Source: HempLifestyleMagazine.com
The secret is out and Australian lovers of textile and fabric won't
look back. Hemp is emerging from obscurity and proving its place as
a premier quality fibre.
For many years Industrial Hemp (Cannabis sativa) lived under a
cloud of suspicion created by slander and ignorance. Related to
marijuana, industrial hemp has no drug component, but it's terrific
fibre and oil products have been little known. A whole generation
exists that has never heard of it, and until recently, it hasn't
been widely available in Australia.
This is a product that can be used for building products, food,
paper, plastics, fuel, car bodies, fabrics, ropes, skincare -
around 40 000 different uses. Hemp is a plant grown without
chemicals, that improves the soil it is grown in and only takes a
few months to grow!
To explore hemp fabrics we have selected just a few established and
emerging Australian artists and designers and see what they do and
why they use hemp.
MOOKAH
look back. Hemp is emerging from obscurity and proving its place as
a premier quality fibre.
For many years Industrial Hemp (Cannabis sativa) lived under a
cloud of suspicion created by slander and ignorance. Related to
marijuana, industrial hemp has no drug component, but it's terrific
fibre and oil products have been little known. A whole generation
exists that has never heard of it, and until recently, it hasn't
been widely available in Australia.
This is a product that can be used for building products, food,
paper, plastics, fuel, car bodies, fabrics, ropes, skincare -
around 40 000 different uses. Hemp is a plant grown without
chemicals, that improves the soil it is grown in and only takes a
few months to grow!
To explore hemp fabrics we have selected just a few established and
emerging Australian artists and designers and see what they do and
why they use hemp.
MOOKAH
Mookah is a small independent handmade label created in 2009 by
sisters Nicole and Leisa, after a change of location, lifestyle and
a desire to do something creative and enterprising together. The
sisters had always dreamt of running a business together, but while
they didn't begin their journey with hand-screen printed hemp
fabrics they quickly identified the qualities it could offer.
"For us, fabric isn't just about the visual appeal of colours, it's
also about the design of the prints and the texture of the fabrics
themselves that weave together to reflect your personality, or a
vision of an image you are working to create," say Nicole and
Leisa.
In addition to hand screen-printed fabrics, they make homewares,
such as lampshades, fabric wall art, floor cushions - not just for
feet, but big enough for seats, throw cushions, adults & kids
beanbags, kid's teepees and quirky soft toys.
The Victorian coastal bush land is the main inspiration for their
designs. "Like most people we have little sketches of ideas that
sit in a book for a long time. Then one day you finally work out
how to use it, or how to put it together with other images and they
just work. Our latest leaves fabric came from tow very small
elements - one morning over breakfast, the two pieces just fell
into place."
Nicole & Leisa predominately use the same basecloth (organic
cotton/hemp) for the majority of their products. "It has the
strength and durability for floor cushions, but is soft enough with
a lovely drape for skirts. It's a really versatile fabric."
PIPPIJOE
Melbourne based Pippijoe is the creative product of Caitlin
Klooger. The range is based on fabrics; hand screen-printed with
solvent-free inks, pre-cut or by the metre for craft, clothing,
soft-furnishing and upholstery, or made up in the interiors range
for cushions, lamps and lightshades. Caitlin also produces bespoke
colours to match her client's interiors, including upholstering &
curtains.
Growing up in a creative household, surrounded by painting,
drawing, sewing and other crafts, inspiration and imagination were
key ingredients of Caitlin's childhood. After studying Interior
Design in Brisbane and working for four years as a graphic designer
in London, Caitlin moved to Melbourne and completed a postgraduate
degree in Landscape Architecture at the University of Melbourne.
She worked in this field until becoming a mum inspired her to
rediscover her creativity at home.
Inspired predominantly by nature & landscape, she is particularly
drawn to the look, feel and friendliness of natural fabrics along
with their durability and environmentally sustainable qualities.
"Hemp is naturally tough and resilient, much more durable than
cotton, so it lasts that much longer. It is naturally resistant to
damp, mould, insects and bacteria which makes it great for soft
furnishing in a busy household!"
Pippijoe products are sold online via the website & other outlets
and in selected retail stores. Free crafting project tutorials are
provided via the blog.
"The wonderful thing about the internet is that I can be part of a
huge network of like-minded artistic people who support and inspire
me, whilst spending lots of time at home being a mum," Caitlin
says. "I love that my creations become part of other people's
creations. It's an incredibly exciting and fulfilling process."
SMax
Sandi Maxwell became addicted to hemp fabrics when learning to dye
and print on natural fabrics. "They give such depth of colour and
detail of mark when dyeing, and I just love the 'buttery' feel of
hemp."
