The inaugual Selvedge World Fair, created by independent textile publication Selvedge magazine, will be held September 3-5 at Mary Ward House, in Bloomsbury, London.
The three-day event, a celebration of cloth, culture and creativity, will present the work of 100 artisans, bringing together varied - and in some cases endangered - textile traditions from as many countries as possible.
Visitors will be able to buy direct from the makers, take part in workshops, listen to talks and watch skills demonstrations.
The exhibitors include Somporn Intaraprayong, award-winning embroiderer and textile artist from Thailand, Maria and Karl Wagner, fourth generation dyers and experts in the 'Blaudruck' technique from Austria and, Aissata Namoko, indigo dyer and Djiguiyasa Cooperative founder from Mali. Other techniques on show will include shibori dyeing from Japan, basket-weaving from Swaziland and silk carpet weaving from Uzbekistan.
"The World Fair will be an antidote to the homogenised and de-valued textiles seen in fast fashion," said Polly Leonard, Selvedge's founder and editor. "Our society has lost a lot of textile knowledge; the variety available to the consumer is narrower, what we consume we appreciate less, and we're disconnected from the people and processes that go into fabric production.
"This event will present an exciting alternative that celebrates and values textiles and the people who make them, specifically artisans engaged in heritage crafts, however they interpret that in their work."
Photo: Blaudruck Wagner
more: selvedge.org (89)