We have written before about the rich manufacturing and textile history present in our community. The Shoals area and surrounding communities were working fabric and textile materials beginning in the late 1800’s. Those earlier years were often unkind to the mill workers and their families who worked long hours, lived in factory-owned apartments, and shopped in factory-owned stores. But, as the Industrial Revolution gave way to reform, textile manufacturing stayed in our community and flourished. Eventually, it was something that we in The Shoals were known for, as we were often called the “T-Shirt Capital of the World.”

Terry Wylie’s family founded Tee Jay’s Manufacturing Co. here in Florence in 1976, and in doing so became the foundation for a local industry. Whole families were known to work together, producing t-shirts and cotton products. Typical of our community, the company and the employees were loyal to one another. It was common for an employee to stay at Tee Jays for decades. Our Production Manager, Steven, worked for the Wylie family for years – for a time, working in the same building where Alabama Chanin is currently housed. It was this way until the passage of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Tee Jays and other local manufacturers eventually shuttered all domestic manufacturing. It was an undeniably tough hit for a community that had “worked” cotton for most of its existence. Some of those who hand stitch for us once worked in mills and lost their jobs when plants here in Alabama closed and moved to cheaper locations. This move left our building, once a thriving manufacturing center, an empty shell, as you can see from the picture above. Machines like the ones below were moved elsewhere, and the resounding hum of our once busy manufacturing community was silenced.

At Alabama Chanin, we are constantly learning, growing, and gathering the understanding to expand our range of knowledge and operations. In 2012, we made our first attempts at farming organic cotton, and we hope to move forward, taking into account all that we’ve learned. We have also been learning as much as we can about what it means to manufacture on a larger scale, with machines. For Alabama Chanin, part of growing a healthy, sustainable company means growing a healthy community.

I have to admit, the idea of machine manufacturing was always in the back of our minds—even as we built Alabama Chanin with hand-sewn garments over the last decade. There have been many conversations with Terry Wiley, and other businessmen in our community, about what it might take to begin to rebuild the textile industry close to home. It was our thought that by expanding our staple of goods to include a sustainable machine-made line, some of those production jobs might return.

Today, that dream is coming true. We are taking what we have learned from the MAKESHIFT conversations about intersecting design, manufacturing, craft, and DIY. We have relationships that join designers and manufacturers and DIY. We are involved in our supply chain from seed to finished product. Our next challenge will be creating new intersections of these industries all within one company, under one roof. Adding a machine-made component to our skill set will show, to a degree, how these industries and these ways of working with diverse groups of people can embrace one another and thrive.

To do this, we want to create a manufacturing facility that will not only create an additional range of Alabama Chanin goods, but provide opportunity, knowledge, and space for other companies interested in organic, Made in the USA production. There is a dearth in the market for affordable, organic garments made in our own country. For years we have cultivated relationships with organic suppliers and, to the best of our ability, built an organic supply chain from start to finish.

Our goal is to revitalize the once-thriving garment manufacturing industry within our community while joining elements of design, manufacturing, craft, cottage industry, and DIY as a model for other manufacturers. Some may say that it is a lofty goal, but we have experienced advisors, makers, and designers at our side. The machines are here and we are in the process of getting them running. The silence of the room (see below) is now bustling with the sound of progress. It’s  just a matter of days before the machines will be humming too. Look for more information on the Alabama Chanin machine-made line in the coming weeks, and stay tuned for updates on our progress.

The practice of numbering houses supposedly began in Paris in the 1500’s. Having a house number is something we don’t give a second thought to these days, but they have not always been used and they certainly have not always been popular.

Some countries have numbered zones, requirements for the number of digits, double sets of numbers, and different color street numbers for different purposes, like upstairs and downstairs. Every country, state, city, or county seems to have their own numbering system. Early numbering systems were developed for the controversial purposes of census taking, drafting men into the military, taxation, creating borders, and other government functions. They were not created for their current purpose: ease of navigation. No matter the country, modern day houses are often required to be numbered for purposes of delivering mail or in case emergency services are needed.

Early identification methods didn’t involve numbers at all. If you wanted to identify or contact the residents of a home, you used the house’s name. But house names were not always displayed, there was no central directory, and sometimes there was more than one house with the same name. This meant that locals could find other locals, but outsiders had a difficult time finding their way around. When the idea of numbering houses was introduced, the idea was not incredibly popular, as it was seen by many as a form of government control.

