When it comes to clothing, we live in a system that tends to prioritizes quantity over quality; that favors items that can be worn a few times and discarded above those that are cared for and mended over time. This system disconnects us from the materials our clothes are made from, the people who make them, and places they are made. And it contributes to significant environmental and social harm. But it doesn’t have to be this way. In California, a network of fiber activists and producers are modeling a different textile future. One that emphasizes quality, natural fibers, and local production. That helps build community and regional economies. That has a lighter touch on the Earth.
Rebecca Burgess, founder and director of the Point Reyes-based nonprofit Fibershed, and Alisha Bright, creator and owner of the Petaluma-based workshop and yarn shop Fiber Circle Studio, join Terra Verde host and Earth Island Journal managing editor Zoe Loftus-Farren to discuss what this future might look like.