ISSUE 14 AUTUMN 2018
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CRAFT | HERITAGE | ENVIRONMENT
BIOHM:
Biomimicry disrupting the linear economy
Weaving a Road to A Fairer Global EconomY
Maths, Crafts and Environmental Politics
Cleaning Up Our Streets: Chewing Gum Collects Chewed Gum
Dear Readers,
Credits
I am pleased that a new issue of NSN Magazine has finally reached you. It has been an exceptionally hot summer here in the UK, and like perhaps many of you, exceptionally hot weather often concerns us as we are told by experts that extreme weather events are likely to be caused by climate change resulting from human activities. As we are told that it is perhaps too late to reverse the process of climate change, NSN Magazine chooses to talk about creativity as the key that can help us find innovative environmental solutions, both in a small and large scale. In this Autumn issue of NSN Magazine, a prime example of a promising initiative is BIOHM - a revolutionary enterprise that aims to disrupt the linear economy using biomimicry. The philosophy behind this London-based enterprise is that we should build things by learning from the workings of the nature (which works in a circular motion) rather than building in a linear fashion (‘take-make-dispose’), as we do now. This issue of the magazine has also your seasonal and healthy dose of environmental crafts. In the traditional crafts section, we will learn how to felt landscapes, explore an environmental campaign dedicated to crocheting coral reefs, ponder over the potential of overcoming capitalism by promoting a new maker economy, and discover the distinctive egalitarian features of Saori weaving. We also look at the outstanding art of artist paint handmade using natural earth pigments. In the sustainable fashion section, we have a fantastic opportunity to learn how to make fish leather from the scraps you might find at your local fishmonger’s with a step by step tutorial. Here, you can also read a number of features dedicated especially to upcycling. In our innovative materials section, we have also an article about an enterprise that makes long-lasting objects with used chewing gums, which have been collected via a dedicated recycling programme. I will leave you to explore the home décor, zero waste, travel and other sections of the magazine on your own. As usual, please do send us your comments via email (info@ noserialnumber.org) or through social media. We love hearing from you.
Editor Alessandra Palange Art Editor Francesca Palange NSN Italy Editor Rosa Rossi Marketing Alessandra Palange Francesca Palange Translations Fuschia Hutton Subscriptions & Advertising info@noserialnumber.org Cover Photos: BIOHM Graphic Content: Fonts by Creativeqube Design, By Lef Design, Mainfile, Freepik and desings by whiteheartdesign Copyright All images are copyright protected and are the property of their respective makers/owners as detailed in each article and photo. No Serial Number Magazine is published four times a year. No responsability will be accepted for any errors or omissions, views expressed or comments by editors, writers or interviewees. No Serial Number Magazine makes all efforts to advertise products that are in accordance with its ethos. However, goods advertised are not necessarily endorsed by No Serial Number Magazine. Information is correct at the time of publication. No part of this publication may be reproduced without permission. All prices are accurate at time of going to press but these may change at any time.
Wishing you a lovely autumn ahead.
Alessandra & NSN Team No Serial Number Team ALESSANDRA, EDITOR I am a qualitative researcher in the social sciences and education with a keen interest in citizenship. Being the editor of No Serial Number Magazine is a hobby for me, something that I do out of passion and with the belief that there are many things we can do to make the world a better place, one of them is producing and consuming more responsibly as a society. I originally had the idea of this magazine when I started networking with eco-friendly artists, artisans, and creative businesses online for a family start-up business. At this point, I realised how diverse and creative the environmental movement really is and thought it would be great to have a place where we could tell all these stories and explore the role of creativity in the search for environmental solutions. If you’d like to propose a story for No Serial Number Magazine you can email me here: editorial@noserialnumber.org
FRANCESCA, ART EDITOR After many years working as a retail manager in the fashion industry, I decided to leave the retail world when I became disenchanted with its focus on profits over the quality of products and the customer experience. I decided to take the leap and start my own business, first by collaborating with eco print artist Michela Pasini and then with my family on the development of No Serial Number Magazine. With time, I became more and more passionate about the graphic design process, so much so that I am now in charge of the design of magazine. I also keep track of emails, sales, and subscriptions, and run the social media pages. If you have any questions about your subscription, a wholesale inquiry or would like to talk about cross-promotion, I am the one to ask! You can contact me here info@noserialnumber.org
ROSA, NSN ITALY EDITOR I am a retired Latin and Greek teacher and an avid knitter and crocheter. I have published school textbooks and work as a freelance writer for Pearson Italia. I am also a consultant for various cultural projects in Italy. At the moment, I am managing the development of a new library within the theatre of Caffeina Cultura and Caffeina Cultura’s own bookstore. For No Serial Number Magazine, I am mainly in charge of finding eco-sustainable realities in Italy, where I am based, and writing about them. I also manage the Italian Blog of No Serial Number Magazine, so if you’re interested in No Serial Number Italia, please visit the blog it.noserialnumber.org or email me: noserialnumberitaly@gmail.com
Featured contributors. . Michelle Challice
Textile Designer specialising in the fructose indigo vat and biodegradable homewares. Recently relocated back home to Britain and works from a tiny natural dye studio on the Dorset coast. Loves her rescue dog Felek, African and Folk textiles and the British weather. Hates having her photo taken!