Today, in modern day America, there is no set standard for how streets get numbered, but there are some practices that are used often. For instance, odd numbered houses are almost always on one side of the street, and even numbered houses are on the opposite side. Some cities are designed as grids with a center point; each block that moves farther from the center increases by 100 (2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th Avenue, etc.) and directional modifiers are determined based upon this point (2^nd Avenue North, for example).

My father has been hounding me for years about numbering my house. I’ve never been sure why it was important, since I get my mail and people seem to find the place pretty easily. But, when I saw these numbered tiles, part of a collaboration between House Industries and Heath Ceramics, I coveted house numbers. House Industries creates beautiful fonts and designs, often from unusual or inspired origins. Their typography can take inspiration from a number of sources, blending musical, cultural, and graphic elements. Their design aesthetic works perfectly with the Heath brand. Both companies focus on craftsmanship and forming partnerships and each of them use a hands-on approach when creating products. I purchased the Neutra numbers, but there is also an Eames-inspired collection that is just as beautiful.

I guess my house will not remain incognito anymore. I like that the house numbers add warmth to the entrance and my father is happy to know my house is now properly attired.

On the heels of MAKESHIFT 2013, we are inspired and invigorated by the conversations around design, fashion, food, craft, and DIY that took place last week during New York Design Week. We hope that you have followed our explorations throughout the events this year and have used our discussions to begin conversations of your own. We are even more convinced about the importance of making, sharing, and finding common ground, and look forward to expanding the conversations about design, fashion, food, craft, and DIY over the coming months.

One thing that resonates from those talks last week, are the concepts of collaboration and skill sharing.  As we continue to open source our ideas, our Alabama Chanin workshops will continue to grow. These events—like MAKESHIFT—have become an intimate, extraordinary way for us to connect with fellow makers, designers, and like-minded creators across the country (and the world).

The idea for these one-on-one workshops originally came from my editor, Melanie. And when she first explained what she meant, I couldn’t imagine that anyone would want to come and spend time in our studio.  (This wasn’t the first time she proved me wrong.) Today, this idea has become an important part of who we are as a company and our growing business model.

Most companies don’t have the ability or the location that allows for hands-on studio work. The Factory, our studio since 2007, was originally built as a as a sewing factory in 1982, and has proven an ideal place for designers, makers, sewers, and potential business owners to gather.

The types of workshops we offer in our studio have grown and expanded over the last five years, from a One-Day Workshop, to a Studio Weekend, to an Individual Studio Day. And this may sound trite, but no matter the group, the environment, or the length of time spent, we have walked away from each workshop having learned something – about others’ sewing techniques, family histories, personal connections to craft, even some off-color jokes that we won’t admit to telling. There is always an incredible sense of sharing, of collaboration, and of community. We teach; we learn.

We are in the process of expanding our space here at The Factory, designing an event center that will provide the space for community events, communal dinners, and, most importantly, a studio space for total immersion into design, craft, making, and expanding ideas. After a few requests from workshop attendees, and upon spending a week this past summer at Shakerag Workshops, followed by two weeks at Penland School of Crafts, we decided to expand our collection of workshops to include a week-long studio experience.

These Studio Weeks are planned for twice a year, starting with November 11– 16, 2013, and again next spring, May 26-31, 2014.

The class will explore different types of fabric manipulation with 100% cotton jersey, including how various stitching, stenciling, and color application techniques can transform and personalize a garment or a piece of work. Students will learn to hand sew and create contemporary embellishments using classic techniques like appliqué, couching, and various types of thread work. The class will explore color, layout, and inspiration for fabric design and project creation. Students will complete sample blocks using some of our demonstrated techniques that they can use for reference or can piece together to create scarves, pillows, or other items, all with an eye toward developing and preparing a garment project by the end of the week.

See our Studio Week PDF for more detailed information about what to bring, what to wear, and a full list of our favorite restaurants, pubs, and hiking trails.

The cost for the week is $3,000 and includes 6 yards of 100% organic cotton jersey in the color of choice (enough for one or more garments), a thread and embroidery floss sampler, access to airbrush and paint, a selection of garment patterns and stencils available in our Alabama Studio book series, instruction, daily breakfast and weekday lunches, non-alcoholic beverages, studio access daily from 8:00 am – 6:30 pm and a few surprises along the way. (Additional Alabama Chanin fabric and supplies can be purchased at a discount.)

