Polartec video clips, covering a whole host of stuff including good old recycled fleece.

http://www.polartec.com/video-gallery/default.aspx

Its climate week, so there is a bit of a theme here.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/gallery/2011/mar/23/ethical-fashion-spring#/?picture=372907853&index=0

A fashion editorial round up of the best eco/ethical brands out there. Its just so ridiculously now, I've been covering it all week with years 10-13.

ethical textiles - a really indepth article from the guardian

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2011/mar/21/lily-cole-supermodel-fashion-ethical

AND a video to boot!

Happy 70th Birthday Polyester!

This edition of womans hour from Monday is an ABSOLUTE MUST for getting the basics across about polyester.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00zdbj3/Womans_Hour_14_03_2011/

I particularly like the song which I have transcribed onto a power point slide for a regular revision sing along.

All together now "P- is for polyester, O- its made of oil..............."

Spinning and weaving programme. V useful

A gentle bit of telly that actually has some quite good stuff about the basics of weaving in it.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00zj1bt/The_Boat_That_Guy_Built_A_Good_Nights_Sleep/

In the words of the brilliant Tovey. Fashion just needs to relax a bit!

I had a great discussion with my year 12 class this week (spontaneously) about the future of the fashion industry and where all this mega growth is going. Can we learn any lessons from designers of the past and who is going to lead the revolution?

I am going to give them this article from the Washington Post to follow it up. After reading the coverage of the Paris shows there just doesnt seem to be the appetite to sustain ALL this fashion. But where will it go from here?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/fashion-designer-crackups-raise-question-is-industrys-pace-too-relentless/2011/03/10/AB3d0VR_story.html

Lotus flower cloth in Burma and the Fur/Faux debate on Radio 4

Something to keep sixth formers (and anybody else) up to date with cutting edge issues in textiles.

New wonder-fibre from Burma made from the stems of lotus flowers

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/e7445238-45e5-11e0-acd8-00144feab49a.html#axzz1Fu1JV2xL


Could fur be produced sustainably? is it time to look again at the impact of the fur industry? Great radio 4 docmentary

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00z5hrn/Costing_the_Earth_Fur_or_Faux/

I may have blogged this before but it seems to be coming up this week for some reason

http://www.vam.ac.uk/collections/textiles/videos/video_jacquard/broadband.html

Fabulous little clip from the V and A, I have to admit a didnt know EXACTLY how jaquard weaving was done until I saw this a couple of years ago (!) its so clever!

There is a much underappreciated jaquard loom as you go into the science museum, am I the only person who has gone through the door and actually RUN over to see it? (I suspect yes) I had a similar experience when I drove through Calais last summer and stopped the car (despite running late for the ferry) to have a look at Jaquard's memorial statue. A top bloke.