Facebook: @michellechallicedesign Instagram: @michellechallice
Holly Foat
As a freelancer, I’m passionate about supporting the local community and helping local businesses. I also work in ethical marketing, and enjoy promoting sustainable living and blogging about it. I’m a craft and upcycling enthusiast, especially textiles, although I rarely find the time to create as my two young children keep me busy!
Blog: www.noserialnumber.org/directory/author/holly-foat/ Facebook: @EthicalByHeart Twitter: @CaptainHolly
Paige Perillat-Piratoine
I am especially interested in growing the urban fabric. From urban agriculture to biomaterials, I work with projects that contribute to a more organic cityscape and report on the people that make the steps in that direction.
Kate Stuart I’m a practising artist, writer and craftswoman based in the North East of England. I specialise in upcycling, zero waste living, quilting, and painting with acrylics on canvas. I live with my partner, our two children whom we home educate, and a variety of pets. As a family, we aspire to return to the crofting roots of my ancestors, and to live a zero waste, self-sufficient life. Etsy Shop: www.etsy.com/uk/shopThePhoenixGreenStore Facebook and Instagram: @thephoenixgreenstore
DO YOU WANT TO WRITE FOR THE MAGAZNE? GET IN TOUCH!! If you are passionate about crafts, art, design, social projects, zero waste and all the other subjects that we
cover on our magazine then get in
touch and you could become one of our contributors.
All you need to do is to send us an email to info@noserialnumber.org.
We also have opportunities to write for our blog so get in touch!
Contents TRADITIONAL ARTS, TRADES AND CRAFTS Felting for Good in Wales Felting a Landscape for Beginners Maths, Crafts and Environmental Politics Weaving a Road to a Fairer Global Economy Weaving for Everyone: A Liberating Experience of Self Reflection 24. Artist Made Watercolours 6. 8. 11. 14. 18.
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Emma Bevan
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SUSTAINABLE FASHION 28. 32. 34. 36.
Hushwings Watercolors
Fish Leather on a Narrow Boat Fish Leather Tutorial Fairies and Colours The Chrysalis Effect
UPCYCLING HUB 38. A Local Upcycling Business and the Economy of Waste Textiles 42. Thoughts About Upcycling with BBC Personality Jay Blades INNOVATIVE MATERIALS 44. Cleaning Up Our Streets: Chewing Gum Collects Chewed Gum 46. BIOHM: Biomimicry Disrupting the Linear Economy HOME CHRONICLES 50. When One’s Favourite Fabrics Turns into Beautiful Quilts 54. Quilted Coaster Tutorial 56. Bright Pieces That Are Alien to the Beach
Biohm
TRAVEL CHRONICLES 58. Fibre and Clay in the Wild WORKSHOP STATION ZERO WASTE 62. Choose to Refuse: Letting Plastic Free July Inspire You, All Year Round 63. Plastic Free Tea 63. Freedom From Plastic with Fabric Bags 64. Zero Waste Craft & Supplies 66 Bindweed Blues
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Native Hands
PROJECTS FOR THE PLANET PETITIONS ISSUES FOR ETHICAL BUSINESSES THE ECO CRAFTERS AND ENTREPRENEURS’ AWARDS
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Wholecloth
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Each issue is created with love: love for our world heritage and love for the environment. We are really passionate about meeting creative people that put all their effort in combining these two elements - that’s why this magazine exists! In this day and age we desperately need to change the way we live, consume and produce. We hope that with this magazine we are contributing towards this goal. If you love what you see subscribe today and help us grow and reach more people! www.noserialnumber.org
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TRADITIONAL ARTS, TRADES & CRAFTS
Felting for Good in Wales Words and photography by Emma Bevan
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My home is in the Brecon Beacons, and provides me with a constant source of inspiration; I am also inspired and intrigued by folklore, our ancestors, and stories of our culture. I love finding that little spark of magic that bursts into life and creates a new project!
began my journey in art enjoying pencil drawing and lino-printing, and went on to study as a printmaker and photographer at the University of Arts in London. When I returned to Wales, I trained as a tutor and worked with students with additional needs. For a number of years I lost my connection with my artistic side; back in my hills of Wales, I was busy as a single parent and tutor, although I did enjoy some photography and poetry writing when I had time.