If you are interested in learning more about the Studio Week, please contact: workshops (at) alabamachanin.com or call Olivia at +1.256.760.1090 M-F from 8:00 am – 5:00 pm CST.

Register here.

On Sunday, as part of MAKESHIFT 2013, we co-hosted a Chair Workshop, modeled after the MAKESHIFT 2012 workshop, Crafting Design, sponsored by Partners and Spade. This year we teamed up with Build It Green!NYC (BIG!NYC) and Krrb and invited an array of makers to join us for an afternoon of collaboration, innovation, and chair re-design. While our event at The Standard focused on conversation (though there was plenty of making going on as well), the chair event has evolved into a make-centered occasion where a community of designers work both independently and together through skill sharing and mutual encouragement.

The event was held at BIG!NYC’s restore facility in Brooklyn – a warehouse filled with doors, fireplace mantels, sinks, mirrors, tiles and a number of other goods, much of it vintage and antique, acquired through donations and offered at low prices for those looking to save money (and the landfill) in home renovations. Or in the case of friend Kerry Diamond (of Cherry Bombe Magazine) and her chef/partner Robert Newton, the interior of their third and most recent restaurant, Nightingale 9, was designed with salvage bought from BIG!NYC.

All chairs were donated to BIG!NYC and given to participants, who repaired them, embellished them, or in some cases, completely repurposed them by combining aspects from more than one chair into a singular new creation. The energy was high and creativity sparked.

Various supplies from the Alabama Chanin studio included 100% organic cotton jersey scraps and pulls, thread and needles, stencils, and tools. Build it Green! provided essential tools like hammers, nails, screws, drills, staple guns, heavy duty adhesive, paint, brushes, and even a hair dryer.

Amy Devers from “Fix This Yard” on A&E joined us to help guide designers in the nitty-gritty of furniture re-doing, along with Andrew Wagner of Krrb. Kristen Wentrcek of Wintercheck Factory came and made an awesome love-seat/bench from three chairs.

As our guests finished up their chairs, a DJ played, Brooklyn Brewery ales were imbibed, and local fare was devoured.

Most of our makers left their chairs with BIG!NYC to be auctioned off with 100% of proceeds going to help support the restore facility and staff in their efforts to keep landfills clear of reusable debris. Natalie and the Alabama Chanin team also worked on a chair – a bench actually – with the help of Amy Devers and friends Gael Towey and Kay Gardiner, which will be auctioned off as well.

A huge thanks to our co-sponsors, Build It Green!NYC and Krrb, and to all the designers who braved the drab weather to join us for this great event.

Two weekends ago, we participated in the inaugural Southern Makers event in Montgomery, Alabama. The one-day affair, curated and created over the last year by Goodwyn, Mills and Cawood, Matter, and E.A.T. South, celebrated Alabama-based makers and designers who focus on producing and transforming modern sustainable products derived from local traditions in architecture, food, fashion, and design. The afternoon included workshops, panel discussions, a maker bazaar, chef tasting booths, live bands, and a wealth of conversations that grew over coffee, delicious food, and locally brewed beer.

The Union Station Train Shed on the Alabama River offered the perfect venue for the 90+ artisans, artists, chefs, musicians, designers, and makers who convened for the day. The set, designed by Bell + Bragg and Southern Accents Architectural Antiques, had a distinctly Southern aesthetic, and was organized by region: Points North; Points Central; Points South. We shared a section of the train shed with friends Butch Anthony, Billy Reid, and artist Audwin McGee. Live bands, including Florence natives, The Pollies, occupied the stage that anchored the north end of the depot, set before the backdrop of windows, a wall of doors, and a constantly occupied swing that hung from the enormous roof.

Chefs David Bancroft of Acre, Wesley True of True (both part of the Front Porch Revival, who spoiled us with an impressive menu last month during Barnstorm 2013), and Jim N’ Nick’s BBQ (who took good care of us last fall at our cotton picking party) provided tastes for Southern Makers attendees. Cheese maker Tasia Malakasis demonstrated how to make goat cheese from her Belle Chevre booth. We met the ladies behind Mama Mocha’s Coffee Emporium, an in-house roaster in Auburn, Alabama, where they brew each cup to order (the Whiskey Caramel Latte with an Evan Williams-brown sugar reduction was a favorite). We also met the guys behind Plenty Design Co-op, a Birmingham, Alabama design firm focused on modern, minimalist design principles (more on their beautiful pieces to come…).

