

fabric colors

DAY 2

  • Design a 2- or 3-dimensional garment (doll size) to make from 12” x 12” fabric piece

  • Construct garment using cutting, hand sewing, machine sewing, gluing, tying, etc.

  • Attach “baubles and beads” to adorn the garment Group think-pair-share: difficulties with this fabric in making and wearing this clothing, and possible solutions to these difficulties

  • Evaluation of activity as a mock-up of current efforts to recycle used clothing, with individual reflection on alternative choices when shopping and discarding clothes

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