I exhibit regularly, and receive several commissions a year, and I now run workshops all over Wales. These take several formats; sometimes I am paid to run them by the venue, who organise the dates and bookings, other times I organise them myself. Occasionally I run small group or 1-2-1 workshops at my cottage, or at people’s homes.
I had no experience in working with textiles at all, but during my treatments for cancer in 2011, my friend and neighbour mentioned that I might keep myself from being bored by trying needle-felting. I had never heard of it, but decided to teach myself. It was a somewhat painful process, producing unrecognisable blobs and breaking needles, but, I fell in love with its versatility and meditative processes, and persevered! Eventually, I created work that was recognisable, and as I recovered from the cancer, I was invited to sell at fairs and run workshops. I love teaching, and seeing the amazement on people’s faces as their bundle of wool turns into a gorgeous landscape or beautiful creature.
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I am also developing my Workshop Wagon project, where I aim to take my van full of materials to events to run free or donation-only workshops for children... I am working on the interior to create room for small groups to be able to make felt inside the van, but I can also take all my wool and tools out to the community, to hard to reach groups. I currently run
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these at festivals such as Green Man and River Cottage. Feltmaking is relaxing, creative, and fun, and creativity is an important part of our lives. Learning new skills whilst socialising is a wonderful way to develop our confidence and express ourselves too. Facilitating participants’ learning and sharing their achievements is really rewarding, and I feel very lucky to be involved!
In the pictures Derby Ram: needle felted ram's head - commission Spring: needle felted wall hanging of spring rising Keeper of Dreams: needle felted sleeping hare Faerie: needle felted faerie
R FIND IT ONLINE Website: www.ffolkyffelt.com Facebook and Twitter: @FfolkyFfelt Instagram: @emmaffolkyffelt
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or f er v o Turn a's 2D Emm scape Land orial Tut
Weaving for Everyone: A Liberating Experience of Self-Reflection Interview by NSN Team Photography by NSN Team, Erna Janine and Claudia Grace Laxton Netherlands, Iceland, Mongolia, India and Japan: a mixture of deep experiences has marked the formation of Erna Janine, a professional weaver who specialises in the Saori technique. In this interview, Erna Janine tells us a little bit about her background and about the Saori philosophy, which reminds us about being free to explore without fixed schemes, get inspired also by the mistakes that we make along the way, as all humans do, thus making weaving a craft for everyone.
Hello Erna Janine, thank you for taking the time to talk to me. First of all tell me a bit about you? Where do you come from? I was born in the Netherlands in the mid-seventies. Both my parents were born in small farming and fishing villages some time before the second world war. The atmosphere in our home reflected this, my mother made most of our clothes, most of the vegetables came from the garden and there was a certain reluctance towards “modern stuff”. My grandmother lived a long life in the province of Zeeland and was one of the last remaining women to sport the traditional costume there. During time spent at her home in the summer, I often observed her getting ready in the morning, a complicated process of folding and pinning down specific pleats. The Dutch Traditional costume varied from village to village and was always hand-made. Different days required different colours schemes and big life events would be expressed by the wearing of specific outfits for each occasion, often along with gravity defying headwear and “head-jewellery”. Keeping the layers of clothing in good nick demanded constant attention; not much was left open to speculation. It was only during a visit to the blockprint museum in Jaipur last year, that I realised the cloth I
had alway identified with Dutch rural costume had actually been produced and hand-printed in India, indeed the red, white and blue are the most common block print colours there. I see from your website that you have worked with natural textiles for over 20 years, can you tell me why you decided to work with natural materials rather than choosing manmade fibres? I believe that the difference between manmade and natural materials tends to be more conspicuous in the extremes. A piece of woven silk hand dyed with natural colours will become more beautiful and characterful with time, a piece of polyester will not. But there are overlaps, and often although something is natural, it could have still been produced under harsh conditions or come at a severe cost to the earth, such as cotton for instance. I like to weave with paper yarns from Japan at the moment, these are highly processed, mostly unnatural and have had to travel a long way to my studio in the Cotswolds, but they are still perceived to be fairly natural. What kinds of natural materials do you work with? And
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SUSTAINABLE FASHION
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Fish Leather on a Narrowboat: the Fashion of Bryn P ratt-Boyden Interview by NSN Team Photography by Bryn Pratt-Boyden Bryn Pratt-Boyden is a designer based in London who makes costumes and clothing using a variety of materials and techniques. Most peculiar are his experiments with fish skin, essentially scraps from traditional fishmongers. These experiments result in beautifully textured leather. You can try this technique by following Bryn’s tutorial in the next few pages of this issue of No Serial Number Magazine. Have you also experimented with fish leather or leather from other scrap materials? Let us know by emailing us (info@noserialnumber.org) or tagging us on our social media pages. We will re-share or publish the results of your experiments in the next issues of the magazine! Hi Bryn, thanks for taking the time to talk to NSN Magazine! First of all tell us a little bit about your background in fashion, textile and costume design. I have always had an interest in textiles and fashion, buying fabrics before I knew how to use them! I studied fashion at Falmouth University. It was a great course and had a real focus on teaching people how to make everything themselves. It was also extremely inspiring living by the sea, and I feel like this inspiration still runs through my work. I moved onto a small narrowboat in London and started an MA at Kingston. Since graduating, I have been freelancing, making costumes and clothing on request.