It was a full day, beginning with a Two-Hour Sewing Workshop that overlapped an all-day busy booth, and concluded with a successful panel discussion on which Natalie spoke alongside makers Gina Locklear of Zkano socks, Eating Alabama filmmaker Andy Grace, Carol Griffin of Birmingham’s Continental Bakery (maker of our favorite wild yeast bread), Chris Blankenship of Alabama Gulf Seafood, and Carter McGuyer from Carter McGuyer Design, a Tuscumbia-based design firm, on the topic of renewing traditional, local industries to resonate in a modern world. The panel discussion was one of several conversations under the theme “Alabama: Past, Present, Future,” that addressed sustainability and preservation of materials and traditional practices across creative disciplines in Alabama.

The event was a great beginning to understanding the wealth that our own state-wide communities and makers possess, and an excellent event model for other states and communities to follow. This week we kick off MAKESHIFT 2013, on occasion of New York Design Week, where we look forward to hosting (and co-hosting) several conversations and events around the intersection and collaboration of industries like design, fashion, food, music, craft, and DIY. We will carry what we’ve learned and discovered about our own Alabama makers into our MAKESHIFT conversations, where we strive to expand our growing regional discussions into a global exchange.

There may be no more relevant time than now to talk about Slow Design, specifically Slow Fashion, as the body count in a collapsed garment factory in Dhaka, Bangladesh – a factory that churned out Fast Fashion for American consumers – surpasses 900.

As we prepare to travel to New York for MAKESHIFT 2013 to discuss WHERE FASHION, FOOD, DESIGN, CRAFT + DIY INTERSECT and HOW WE define and TRANSFORM THE INTERSECTION OF FASHION, FOOD, DESIGN, CRAFT + DIY THROUGH INNOVATION AND COLLABORATION FOR THE BETTER GOOD, we find ourselves asking why MAKESHIFT might be relevant in the wake of the Dhaka, Bangladesh tragedy.

The Slow Design movement’s roots are based on the same premise as the Slow Food movement, both historically intellectual factions often viewed as exclusive clubs. (Penelope Green wrote a great article in the New York Times on Slow Design that brings the concept to a relatable level). Slow Food has become more democratic in recent years, thanks to the many chefs who dedicate their kitchens and menus to locally, sustainably grown produce and humanely raised meat (the fashion industry has a lot to learn from these guys). Planting home gardens and buying from local farmers markets has become a trend and good habit for many of us. We can feel and taste the personal benefits even when we can’t tangibly appreciate the long term benefits on our local economy and farm land.

Ironically, Fast Fashion was established with the “democratic” moniker, where the latest trends and styles on the runway are not just available to everyone, but sold with a bill of entitlement to own them. We buy clothes, wear them once, or until they wear out (too soon), and throw them in the landfill. Not only do we further the demise of our environment and negatively affect climate change, but now we see how our Fast Fashion habits affect innocent workers abroad. According to Elizabeth Cline in her book Over-Dressed, only 2% of clothing is made in the U.S. today, down from 50% in 1990. Roughly 41% of our clothing is made in China. Many of those garment factories are unregulated and built illegally, posing grave danger to those reporting for work every day, and for very low wages.

Alabama Chanin is built on the Slow philosophy. Everything we produce is slow. Our fabric is custom dyed, then cut by hand in the studio, stenciled by hand, packaged and distributed to local artisans who hand-stitch every garment from seam to appliqué to beaded embellishment. It takes roughly eight to ten weeks to produce a garment. The very nature of our process is in direct conflict with the predominant practice for delivering clothing to the masses.

When we hear chefs dedicated to using locally grown products talk about where their produce comes from, they always talk about relationships, about knowing their farmers. Transparency and collaboration appear to be at the heart of the Slow Food movement and it seems natural to expect the same of Slow Design and Slow Fashion. MAKESHIFT was born from the idea of shifting the way we make. In essence, it’s a shift in the way we consume as well. Small, sustainable and environmentally minded businesses can’t compete with mass-produced, low-cost goods, but through collaboration, great things are possible.

We talked to pirate Richard McCarthy last year about cultural assets and Slow movements, and the subject of sustaining local commodities, like food, came up. In the same way locally grown food is distributed through supermarket alternatives, like farmer’s markets, Slow Fashion may also need distribution alternatives. The opportunities for collaboration and innovation appear to be ripe, and necessary.

Our hope is to see the possibilities for collaborative growth and conversations around Slow Design and Slow Fashion become as common as our predilections for locally, sustainably grown food.

