Going Circular; Harris Tweed Hebrides Repurposing British Waste Textiles
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Hertfordshire
Department Name: School of Creative Arts
Abstract
As agreed with AHRC please see the Case for Support attachment for the full application information
Organisations
| Title | design and production of a collection of bags |
| Description | The vision of the project, one that was realised, was to find purpose for excess Harris Tweed® and to transform it into unique and/or bespoke products that resulted in a collection of tote bags ready for market. |
| Type Of Art | Artefact (including digital) |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Impact | The intention of the project has been to support the rehabilitation of women prisoners through training to produce the products. The focus has been multifaceted in that it addresses the notion of sustainability in a number of ways. Specifically, the use and reuse of excess cloth through the application of circular models that sustain the HTH community workforce and at the same time build further off-island community reach through upskilling an emergent workforce in prisons. Innovation lies in the distinct approach of HTH to support the remote Hebridean community through the supply and manufacture of raw and finished textiles to global industries and the provision of training in sewing and assembly of products to women prisoners as part of their rehabilitation (in collaboration with London College of Fashion - Centre for Social Responsibility). The project has had, and continues to have impact on a multifaceted workforce that is made up of highly skilled mill workers, self-employed home weavers, and low skilled prisoners who have been trained to undertake specialist training in product manufacture. HTH primary sales activity is the supply of Harris Tweed® fabric as a component part to the global apparel sector, that includes an artisan hand-weaving manufacturing system, yarn production and finishing - all of which comply with The Harris Tweed Act of 1993 and which both protects and restricts production to the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. |
| URL | https://www.thebag.studio/ |
| Description | Going Circular; Harris Tweed Hebrides Repurposing British Waste Textiles has embedded sustainable and circular economy practices amongst the Harris Tweed Hebrides (HTH) network of home weavers and mill workers to deliver net-zero wins and created new revenue streams through design and manufacture of unique woven products - with emphasis on upskilling, empowering and the rehabilitation of women prisoners. The most significant achievements of the award was , and is, the collaborative nature of the project, how communities came together to provide solutions to the initial challenge of finding ways to mitigate textile waste and reduce the amount going to landfill. All the objectives were met - a collection of products were designed and are, as continuation of the project, being sampled ready for market. The only objective not met was due to the technical matters relating to the inclusion of the women prisoners. This has been resolved and will continue as part of the legacy project underway, We are currently working on taking the findings forward in the production of sustainable products that include the full team of collaborators. The project has had, and continues to have impact on a multifaceted workforce that is made up of highly skilled mill workers, self-employed home weavers, and students who have been trained to undertake specialist training in product design and manufacture. We are currently building a new website that covers a legacy project currently underway |
| Exploitation Route | This project is innovative as it brings two distinct communities together, and importantly it extends textile use beyond apparel into other finished products. The focus of the research continues to be the use of 'dead', excess stock as part of a circular model that is to be adopted to ensure sustained practice is implemented and no Harris Tweed Hebrides textile goes to landfill. This model is easily replicated across the production of product spectrum. As the strategic aim of this project was to develop a sustainable circular model that addressed waste through the development of a new product line, it provided, and continues to provide the opportunity for HTH to engage in previously under-exploited opportunities including the recycling of unused product and collaborative working with communities unlike their own. These models of engagement function well and provide opportunities for participants to be fully engaged for the duration of the project and beyond - the legacy projects. |
| Sectors | Creative Economy Education Environment Manufacturing including Industrial Biotechology Retail |
| Description | The focus of the project was to assess the types of communities that contribute to the journey of the Harris Tweed Hebrides cloth. Through the project we have identified that the complex journey from farm to fabric is not to be underestimated. What has emerged in our quest to pursue net-zero is the intrinsic want and desire of all participants to make a meaningful contribution, and ultimately a difference to the impact they have on the environment. We have concentrated our attention on the many contributors to better understand the complexity of the supply chain through dialogue with farmers, the scourers, the mill workers, the weavers and our groups of students. Through our research we have identified many challenges that are encountered by all for who net zero is an ambition to be realised despite the challenges faced. Our starting point on the net zero journey has been to look at the amount of waste that is produced by textiles in the UK to find ways of supporting HTH in identifying routes to, in the first instance a circular methodology and in the second instance pursuing their net-zero target. The impact continues to provide opportunities to the public to have access to the weavers on the island of Lewis and to the Shawbost Mill where the Harris tweed is finished. In addition to this we are employing workers to manufacture products from the fabric. The most significant challenge was to secure manufacture in the UK but this was overcome through using a network created partly through the project. We have also furthered the research and are now undertaking a Coastal Communities AHRC project |
| First Year Of Impact | 2022 |
| Sector | Creative Economy,Education,Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections,Retail |
| Impact Types | Cultural Societal Economic |