discovered. I wouldn’t say I prefer any fabric over another as they all have their strengths and limitations. When and how did you start working with fish leather? Can you tell us your rationale for using this by-product? Originally I saw fish skin and Seal gut leather at The Pitt Rivers in Oxford. I did some research and heard about its strong, supple qualities. I started using it around four years ago. I was shocked that the skins usually get thrown away, as I thought they would at least be used as cat food or something! Everyone thought I was crazy, tanning my own fish leather on my boat, but once they saw the finished product, they came round to the idea. I was shocked that something so disgusting and smelly could be turned into a beautiful, natural, textured leather!
The variety of materials and techniques that you use to create your art is impressive, why so much variety? Primarily, I love to experiment. I think so much of modern fashion has become stale. Why cut a design short by using boring fabrics, when there are so many interesting textiles? I have always had a passion for textiles, and have been collecting little bits for most of my life. Sometimes the exact fabric I am looking for, doesn’t yet exist, so I have to create something new! I’m always looking for something new and interesting to work with!
Your website also says that you tan fish skin with tea, can you tell us a bit more about the process? During my research I found fish leather had origins in China, Iceland, and the Arctic. Actually, they still make fish skin leather in all these places, but the natural, eco process has mostly died out and replaced with damaging chemical processes. I discovered they used to produce fish skin leather
How did you start working with scrap materials? What attracted you to Japanese Boro? I first discovered boro about seven years ago…I was fascinated that something so worn and old could have such beauty. All the layers of old fabric, hand stitched together… each layer telling a different story. I just found it inspiring that, although out of necessity, people were much more conscious about waste than we are now. Each tiny scrap would be saved, no matter how small. I like to carry this into my own practice. Seven years ago, I brought so much of these boro scraps; back then they were very cheap, but now boro has become incredibly expensive as I think people are finding an appreciation for hand-made folk textiles. My final collection at Falmouth used these fabrics; my thinking was that by showing people the beauty of a loved, cherished, garment, that had survived years of use, maybe I could persuade some people to start mending their own garments. Due to the price increase, I have been patching up old garments I own already, or buying old things from charity shops. What are the materials and techniques you prefer working with? I love working with natural fabrics mainly. Anything from wools, cottons, bamboo, nettle! I think this is an exciting time for textiles as so many new things are being invented or re-
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BIOHM: BIOMIMICRY DISRUPTING THE LINEAR ECONOMY Words by Paige Perillat-Piratoine Photography by Biohm
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n 2015 Ehab Sayed, based in Brunel University, led a year-long research project investigating the UK’s waste streams. He was especially impacted by the vast amounts of waste generated by the construction industry. It was clear to him that such a complex and fragmented industry needed a change, and not just a change - but a multi-faceted and holistic solution. A year later, Ehab had developed an interlocking construction system: Triagomy. The system can achieve drastic reductions in buildings’ environmental impact, build-times and costs compared to conventional methods. More importantly, it transforms industry perceptions and inspires innovative and circular business models. So in 2016, Ehab, advised by industry experts, decided to tackle the construction industry head-on. He patented Triagomy globally to start his company: Biohm. Biohm’s mission is to revolutionise the construction industry by allowing nature to lead innovation.They are now developing new materials to replace those currently used in construction.