Follow us next week as we ask these important questions during MAKESHIFT 2013, and please share with us your ideas here on our journal.

Build It Green!NYC (BIG!NYC) is New York City’s only non-profit retail outlet for salvaged and surplus building supplies and materials. Co-sponsored by Community Environmental Center (CEC), which assists New York buildings with energy efficiency, BIG!NYC works to keep building materials out of landfills, using all materials where possible (much like Alabama Chanin). You can find most anything at BIG!NYC, whether it’s shutters, panel doors or refrigerators. Construction and demolition waste is a massive portion of landfill content (over 19,000 tons of building material are thrown out each day in NYC) and that waste contains pollutants, GHG emissions, and contributes to climate change and global warming. All proceeds from sales through BIG!NYC go back into supporting CEC’s environmental programs throughout the city: BIG!Compost, BIG!Blooms, BIG!NYC Gives Back, along with a variety of other projects that continue to emerge.

Our friends (and Southern Foodways Alliance cohorts) Kerry Diamond (of Cherry Bombe Magazine) and her chef/partner Robert Newton (of Seersucker and  Smith Canteen) built their newest endeavor, Nightingale 9, from materials found at Build It Green!NYC.

Last October, Hurricane Sandy nearly destroyed one of BIG!NYC’s reuse centers, flooding their 21,000 square foot warehouse with five feet of water. Two days later, volunteers from across the state amassed on the site to help remove the unsalvageable and clean what could be saved. With the help of those volunteers, Build It Green!NYC was back in business within days, aiding those hit hard by the storm and providing needed building materials. BIG!NYC suffered major losses as a result of Hurricane Sandy, which only reinforced their mission to extend the usability of construction materials by keeping them out of landfills.

Like last year’s chair workshop, participants in this year’s event will  repurpose cast-off, found chairs into objects of beauty. And like last year, friends, makers,  and designers, like Natalie, A.J. Mason, Andrew Wagner, Tanya Aguiniga, Amy Devers, and more, will be on-hand to help and participate. While space for this workshop is limited, a Chair Exhibit and party will take place directly after the workshop and are open to all. Build It Green!NYC will also be open for business during the workshop with a portion of all sales benefiting Build It Green!NYC Hurricane Sandy relief efforts. Come join us…

P.S.: The workshop is currently wait listed, but spots may open so go ahead and send us an email. We want to hear from you: rsvp (at) alabamachanin.com

We often hear the mantra, “Live for today.” Most of us need to slow down, curb our expectations and anxieties, and embrace the present.  And for the most part, I try to approach life that way. But we can’t always live completely in the present. Sometimes we have to plan ahead, we have to think of our future generations and give them the tools they need to make this world a better place.

It’s not always easy to be a mom (single or otherwise) and live constantly in the present. Duties call. Spilled milk may not be something to cry over, but someone still has to clean it up. I was having one of those spilled milk days – dog chaos, bills to pay, groceries to put away – when Maggie came to me with this drawing and said, “I want you to make this dress for me.” It’s a miracle I even heard her.

As you can see, the dress was made, Maggie was ecstatic, and somehow, in the midst of chaos, I was able to inspire her to believe she can make anything. The best Mother’s Day gift of all is just to have that moment when you think, “I do make a difference.”

Happy Mother/Daughter Day (coming soon) to Maggie and me… and to you and yours.

This dress is an adaptation of our T-Shirt pattern, but there are many available options at Oliver + S and Vogue Children’s. We also found these two sweet dress patterns that are very similar to Maggie’s dress:  Butterick B5876 and Simplicity 2194.

SUPPLIES

T-shirt Top pattern, adapted from Alabama Studio Sewing + Design or Alabama Studio Style
Paper scissors
1 yard of 60” wide 100% organic medium-weight organic cotton jersey
Button Craft thread
Embroidery scissors
Hand-sewing needle

Basic sewing supplies: fabric scissors, pins, tailor’s chalk, ruler, rotary cutter, Alabama Stitch Book, Alabama Studio Style, or Alabama Studio Sewing + Design: all three of these books contain basic sewing techniques.

Fabric scraps for cutting hearts, peace sign, or any shape you desire.

