This is an on-going podcast series looking at society through the gaze of textile making. This is a collaborative project made in partnership with PhD student Rosa Tolnov Clausen. This first pilot episode (in three parts) looks at the evolution of handmade textile manufacturing in the Nordic countries, from pre-industrialisation until today.
Zoom interview with Kristine Holm-Jensen of Tekstilmuseum in Herning, Denmark. We spoke about the history of textile production in the Herning area, from the famous “hosekræmmer” (hosiery knitting) movement of the 1600th and 1700th century, through the industrialisation and up until present time and how it still shapes the whole area and labour market today.
Zoom interview with designer Liv Bejer Heckmann from I Tråd Med Verden (In thread with the world) in Copenhagen, Denmark. We spoke about their work as a social enterprise working with marginalised women and how using textile craft techniques is integral to their work. They specialise in upcycling discarded materials, especially discarded workwear and textiles from hospitals.
Zoom interview with Laura Dalgaard, Copenhagen-based knitwear designer who runs her own self-titled label. We talk about the struggles of being a young designer, trying to get paid in a world that expects you to be happy just to get some exposure, how to run a business without a business degree and the power of instagram.