This addiction led to the development of the import and wholesale
of hemp products into Australia through her company Hemp Wholesale
Australia. A clothing range, SMax Originals, featuring a variety of
hemp fabrics began, but with a sudden rise in demand for hemp
fabrics in the past couple of years, the business has left behind
some product ranges to focus on and develop hemp textiles for other
Australian designers.
From around 20 types of hemp fabrics that were available in
Australia 8 years ago, the range now includes well over 80 fabrics,
will new ones regularly being added. Various blends include hemp
with silk, tencel, bamboo, organic cotton, soy and yak hair.
"Having printed and dyed and sewed almost all the fabrics in the
range, we have a terrific wealth of knowledge to share with artists
and designers wanting to explore hemp fabrics."
INK & SPINDLE
Ink and Spindle design and hand screen print textiles by the metre
in short runs with water based, solvent free inks on hemp and
hemp-blend basecloths.
Ink and Spindle started with a business meeting in a Café in 2008.
Two independent textile designers who were having their designs
printed by another printing house, and a neighbour with a common
interest in art, design and screen-printing, opened their own
textile design & printing house in Melbourne. Now, Lara Cameron and
Tegan Rose run the business and produce their own in-house range of
screen-printed textiles.
Lara & Tegan endeavour to minimise their impact on the earth in as
many ways as possible - through the inks they use, the packaging,
the treatment of waste-water and general ethos. "We print
exclusively on hemp blend fabrics, which we find to be not only a
sustainable fibre but also durable and soft and lovely to work
with", they confirm.
Lara explains how she developed her recent Flowering Gums design.
"I spent some time in native gardens, and decided I wanted to do a
design based on flowering gums. I tried drawing from memory (which
wasn't too successful), photographing for a silhouette style print
and ended up 'borrowing' a few small branches from local gardens. I
tried 'observational drawing' and liked what happened. From there I
scanned in my drawings and arranged them in a pattern repeat." This
design is unique as the two-colour separations are printed with a
single screen, with the screen rotated 180 degrees.
Ink & Spindle work primarily with a hemp/organic cotton blend
fabric. "We love the unbleached style but also enjoy the lighter
creamy natural colour". Recently they dyed some to a charcoal
colour and printed their famous "Birch" design.
"We were very pleased with the result. Hemp really dyes
beautifully. It's a sustainable fibre that is both soft yet strong.
Blended with organic cotton it prints well and does not crease
heavily like some fibres such as linen. We've also recently begun
printing on a hemp/yak blend fabric which is soft and luxurious",
they say.
There is always plenty happening at Ink & Spindle, as you can read
in their blog. They hold regular open studios with printing
demonstrations, have an online store and wholesale their wares with
stockists in Australia, New Zealand and the USA. In addition, they
are regularly seen at various local markets and trade shows.
Looking forward they say "Our future plans along with growing our
business, include printing onto heavier width hemp blend fabrics
for the high end interiors industry."
Miranda Earle
Located in Teralba, NSW, Miranda Earle is pioneering new areas of
eco fashion as well as developing the art of block printing on
fabric. She has a strong background drawing and painting, and was
introduced to printmaking in High School, 14 yrs ago. She says "I
never recovered. I loved the technique, and was naturally drawn to
printing on fabric to combine with my love of sewing. I love the
idea that art can be intergrated into our everyday lives in the
form of beautiful, practical, wearable art."
Her product starts with looking at plants and flowers, drawing from
life, seeing elements of geometric form and tessellation (patterns
that fit a bit like tiles), developing the design and carving by
hand onto lino blocks. Hand printing onto fabric is essentially
'stamping', where she then adds further layers of colour and
design. "I love the way I can blend and layer colour with this
technique." she says.
Miranda sees clothing as enduring art, not as part of our
throw-away culture, so she chooses hemp fabrics as they are
versatile and long-lasting. She says "Hemp fabrics are comfortable,
luxurious, durable (improves not deteriorates with washing and
wearing) and are sustainable."
She has used blends of hemp/yak hair, hemp/silk, hemp/organic
cotton as well as 100% hemp fabrics.
The Miranda Earle label sells at markets around Newcastle NSW,
selected boutiques in Newcastle & Melbourne, and via an online
store.
Hemp fabrics have been warmly embraced by a range of Australian
textile artists and designers. We have only met a few, who mostly
print or dye the fabrics. Imagine all the other textile
possibilities for hemp fabrics now becoming available in Australia!
CONTACTS
www.mookah.com.au
www.pippijoe.com.au
www.hempwa.com
www.inkandspindle.com.au
www.mirandaearle.com
PO Box 178, Mullumbimby, NSW 2482, AUSTRALIA
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