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bias & contributors bias & contributors Since the 1800s, farming has run the gamut from natural to GMO. But now that governments have entered the fray with supportive subsidies, and organic farmers are making a concerted marketing effort to illustrate the value of this methodology, growth in the organic movement has accelerated. From its origins to today’s explosive industry expansion, we see how the organic food industry has grown over the last half-century into a global phenomenon. Communicating the key benefits of this type of agriculture is critical as it is a more expensive method of production, resulting in pricey products. Today two-thirds of households buy organic products and consumers are increasingly interested in the provenance of their purchases. The move towards organic offerings doesn’t end at the plate – instead, shoppers are looking for holistic options across the board. So why are fibre farmers lagging behind? Textiles are tricky: the old adage ‘you get what you pay for’ is a bit of a paradox when it comes to clothing. Fast fashion may be poorly constructed and quickly fall apart. Fossil fuel fabrics actually last far longer than farmed fabrics. Despite the current trend for darning it is a hard sell to convince consumers that they should spend ten times more on a wool sweater so they have the luxury of darning the elbows when they rub through. Clearly, we need a more persuasive argument. In her article ‘Yan Tan Tethera,’ Judith Schwartz extoll the environmental benefits of raising sheep. Elsewhere, Adrian Pepe discovers the quality of local, Awassi fleece as economic necessity forces him to the hills to source materials. We stay with sheep as Annie Oakley Waterman explores northern Portugal, where she finds a thriving artisan economy supported by local breeds. We also look at farmed fibre cultivation; willow in the UK, abaca in the Philippines, linen in Slovakia and hemp in South Korea, and find blueprints for sustainable production everywhere we visit. If you would like to try your hand at living off the land, Bella Gonshorovitz teaches us how to grow, cook, dye and wear rhubarb. As the war in Ukraine slips from the headlines though it continues on, we remind our readers of The Beautiful Everyday: -Refined Elegance of the Ukrainian Peasant in our stunning shoot styled for us by Maria Kvitka and photographed by Dmytro Komissarenko. Polly Leonard, Founder SELVEDGE 4
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issue 108 Farm: from field to fabric We asked our contributors: How do you connect to the provenance of your clothes? Sara-Ella Ozbek I’ve always felt that a capsule wardrobe is an easier and happier place than one bulging at the hinges. In recent years, I’ve made a habit of trying to buy only pre-loved garments or timeless pieces that I know I–or at least someone–will keep forever. With the ever-increasing price of luxury and vintage shopping, it can be tempting to dip into a faster kind of fashion. But I’m someone who believes that my style is part of my identity and a desire for a sustainable world is a part of that. Trends may be transient, but environmental damage is permanent. Prasad Ramamurthy Magali An Berthon What I wear and what it's made of is an expression of who I am, where I come from and how I want to present myself. Having grown up in a household where my grandmother commissioned her saris from weavers in Mysuru, I have always picked handmade textiles over machine made. On a regular work day I might wear a handblock-printed cotton shirt. On a day that I need a little pick-me-up I'll choose perhaps a Jamdhani kurta. And on special occasions, a muga or nassi silk tunic with pyjamas to match. Fabrics maketh my mood. From the 1970s until the late 1980s, my aunt, a Vietnamese woman in Paris, demonstrated a real knack for fashion. She collected long-lasting, casual chic clothes from French and Italian designers, local brands, and unique finds. Luckily she had great taste, only purchased high-quality natural materials and kept her things with care. Later on, she gave me a generous number of pieces. Since my mid-twenties, then, her clothes have been an integral part of my wardrobe, which I wear daily and tend to twist with simple, contemporary basics. SELVEDGE 5

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Since the 1800s, farming has run the gamut from natural to GMO. But now that governments have entered the fray with supportive subsidies, and organic farmers are making a concerted marketing effort to illustrate the value of this methodology, growth in the organic movement has accelerated. From its origins to today’s explosive industry expansion, we see how the organic food industry has grown over the last half-century into a global phenomenon. Communicating the key benefits of this type of agriculture is critical as it is a more expensive method of production, resulting in pricey products. Today two-thirds of households buy organic products and consumers are increasingly interested in the provenance of their purchases. The move towards organic offerings doesn’t end at the plate – instead, shoppers are looking for holistic options across the board. So why are fibre farmers lagging behind? Textiles are tricky: the old adage ‘you get what you pay for’ is a bit of a paradox when it comes to clothing. Fast fashion may be poorly constructed and quickly fall apart. Fossil fuel fabrics actually last far longer than farmed fabrics. Despite the current trend for darning it is a hard sell to convince consumers that they should spend ten times more on a wool sweater so they have the luxury of darning the elbows when they rub through. Clearly, we need a more persuasive argument. In her article ‘Yan Tan Tethera,’ Judith Schwartz extoll the environmental benefits of raising sheep. Elsewhere, Adrian Pepe discovers the quality of local, Awassi fleece as economic necessity forces him to the hills to source materials. We stay with sheep as Annie Oakley Waterman explores northern Portugal, where she finds a thriving artisan economy supported by local breeds. We also look at farmed fibre cultivation; willow in the UK, abaca in the Philippines, linen in Slovakia and hemp in South Korea, and find blueprints for sustainable production everywhere we visit. If you would like to try your hand at living off the land, Bella Gonshorovitz teaches us how to grow, cook, dye and wear rhubarb. As the war in Ukraine slips from the headlines though it continues on, we remind our readers of The Beautiful Everyday: -Refined Elegance of the Ukrainian Peasant in our stunning shoot styled for us by Maria Kvitka and photographed by Dmytro Komissarenko. Polly Leonard, Founder

SELVEDGE 4

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