OUR DESIGN CHOICES

Fabric weight – Alabama Chanin 100% organic medium-weight cotton jersey
Fabric color – White

Heart appliques – Light Pink

Peace Sign – Blueberry
Button Craft thread for construction – Coats & Clark colors #1 White
Embroidery stitches- Cretan for the binding, whip stitch for the appliqués -  instructions available in Alabama Studio Sewing + Design 
Seams – Inside Felled

Once you’ve selected a dress pattern or improvised your own, you can follow directions for the T-Shirt Top on page 31 of Alabama Studio Sewing + Design for construction details. For the appliqués, draw or trace your hearts and peace sign, or any shapes your children draw for you, onto the backside of your fabric scraps. Then, using fabric scissors, cut out the shapes. Sew them to the front piece of the garment using a parallel whip stitch found in all three studio books.

My friend Kay and I started giving one another socks for each holiday several years ago. Although this may bring back memories of dreaded Christmas gifts from years past (not socks again!), I find the gift of socks a very practical thing. It’s just not one of those things that I go out and purchase for myself on a regular basis—but, anyone who has had to show their threadbare socks in public understands that such a reveal can cause major embarrassment. Think back to that cliché, “Always wear clean underwear because you never know where you will find yourself.”

So, Kay and I once found ourselves side-by-side in the airport check-in, both wearing less than savory socks. Looking down at one another’s feet, we started to laugh—imagine the contrast of hole-ridden socks sticking out from below a beautiful hand-embroidered skirt.  Hence the start of a ritual: birthday socks, Halloween socks, Yuletide socks, just plain old happy-to-visit with you socks.

Which brings me to Zkano (pronounced za-kanno). A few months ago, another Alabama Chanin friend introduced us to Gina Locklear from Zkano and an immediate friendship ensued (not to mention the fact that she brought me a whole BAG of organic socks). I have been wearing them ever since and Zkano are the best socks I have ever owned. Period. And the best part: made in America with organic cotton. The next best part: Zkano is striving to use US grown cotton—just like Alabama Chanin. It is a sustainable partnership made in heaven.

We are working on a Zkano/Alabama Chanin collaboration; however, in the meantime, you can get a great range of their socks from our online store.

The funniest part: two days after we sealed the collaboration deal, my friend Kay showed up at the studio with two pairs of Zkano socks she had gotten for me at Whole Foods. Great minds think alike. (Thank you Kay.)

P.S. For a simple DIY project, customize your socks with embroidery stitches. Alabama Studio Sewing + Design and Elegant Stitches feature a wide selection of stitches. We chose the herringbone stitch in White and Pistachio embroidery floss on Zkano’s Grey Thigh High Socks. 

From far away, Ghanaian artist El Anatsui’s large-scale artworks take on the appearance of textiles and tapestries with patterns resembling those a master weaver might create. But upon closer inspection, the poignant pieces are actually constructed with simple bottle tops connected by copper wire.  Flattened then stitched, their unique assembly allows the works to move, flow, and take almost any shape. They speak volumes about El Anatsui’s education and home.

El Anatsui, who taught sculpture at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, has had an interest in graphic forms, drawing, and abstract art since he was a child; he attended art school and began working with wood, ceramics, and indigenous West African materials.

He believes art is something that is environment-based, so when he found a bag of discarded bottle tops in the bushes in 1998, he decided to keep them in his studio. Reflection upon African history allowed an idea to reveal itself.

Historically (and sustainably) significant, the bottle tops were rooted in the trade route between Europe and Africa where alcohol was one of the trade commodities. The color of the tops, and the patterns El Anatsui creates, take on the resemblance of kente cloth, a traditional West African silk and cotton fabric.

And though he is essentially sewing with garbage to make these amazing artworks, El Anatsui doesn’t see what he does as recycling, but rather, transforming.  We see how it is possible to create beautiful designs with very little.

He transforms architecture and space through his contemporary installations. The enormous sheets of “fabric” cover building facades, drape landscape and shrubs, and create seductive, enveloping wall-hangings.

El Anatsui acknowledges the craft and skill that go into the repetitive handwork of making the bottle top sheets, stating that, “The process of stitching, especially the repetitive aspect, slows down action and I believe makes thinking deeper. It’s like the effect of a good mantra on the mind.”

The New York Times recently featured El Anatsui and his work, remarking on effect the sheets had on the Arsenale at the Venice Biennale six years ago.

Draped and folded, full of intricate detail, his art is mesmerizing and larger-than-life.

It is as sustainable as it is culturally and historically significant – with endless possibilities and patterns.

View more of El Anatsui’s incredible installations here.

*Photographs of Suan Mullin Vogel’s El Anatsui: Art and Life