man-made products and systems that solve a problem». The science of biomimetics is driven by the realisation that our most prized inventions exist in more elegant and efficient forms in nature. Bamboo stems and lily pads for example contain beautifully constructed structures that surpass make man-made architectural forms in every way. Our air conditioning and ventilation systems cannot
Biohm’s philosophy and principles are driven by the laws and principles that exist in nature. Biomimicry, or biomimetics, is « the abstraction of formations, structures, functions and processes in biological systems to create
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compete with the way the architecture of termite mounds passively maintains precise temperatures. For Biohm, a deep understanding of how organisms achieve such feats of engineering can shed light on how we can solve some of the industry’s most pressing challenges. It can lead a transition from our «take-make-dispose» linear economy to a circular future. Ehab argues modern science is based on Linear Systems Theory, which limits our understanding of the world since it only approximates reality. In fact, he feels most of the phenomena we study, describe or interact with are nonlinear in nature and are governed by the dynamics of feedback loops rather than linear equations. For him, this may be why environmental, social and economic problems tend to arise through processes driven by conventional linear thinking. In that line of thought, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation predicts that by 2030, our demand for resources will increase by at least a third. And as we continue to operate within a ‘linear economy’, this will disrupt the supply chain and cause price volatility. Given that the construction industry is responsible for around 60% of material use in the UK and at least onethird of all waste, there is a strong necessity to lead the industry towards a more biomimetic circular future. Yet today’s construction materials still consume vast amounts of virgin resources, contain synthetic and harmful substances and are developed without end-of-life considerations. The future of these materials is highly questionable since they do not fit in a circular economy. In fact, a circular economy cannot be realised without a clear liability-chain. In a liability-chain, as a material’s life becomes (theoretically) never-ending, so does its owner’s or developer’s responsibility. As a result of this philosophy, all of Biohm’s materials are carbon-neutral, if not carbon-negative. They are the result of collaborations with nature and the sensitive manipulation of naturally occurring biological processes. Biohm holistically considers every aspect of material life-cycles to eliminate negative impacts on the environment and human health. It also identifies opportunities where restoration is necessary. They work hard to change preconceptions around sustainable and bio-based materials, and ensure that their materials are price-competitive and accessible to all. Biohm’s materials include Mycelium (the vegetative part of a mushroom), Orb (Organic Refuse Biocompound), PBC (Plant-Based Concrete) and Biological Self-assembling Organisms. Hence, Biohm is experimenting with different species of Mycelium to create sustainable alternatives to some of the construction industry’s most damaging materials. Mycelium consumes organic and/or synthetic waste to grow into desired shapes and different types of waste to alter its properties. This could have highly significant implications for ridding our planet from the mountains and islands of synthetic waste. The material is capable of achieving higher insulation values than current synthetic alternatives and is self-extinguishing. Biohm is currently undergoing the process of scaling-up their Mycelium Insulation that will be made available to the industry in 2019. Biohm’s Mycelium is currently available for use in interior architecture projects, furniture and art installations. This biodegradable material can be collected at end-of-life to feed the next batch of insulation and if landfilled, would simply biodegrade over time without introducing any toxins or affecting pH levels in soil. Biohm also converts one of the western world’s fastestgrowing waste streams into a valuable and functional material. They organically bind food waste or agricultural waste into a material which they form into sheets or mould to create intricate three dimensional shapes. Orb is the world’s only material of its kind, it does not use synthetic additives
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A mAGAZINE ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL CRAFT MOVEMENT Why the name “No Serial Number”? Because nature and craft share a common characteristic, they are not made in series. They are both the result of an organic, slow process of growth and development. Not one leaf is the same, nor is a handmade creation. Crafts remind us that our hands and minds can work in tune with our natural environment to make things that are useful, or simply beautiful. As a society, we are in urgent need to slow down and preserve our collective environmental and artisanal heritages from unsustainable production practices and corporate greed. No Serial Number Magazine is a humble attempt to explore how creativity, nature, activism and business intersect in contemporary society. Who is it for? artists, artisans, casual makers, craftivists, and conscious citizens Topics textile arts • natural colours • traditional trades and crafts • creative upcycling and salvaging • slow fashion • zero-waste lifestyle • biodiversity • kitchen chronicles • grassroots environmental movements INDEPENDENTLY PUBLISHED BY NO SERIAL NUMBER ISSN 2516-1776 (Print) ISSN 2516-1784 (Online)
No Serial Number Magazine www.noserialnumber.org info@noserialnumber.org Fb: www.facebook.com/noserialnumbermagazine Twitter: @N0serialnumberM Use #NoSerialNumber Pinterest: noserialnumber Instagram: @noserialnumber.com_magazine £9 + Delivery Printed on recycled paper at UEL Printers
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