At the heart of our recent collaborative Northern England Fibreshed event with Pasture for Life, was the celebration of regenerative farming—a holistic approach that focuses on revitalising and enhancing the entire farm ecosystem. Regenerative farming is not just about producing high-quality fibres but is about deeply nurturing the land, promoting biodiversity, and improving soil health.

Pasture for Life gathered farmers from our region who are passionate and interested in farming in this way, for an event instigated by project manager, Rob Bunn with mentor (and NEF coordinator) Mark Palmer. They heard presentations from Fibreshed lead Justine Aldersey-Williams who spoke about the origins of the UK Fibreshed movement and her work helping reintroduce native textile crops during the Homegrown Homespun and Woman Grows Jeans projects, Zoe Fletcher who studied British Wool breeds for her PhD and has since established The Wool Library to support both farmers and brands who want to work with the fibre, and Edward Sexton of Glencroft, a local Yorkshire company offering fully traceable woollen knitwear through their Clapdale Wool Project.

The event also hosted Kate Stalker from knitwear label and studio OUBAS in Cumbria and Ali Sharman and Carole Bowman, natural fibre spinners and weavers who were demonstrating and showcasing their regional textiles.

The event opened up conversations between textile practitioners and the farming community; serving as a platform to bridge the gap between those who cultivate the raw materials and those who transform them into beautiful, sustainable products.

Key Conversations Included:

• Understanding Fibre Quality: Farmers and textile experts discussed the nuances of fibre quality, delving into how farming practices directly impact the texture, strength, and durability of wool. This emphasised the importance of collaboration in achieving the highest standards of finished goods.
• Sustainable Practices: Both communities shared insights on sustainable practices, exploring how regenerative farming and eco-friendly textile production can work hand-in-hand to reduce environmental impact and promote sustainability across localised supply chains.
• Innovation and Craftsmanship: The event sparked conversations about innovation in textile design and craftsmanship, highlighting how traditional techniques can be enhanced with modern technology to produce exquisite, sustainable items.
• Building Relationships: By fostering direct connections, the event encouraged ongoing partnerships between farmers and textile practitioners. These relationships are crucial for ensuring a consistent supply of high-quality fibres and for supporting local economies.

Through these conversations, the event not only celebrated the value of natural fibres but also reinforced the collective commitment to a sustainable future in the industry. 

Pasture for Life Principles:

‘Grazing animals on 100% pasture brings positive impacts for biodiversity and carbon, human health and wellbeing, and animal health and welfare. Pasture for Life works on the ground, every day, to restore ecosystems, implement positive change in our food and farming systems, and demonstrate the benefits of 100% pasture fed’.

1. Soil Health: By minimising soil disturbance and promoting organic matter, regenerative practices enhance soil fertility and water retention, leading to healthier pastures and more resilient ecosystems.
2. Biodiversity: Encouraging a diverse range of plant species supports wildlife habitats and creates a balanced ecosystem that can thrive naturally without excessive intervention.
3. Carbon Sequestration: Through practices like rotational grazing, regenerative farming helps capture atmospheric carbon, playing a vital role in combating climate change.
4. Animal Welfare: Ensuring that livestock are raised in environments that mimic their natural habitats promotes healthier, happier animals, which in turn produce superior quality wool.

Holistic Nature of Pasture for Life Grazing:

Pasture for Life embraces a holistic grazing approach that aligns perfectly with regenerative principles. This method focuses on:

• Rotational Grazing: Livestock are moved regularly to fresh pastures, allowing the land to recover and regenerate, promoting robust plant growth and soil health.
• Natural Diets: Animals graze on diverse, nutrient-rich pastures, which enhances their well-being and results in wool of exceptional quality.
• Sustainable Land Management: By integrating livestock into the landscape in a way that supports natural cycles, Pasture for Life ensures the sustainability and vitality of the land for future generations.

Through these practices, we are not only producing exquisite textiles, but also contributing to a positive, symbiotic future. Fibreshed’s commitment to using the finest natural fibres aligns with these values, ensuring that every piece we craft is a testament to the beauty of nature and the importance of responsible stewardship.

Written by Kate Stalker of Oubas Knitwear

Weaving, computing and a bit of an awakening

People often ask me why I started to weave and it’s a question that I struggle to answer. To be honest, I don’t really know. I was a ‘crafty’ kid and could hold my own against most of my class, though was always outshone by others who had real talent.  I moved north in 1990 and spent my spare time fellwalking.  It took until 2013 to re-engage with craft and I chose weaving.

I’ve never considered myself an artist so weaving suited me. You have to be able to count a bit and it helps if you can think in metric and imperial at the same time.  The loom, of course, is the forerunner to the modern computer and I often joke that my 8-shaft loom has 64mb ram.

It might not surprise you to know that I’ve spent the last 20 years working in IT.  Maybe there’s something in my blood too – one grandfather was a tailor and the other repaired carpets.

What I love about weaving is that if you can imagine a pattern within your loom’s computing capability with a bit of planning (and guile) you should in theory be able to recreate it as a piece of cloth. The machine does the work.

So how did this lead me to join the NWE Fibreshed?

I love working with wool – it’s greasy, malleable, smells great and is sustainable. People who practice ‘woolly’ crafts are notorious for building up large stashes and equipment.  We just can’t help ourselves though in our defence we are pretty good at buying leftovers and unwanted kit from each other.   When I ran out of space at home I rented a workshop at Farfield Mill encouraged by my first teacher and great friend, Laura Rosenzweig of Laura’s Loom. 

I didn’t have a plan but the contrast between the hustle and bustle of daily campus life and the relative peace found at the foot of the Howgill Fells – not only solidly rural but steeped in heritage – caused me to really reflect hard on what I value. Joining an artistic and maker community suddenly made me think very differently – I was no longer a hobby weaver and peoples’ perception of me was somewhat divergent to how I viewed myself.

Working close to Laura and seeing what motivated her led me to think more about supply chains, local production, sustainability and understand how easily labels can mask reality. Rules and standards aren’t actually very hard to beat when imported fleece spun in the UK can be labelled ‘British wool’. 

Laura has been a massive influence and with her guidance by 2020 I’d launched Howgill Cloth using regionally-sourced yarn with all manufacturing processes within 70 miles of Sedbergh.

Meeting the demands of the Fibreshed standard will be challenging.  Our region’s heritage is textiles and although so much is long gone, there remain world-class mills who will work with tiny producers such as myself.  Localised production is already within our reach.

What’s next?

I like a challenge so now I need to start thinking about using natural dyes and how I can improve my own weaving practices.

I’ve spent the last 30 years climbing mountains in northern England, the Scottish Highlands – all over the world in fact.  I’ve tried to be a responsible and careful consumer but it’s only now that I find I can respond to the unfolding environmental crisis.  My report card would read ‘room for improvement’.  Fibreshed is my route to giving something back. 

Ali Sharman Handweaver

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November 2020